The Cincinnati Bengals haven’t made any massive splashes in free agency so far.
That was the expectation, though. The Bengals’ roster is in a good place with just a few tweaks needed this offseason.
Pro Football Focus, however, thinks the Bengals could be an ideal landing spot for a recently released Pro Bowler who would fill a need in Cincinnati.
The Philadelphia Eagles released Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay with a post-June 1 designation on Wednesday.
Darius Slay released with a June 1st designation#Eagles will save $17m in cap space, but don’t get that space to spend until June 1st
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 15, 2023
Slay is 32 years old, but he’s coming off a solid season that saw him reach his fifth Pro Bowl. He’s definitely a player that can still help a contender.
That’s likely why Pro Football Focus thinks Cincinnati would be a good landing spot for Slay.
The Bengals could use a cornerback with Tre Flowers and Eli Apple testing free agency. Chidobe Awuzie’s status is uncertain in 2023 after tearing his ACL last season.
From PFF: The Bengals might feel good about the way 2022 second-round draft pick Cam Taylor-Britt ended his rookie season, posting 85.3 and 76.6 PFF coverage grades in the final two games of the year, but with Eli Apple currently a free agent and Chidobe Awuzie tearing his ACL in the middle of the season, cornerback is a need.
Slay’s had a nice career, but he’s never won a Super Bowl. At this stage of his career, that’s almost certainly a goal of his.
What better place to land than with Joe Burrow in Cincinnati? The Bengals will once again be one of the favorites to reach the NFL’s biggest game. And they need a cornerback. It’s a perfect match for both sides.
