Cincinnati Bengals Announce Roster Move at Cornerback Position

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Cincinnati Bengals Announce Roster Move at Cornerback Position

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Andy Restrepo | Last updated Feb 6, 2025 12:33 PM ET

The 2024 season was challenging for the Cincinnati Bengals, culminating in a 9-8 record and missing the playoffs. The defense struggled, ranking No. 25 in both points and yards allowed per game.

Recognizing the need for improvement, the team hired Al Golden as the new defensive coordinator.

Golden, who previously served as the Bengals linebackers coach from 2020-21, returned after a successful tenure as Notre Dame's defensive coordinator, where his unit ranked second nationally in points allowed in 2024.

Given their defensive needs and the hiring of Al Golden the team have taken a significant step to bolster their defense by signing cornerback Jalen Davis to a futures contract, as they announced on Wednesday.

Davis, who has been with the Bengals since 2020, has appeared in 52 regular-season games, contributing 17 tackles, two pass deflections, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. In the 2024 season, he was part of the practice squad and was elevated to the active roster for two games.

The signing of Davis aims to add depth to the cornerback position, addressing one of the defense's critical areas.

However, the Bengals face a challenging offseason with significant contract decisions looming. Star wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are due for extensions, and negotiations with standout defensive end Trey Hendrickson are on the horizon.

Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season, is seeking a new contract reflecting his value. His agent is scheduled to meet with the Bengals to discuss an extension or potential trade options.

This offseason will be a difficult one for the Bengals. The team seems to have a lot of fronts open. The problem being that is appears that it won't be easy to close them.

It won't be easy to keep the current roster intact and only add what they need. It is likely that they will have to start thinking of trades.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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