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Cincinnati Bengals Announce Roster Move at Wide Receiver Position

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ryan Brooks | Last updated Feb 4, 2025 1:52 PM ET

It's going to be a busy offseason for the Cincinnati Bengals after they posted a subpar 9-8 record.

When factoring in the career season for both superstar quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, the nine-win finish on the season was quite unfortunate.

While the Bengals were left yearning for more after a slow start to the season, they now have the power to make the necessary moves to achieve more next season.

The club made a defensive coordinator change, as head coach Zac Taylor will now be working with defensive coordinator Al Golden, who is fresh off an impressive campaign with Notre Dame and has spent time with Cincinnati in the past.

There are some massive moves on the horizon, though. Both Chase and defensive lineman Taylor Hendrickson are in the market for a contract extension with the team.

Lost in that is wide receiver Tee Higgins, who posted a career-high ten touchdowns during his 2024 campaign. They will likely lose him in the open market during free agency.

Ahead of potentially losing the star, the Bengals are getting ahead of making one move -- adding Mitchell Tinsley to the squad with a futures contract, as the team announced on Tuesday.

"We have signed WR Mitchell Tinsley to a Reserve/Future contract," the Bengals announced.

We have signed WR Mitchell Tinsley to a Reserve/Future contract.

: https://t.co/9MRdbABlIC pic.twitter.com/IUxp6Ty8Ae
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) February 4, 2025

Tinsley is heading into year two in the NFL after the 25-year-old had a long college football career.

"Tinsley (6-1, 205), who will be a second-year player in 2025, originally was a college free agent signee of Washington in 2023. He played in two games for the Commanders in 2023 (no statistics), and was active/DNP in 15 contests. He then spent the 2024 season on Washington's practice squad. He played collegiately at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas (2018-19), Western Kentucky University ('20-21) and Penn State ('22)," the team shared in a release.

While Tinsley is a year two pro on paper, he has spent two years in the league already -- in a very limited role with the Washington Commanders.

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

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