Although the Cincinnati Bengals may have added some youthful firepower to their offensive and defensive lines through the NFL draft, it can be argued that Southwest Ohio has had a difficult offseason. They have lost some key players across the board, which will make it much more difficult for them to compete for the AFC North Title this coming season, even though they chose to bring in a big list of temporary contracts.
Until this morning, there was a glimmer of optimism among Cincinnati supporters that standout slot receiver Tyler Boyd would be joining the team again the next year. The possibility of the franchise reaching out to keep their reliable interior receiver remained, even though it appeared unlikely when his free agency market appeared to vanish right before his eyes.
Boyd’s signing on Tuesday for a pitiful $4.5 million for a single season by the Tennessee Titans ended any optimism. For first-year head coach Brian Callahan, this was a great addition as Boyd completes a fantastic wide receiver trio that already included Boyd, former Jaguars star Calvin Ridley, and former Texans superstar DeAndre Hopkins. Boyd is still regarded as one of the top slot receivers in the whole NFL, so Callahan got a real steal with this move.
Tennessee has won handily, but the orange-and-black stripes are left scratching their heads greatly. Boyd has been a beloved player in Cincinnati ever since he was selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft to go with renowned receiver A.J. Green. Boyd is still a quality starting wide receiver with excellent ball-catching skills, despite having dropped down the depth chart with the selection of skilled wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.
For Cincinnati, the reasoning was too clear-cut: keeping Boyd would have added more steadiness to an offense that was undergoing fast change, especially since it is now nearly certain that Higgins won’t be playing for Cincinnati in 2025. It will be challenging for star quarterback Joe Burrow to replace the departure of another key offensive player, joining the group that had lost veteran running back Joe Mixon this offseason.
Although it was anticipated that Tyler Boyd would want a contract worth about $12 million annually, it had been considered that the team wouldn’t be able to keep him. Boyd’s output level at $4.5 million is an incredible value, especially considering how much the wide receiver market has expanded this offseason. For context, Gabe Davis recently inked a new deal with the Jaguars, and other from a monster performance in the 2023 NFL Playoffs, Davis has been almost completely ineffective for the Bills during his time there. Boyd will make less than 25% of Davis’ new deal.
In only a few more months, the 2024 regular season will begin. Hopefully, the front office’s lackluster performance throughout the offseason does not translate into a subpar showing.
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