The Cincinnati Bengals offense could look vastly different in 2024 than it has the past few seasons. Running back Joe Mixon could be a cap casualty as there were rumors the team could move on from him during the 2023 offseason.
On top of that, there is a chance the pass catchers around Joe Burrow are changed as well. The Bengals have benefitted in recent seasons from having arguably the best wide receiver trio in the NFL, but retaining all of them could be impossible based on their projected contracts.
Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are both set to be free agents this offseason. Higgins finished up his rookie contract and could be sought after as a No. 1 option for teams around the league. Boyd has been a reliable No. 3 option out of the slot and is coming off a four-year, $43 million deal.
NFL News & Rumors: Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans, 2024 NFL Free Agency, Cincinnati Bengals Updates
At the very least, Higgins is in line for a massive raise. Given his level of reliability and production, Boyd should be able to land a multi-year deal as well as he won’t turn 30 until midway through the 2024 campaign.
There is certainly a reality in which the Bengals are unable to retain either player long-term, especially considering the massive extension awaiting Ja’Marr Chase. If that is what occurs, Cincinnati will need to find some cost-effective replacements in the passing game.
One player they could target is free agent Dalton Schultz. The veteran tight end, in the opinion of Gordon McGuinness of PFF, is someone the Bengals should be looking to sign to fill a void in their lineup.
“The Bengals could lose both Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, who combined to see 165 targets in 2023, this offseason. Young receivers Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones could step up in their places, but the Bengals adding a talented receiving tight end could help them win in the middle of the field. Schultz proved himself to be a reliable target for the Texans this year, earning a 72.2 PFF receiving grade through the wild-card round,” wrote McGuinness.
Boyd seems likelier to be on the move than Higgins. In that scenario, the Bengals would need to find someone capable of replacing his production over the middle of the field in short and intermediate routes. Schultz would be the perfect addition.
NFL News & Rumors: Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans, 2024 NFL Free Agency, Cincinnati Bengals Updates
He has proven that he can be one of the most productive pass-catching tight ends in the NFL. After being met with a relatively cold market in 2023, Schultz should have a more robust market this offseason after catching 59 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns for the upstart Houston Texans.
The Bengals didn’t receive much production from the tight end spot in 2023 as Irv Smith Jr. failed to make much of an impact. Tanner Hudson did show some flashes when called upon and would make for a nice duo alongside Schultz, with Drew Sample mixed in, as an upgrade to Smith.
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