Bengals, DJ Turner Not Close To Extension

There is “virtually no chance” the Bengals and Turner will come to terms in time for their Sept. 13 opener against the Buccaneers, per Fowler. Turner doesn’t seem too worried about it.

“My mindset is gonna be the same regardless of if I’m the highest paid or if I don’t have a contract,” Turner said Thursday (via Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer).

Turner has started in 34 of 45 games since he joined the Bengals as a second-round pick in 2023. The former Michigan Wolverine went without an interception in his first two seasons, but he picked off two passes in 2025. It was the most productive year yet for Turner, who played just under 90% of defensive snaps, started a career-high 16 games and broke up a personal-best 18 passes (he combined for 15 from 2023-24). As the nearest defender on 73 targets, the 5-foot-11, 185-pounder yielded a paltry 47.9 completion percentage and a 75.6 passer rating. While Pro Football Focus assigned Turner a bottom-tier against the run (37.9), his 78.1 mark in coverage ranked seventh among 112 qualifiers at his position.

Despite the 25-year-old Turner’s efforts, the Bengals ranked last in the AFC in total defense and allowed the third-most points in the NFL in 2025. Thanks to defensive ineptitude and an injury that shelved quarterback Joe Burrow for nine games, the Bengals finished a dreadful 6-11.

Between its offseason defensive additions (Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, Bryan Cook and Boye Mafe, among others) and the return of a healthy Burrow, Cincinnati is a popular pick to win the AFC North this year. Turner again performing like a top-level corner would boost the Bengals’ chances of contending, and it would better his odds of earning a lucrative contract by 2027. There are currently 10 corners averaging at least $20MM per year, a group Turner has a chance to join if he and the Bengals unexpectedly hammer something out before the season.

If Turner goes into 2027 without a contract, Fowler points to the possibility of the Bengals applying the $23.91mm franchise tag. They went that route in 2022 with safety Jessie Bates, who played on the $12.91MM tag and then left in free agency the next year. Tagging Turner would cost $23.91MM.

Barring extensions, the Bengals will have decisions to make on Turner, fellow starting corner Dax Hil, edge defender Myles Murphy and running back Chase Brown before free agency opens next offseason. In the meantime, they will attempt to snap a three-year playoff drought.