Two Bengals starters receive bumps in pay without having to sign new contracts and impacting Cincinnati's salary cap space

The league's performance-based pay program is designed to distribute sums of cash to players who play a notable amount of snaps relative to their salary for that season, not how much their salary cap number is. This mainly benefits players who are on rookie contracts, particularly those who were late-round draft picks, who are also full-time starters.

Volson has benefitted from this program back in 2023 and 2024, and will see another bonus of $931,357 this season, the ninth-most out of any player. He earned a salary of $985,000 last year and played 984 snaps at left guard. Iosivas' pay comes out to $854,095, which ranks 19th out of the 25 qualifiers. He earned $915,000 throughout the course of last season while logging 891 snaps as Joe Burrow's No. 3 wide receiver.

Performance-based pay is not only good for the players, it doesn't impact how much money goes against a team's salary cap. Volson and Iosivas' cap hits will remain what they were originally scheduled to be this season, which is $3,820,220 and $1,069,848, respectively.

Volson's cap hit took a big leap due to the proven performance escalator he earned as an incoming fourth-year player drafted outside of the first round. This is just another bonus should he make the team in August.

Cincinnati is expected to challenge Volson this offseason in a competition at one of the guard spots. Cody Ford was retained thanks to a new two-year contract, and a rookie is expected to join the fray from next month's NFL Draft.