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The NFL offseason really begins to heat up once free agency is underway.
For the Cincinnati Bengals, this could end up being one of the more intriguing free agent periods in the Marvin Lewis era. We already know the Bengals rarely sign outside free agents, but Lewis has indicated they could be more active this offseason.
In terms of their own free agents, the Bengals may not lose anyone that was a major contributor in the 2017 season that needs to move on anyway. That includes center Russell Bodine, who has been among the NFL’s worst starting centers during his four-year stint with the Bengals. The hope is he’ll move on this offseason, but you can bet the Bengals will make a push to keep him.
Then you’ve got Tyler Eifert, who is a Pro Bowl-level player when healthy, but he’s missed far too much time due to injury for the Bengals to count on him.
Then you’ve got backup quarterback AJ McCarron, who is set to become a restricted or unrestricted free agent, depending on how his arbitration ruling goes. Either way, the Bengals will almost certainly lose him this offseason.
Other contributors slated to hit free agency include right tackle Andre Smith, running back Jeremy Hill, punter Kevin Huber, defensive end Chris Smith and defensive tackle Pat Sims. A number of these players will likely re-sign with the Bengals, but it’s not a given.
Use this stream to get the latest news, updates and rumors on the Bengals in free agency.