The Cincinnati Bengals enter a key offseason with a huge list of players scheduled to become free agents.
Fans know the big names possibly headed to the market, headlined by Tee Higgins, DJ Reader and a few others.
How the Bengals navigate this upcoming free agent class will heavily influence how the team pursues outside free agents and the overall draft strategy — directly impacting the team’s current contention window.
So here’s a look at the upcoming list of Bengals free agents, ranked by level of importance to the team’s long-term success and the order the front office should probably prioritize them this spring.
20. QB AJ McCarron
19. TE Irv Smith Jr.
18. OL Jaxson Kirkland
17. TE Mitchell Wilcox
16. RB Trayveon Williams
15. LB Markus Bailey
14. LS Cal Adomitis (ERFA)
13. OL Cody Ford
12. OL Max Scharping
11. LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
10. WR Trenton Irwin
9. DL Josh Tupou
8. TE Drew Sample
7. QB Jake Browning (ERFA)
6. TE Tanner Hudson
5. CB Chidobe Awuzie
4. WR Tyler Boyd
3. OT Jonah Williams
2. DL DJ Reader
1. WR Tee Higgins
