Xavier Su’a-Filo contract breakdown with Bengals

One of the biggest position battles to watch for this year for the Bengals is at offensive guard. That’s because they didn’t get good production from either spot last year while yet again sporting one of the league’s worst offensive lines.

The hope is that’s now behind the Bengals thanks to additions throughout the line this offseason, including the signing of veteran guard Xavier Su’a-Filo. The journeyman lineman has spent time with the Texans and Cowboys. He ended up starting at least one game in each of his six NFL seasons, including 31 in Houston from 2016-17. He was mainly a backup over the last two seasons in Dallas but ended up starting 12 games over the last two seasons due to injuries to starters.

That’s why Su’a-Filo was unable to land a bigger contract this offseason, but the Bengals did give him a respectable three-year deal worth $9 million.

Here is a look at his full contract via Over The Cap:

It doesn’t have a lot of guaranteed money, so it will be relatively easy for Cincinnati to cut him if he doesn’t perform well enough, or at least better than his competition at guard.

If Su’a-Filo is cut prior to the 2020 season, the Bengals will owe him $333,3333 in dead cap in each of the remaining years on the deal, so right at about $1 million overall.

Again, not exactly a contract that makes him a starter for sure, but assuming the Bengals do keep him for at least 2020, the Bengals are likely banking on him being a serviceable starting guard this year.