4 Bengals make ESPN’s list of top 100 available free agents

Now that all the franchise tags have been applied how do the Bengals hitting the open market stack up?

The Cincinnati Bengals have a handful of big names set to hit the open market. That doesn’t mean they are destined to end up elsewhere, even if the writing appears to be on the wall for some of them.

We are getting quite close to the legal tampering period on March 11th before the new league starts on March 13th. There will undoubtedly be plenty more names added as teams continue to get under the salary cap or make more room to make moves. But now that franchise tags have been applied, we have a much clearer initial list of potential free agents.

ESPN’s Matt Bowen put together his list of top 100 NFL free agents. Here are how the available Bengals ranked and some of his thoughts on them:

20. Chidobe Awuzie, Cornerback

Awuzie returned from a 2022 ACL injury to post 1 interception, 3 pass breakups and 57 total tackles last season. At 6-foot and 200 pounds, he not only has the man coverage skills to challenge on the perimeter but also the fluid movement traits and closing speed to play off the ball in zone schemes. Awuzie could upgrade a secondary for a contending team.

It goes to show just how good Awuzie is when healthy. He was instrumental in the team’s 2021 Super Bowl appearance. He can be a top end corner in this league still, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks. Awuzie will be 29 by the time the season starts, and it remains to be seen if he can return to being 100 percent of what he was after his ACL injury.

Awuzie probably is out after there is doubt that Dax Hill is a safety rather than a corner. The team also drafted DJ Turner and Cam Taylor-Britt the past two seasons. The team does need depth at that position, but Awuzie will likely be paid as a starting corner.

21. Jonah Williams, offensive tackle

Williams, who had an 85.4% pass block win rate last season (53rd out of 69 qualified tackles), doesn’t have upper-tier power or length at the position. But he wins with technique, gaining depth to create blocking angles and pass-set lines. He can help an offensive front on the right side, and he gets a boost here because he plays a premium position.

It seems the Bengals burned their bridge with Williams after the handling of signing Orlando Brown Jr. last offseason. A move to right tackle may have improved his value as that versatility is invaluable as the tackle position has such a lack of supply currently in the NFL.

There was a portion of fans that grew frustrated over Williams, but he was an average to above average tackle in the current NFL. It didn’t help he had to face the likes of Myles Garrett and TJ Watt frequently. There are few guys in the history of the NFL who can shutdown guys like that on a regular basis. He will be getting paid.

23. DJ Reader, defensive tackle

A season-ending quad injury pushes Reader down in our ranks, but we know the 6-foot-3 335-pounder could boost multiple fronts across the league. He wins with leverage, power and pad level at the point of attack, and he can get up on the toes of opposing quarterbacks as an interior pass-rusher (15 pressures in 2023).

This is the most likely player to end up back with the Bengals. He is coming off the injury and is set to be 30, but this is an injury Cincinnati has watched him recover from and return to form.

He is the anchor in the middle that helps stop teams from running so easily. He also managed 15 pressures last season, which is a pretty big improvement. Still, they may need to allocate that money to a defensive tackle who is even more disruptive in the passing game if they can manage. That doesn’t mean a reunion is out of the question, though.

86. Tyler Boyd, wide receiver

A fit for offenses that major in 11 personnel, Boyd can win inside matchups and move the chains. He has been a consistent pro and wins with detail in the route tree. Boyd caught 67 passes for 667 yards in 2023, and he has 31 career touchdowns.

We have known since Ja’Marr Chase exploded onto the scene that the team was likely going to let Boyd walk with having to pay at least two of the three of Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Chase. Burrow got his mega deal, Higgins received a franchise tag and the team has talked about the need to lockup Chase longterm.

Boyd and Joe Mixon have been two of the longest-tenured Bengals on offense. His presence as a veteran and leader can’t be understated. The team knew this was coming when they drafted Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones last season. One will likely take his spot if the team doesn’t draft another pass catcher this year, and Boyd will be a very reliable target wherever he ends up.