Reader's 2023 season ended early due to a quad injury, but he played a key role along the Bengals' defensive line when healthy. He won't provide much in terms of pass rush, but the Lions already boast a strong run defense and Reader would add to that strength.

Speaking to the media Monday, team president Mike Brown indicated that talks with the kicker were ongoing. "We've been talking to Evan McPherson, we're hoping we can get there with him," Brown said. The Florida product has had an impressive start to his NFL career, connecting on 83.9 percent of his field-goal attempts and 95.5 percent of his extra-point attempts over three seasons.

Speaking to the media Monday ahead of the start of training camp, Bengals team president Mike Brown didn't shut the door completely on a deal for Chase coming together before Week 1, but he did downplay the idea. "It's not so likely that this is the good time to negotiate," Brown said. "The offseason is a better time for that and we're going to try to keep focused on the football part. I'm not going to rule anything out, but I will tell you that the die has probably been cast." Cincinnati picked up the fifth-year option on Chase's rookie contract in April, ensuring he'll be with the team at least through 2025.

Gesicki took a step back in 2023 with the Patriots, though Denher is bullish on his outlook now that he's paired with Joe Burrow. Denher projects that Gesicki will be used in the slot and will be able to take advantage of smaller corners or slower safeties. Gesicki has topped 700 receiving yards twice in his career, last reaching that mark in 2021 with the Dolphins, and he has never had more than six touchdowns in a campaign.

The news confirms Higgins will play on the franchise tag in 2024 and then head into free agency in 2025. Higgins signed the tag June 17 after previously having requested a trade, and he'll play out what will almost certainly be his final season on a salary of approximately $21.8 million with the team that drafted him in 2020.

Burrow's most recent clash with the injury bug came last season, when he initially dealt with a calf injury and then suffered a wrist injury in November that ended his campaign after 10-plus regular-season games. The 2020 first overall pick is heading into training camp with top two receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins back in the fold, but long-time teammates Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon are now in Tennessee and Houston, respectively.

Both Chase and teammate Tee Higgins are seeking new contracts, though it is seemingly a formality that Chase will be extended. The timeline for a deal is unclear, however, as Denher notes the team's preference to drag out negotiations. On the other hand, the Bengals may want to avoid having two unhappy star pass catchers in in the lineup in 2024, and waiting another year could only increase the final cost of Chase's extension as the wide receiver market continues to explode.

Hill appears to have a slight lead in their position battle at outside cornerback after minicamp. Turner started 12 games as a rookie last season, but Hill has adapted well to his new position after struggling as a starting safety in 2023. Cam Taylor-Britt appears locked in as a starter on the other side.

Hill struggled as the Bengals' starting free safety in 2023, prompting a position change for the 2022 first-round draft pick. He has enjoyed a resurgence as an outside cornerback and appears to have the early lead over 2023 second-round pick DJ Turner in their competition for a starting spot. Turner has more experience at the position, having started 12 games as a rookie, but Hill could find himself starting at a new position with a strong showing at training camp.

Both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins were away from the team for parts of the spring for contract reasons, which opened up reps for other wideouts. Iosivas, a sixth-round pick in 2023, took arguably the biggest step forward among the group, and the Princeton product appears to be honing the football skills necessary to take advantage of his elite athleticism. With Tyler Boyd now in Tennessee, Cincinnati needs a new No. 3 receiver, and Iosivas could leap frog competition like Trenton Irwin and 2024 third-round pick Jermaine Burton to claim the job with a strong training camp.

The one-year deal on the tag is worth $21.8 million for the coming season, but Higgins is set to become an unrestricted free agent after that without an extension. Given the massive contracts signed by Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown and other wide receivers this year, Higgins could be headed for a very big payday in 2025.

The Bengals let veteran slot receiver Tyler Boyd walk in free agency, and Higgins' reluctance to sign the franchise tag created uncertainty in the team's receiving depth behind top target Ja'Marr Chase. With Higgins back in tow, Burrow will once again have one of the top 1-2 punches in the NFL at his disposal, which is pivotal considering Cincinnati has an underwhelming group of skill-position players after those two receivers. Burrow continues to rehab a wrist injury he suffered in Week 11 of the 2023 season.

Karras was set to enter the final season of a three-year deal before the extension. The 31-year-old lineman has been a valued member of the Bengals since joining the team during the 2022 offseason, earning a team captain designation in each of his first two years and fostering a high degree of chemistry with star quarterback Joe Burrow.

Higgins is indeed entering a "crossroads" type of season, considering he's the only player who received a franchise or transition tag this offseason that remains without a long-term deal. Granted, more than a month remains before the July 15 deadline for such players to ink contract extensions with their clubs; however, Higgins appears willing to bet on himself and treat the 2024 season as a contract year, in the hopes of producing numbers worthy of a long-term lucrative deal in Cincinnati or elsewhere.

