The Cincinnati Bengals’ defense was downright terrible last year. While Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and the rest of the offense looked unstoppable, the defense couldn’t stop anything, leading to some high-scoring shootouts. The front office has many tasks this offseason, but one of them is fixing the defense. Every signing counts, even ones that seem insignificant. The Bengals have re-signed pass rusher Cam Sample, who missed last year with a torn Achilles, to a one-year deal.
Cincinnati Bengals Re-Sign Cam Sample
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports it is a one-year deal for the former fourth-round pick out of Tulane. He missed all of last season with a torn Achilles, so the Cincinnati Bengals decided to bring him back on a one-year prove-it deal. In his first three seasons with the team, he showed some promise. In 47 games, he has racked up 68 total tackles, 5.0 sacks, 20 quarterback hits, and one pass defended. For a rotation piece, these are solid stats.
The Cincinnati Bengals will need all the help they can get on the defensive line if they end up dealing Trey Hendrickson. He led the league in sacks last year, but reports indicate the team is trying to trade him as they cannot afford another huge extension. It remains to be seen if he will be moved, but regardless, the team needs some quality rotation pieces on the line. The hope is that Sample has had a year to recover from his injury and comes into 2025 healthy.
Lots To Do
The Cincinnati Bengals have three high-profile players who are disgruntled right now. Chase is waiting on a record-breaking extension, but the longer the front office drags its feet, the more expensive it is going to get. Tee Higgins was tagged for the second straight season, and indications are the team is trying to trade him. This is on top of the Hendrickson saga. The team could likely get decent value for these players, but it hurts to have to deal them.
A few years ago, this looked like a team ready to go toe-to-toe with the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, they are scrambling to try and find cheap talent while also figuring out huge contracts for All-Pro players. They are one of the teams every NFL fan has their eyes on this offseason. Signing rotational players like Sample is good, but the worries surrounding this team still persist.
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