There have been some mixed reports about Burrow's status during offseason activities, as he was previously described as not being on a pitch count. However, coach Zac Taylor said the team was defending its star quarterback from himself with the forced absence. It's unclear whether Burrow will have ongoing absences during training camp, but the Bengals have indicated no concern about his availability for the start of the regular season.

Brown had just eight snaps on offense over the first six games of the regular season while operating behind Joe Mixon. Brown's usage went up in the second half of 2023, as he registered double-digit snaps on offense in each of the last six games of the year and accumulated 322 scrimmage yards and one touchdown on 53 touches over that span. Mixon was dealt to Houston in March, and while Zack Moss signed with Cincinnati in free agency, Filice believes that Brown could increase his timeshare in the backfield as the 2024 season progresses.

The Bengals picked up Chase's fifth-year option this offseason, giving him a significant pay raise for the 2025 season. However, he's seeking some longer-term security, an understandable request given the fact that he's topped 1,000 yards in all three of his seasons as a pro while tallying a combined 29 touchdowns. Coach Zac Taylor downplayed the situation, noting that he knew Chase was working hard to stay in shape even while away from the team.

Burrow's 2023 season came to a crashing halt in Week 11 against the Ravens when the franchise quarterback suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist. He started throwing again in April, and while he doesn't have a set number of throws he's limited to during OTAs, Pitcher noted that the young quarterback is staying "within the constraints of where the medical people think he should be." Before his wrist injury last season, Burrow completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 2,309 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions over 10 games.

With Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase not present for OTAs, Burton joined Trenton Irwin, Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones as the top targets for Joe Burrow during drills. Burton noted Monday that he and Burrow have worked closely in OTAs, and the rookie wideout could be heavily relied on by the franchise quarterback should Higgins opt to hold out for a long-term deal or trade. In his final season at Alabama, Burton registered 39 catches for 798 yards and eight touchdowns. He was taken by the Bengals in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 80th overall.

Until the wideout signs the tender or otherwise agrees to a new contract, Higgins will be ineligible to participate in OTAs. The 25-year-old requested a trade when Cincinnati first put the tag on him this offseason, but a Bengals team with Super Bowl aspirations wants him in the fold for 2024. The two sides have until July 15 to work out a new contract.

Shook has only Patrick Mahomes ahead of Burrow, noting that Burrow will have the chance to make a strong early impression, as the Bengals face the Chiefs in Week 2 and Ravens in Week 5. Burrow finished fourth in MVP voting in 2022 before having his 2023 campaign cut short by a Week 11 wrist injury, from which the 27-year-old quarterback is still recovering.

In projecting starters for each AFC North team, Rosenthal gives Moss the edge over Brown to start the campaign despite the latter's incumbent status. Brown showed some explosiveness as a rookie, but he ultimately has just 58 touches' worth of NFL experience, which pales in comparison to Moss' 559 across his five seasons. However, Rosenthal points out the fact both players are capable receivers in the screen game should lead to a fairly equitable division of labor.

Brown showed flashes last season as a rookie, but he ultimately garnered a scant 58 touches across 12 games. Mixon continued to play a large role, playing in all 17 games and drawing 309 total touches in what would turn out to be the last of his seven Bengals seasons. Moss should naturally see his fair share of work in 2024, but Rosenthal sees the two players having much less of a gap in workload than the Mixon-Brown tandem did.

Rosenthal acknowledges there's been plenty of talk about the Bengals' addition of Gesicki, who does arrive with 260 receptions and 20 touchdowns over 98 career games. However, in Rosenthal's view, the combination of Gesicki's struggles to earn playing time with the Patriots in 2023 and Sample's vast experience edge within head coach Zac Taylor's offense will conspire to keep Gesicki in a reserve role to open the 2024 campaign.

In projecting the starters for each AFC North team, Rosenthal notes Sample, who's been with the Bengals since the team invested a 2019 second-round pick in him, naturally has the experience edge over Gesicki in head coach Zac Taylor's offense. Consequently, he sees Sample getting the nod on the first unit, adding that Gesicki struggled to earn meaningful snaps with the Patriots in 2023.

Hendrickson requested a trade earlier in the offseason, but the Bengals are not interested in honoring that request or signing him to a long-term extension. That leaves Hendrickson's future in limbo, though he nevertheless told reporters that he loves the team. His comments seem to suggest he won't hold out in an effort to get an extension.

The edge rusher is coming off a 2023 season in which he recorded a career-high 17.5 sacks, but he's set to earn just $31 million over the final two seasons of his current contract, which is well below market value for an elite pass rusher. Hendrickson's presence at workouts is a good sign that the two sides could be close to a new deal that would keep him in Cincinnati, but a holdout still remains a possibility if he isn't either dealt or extended as training camp draws closer.

The Bengals wideout became the last man standing in that particular group Monday when Antoine Winfield signed a record-breaking four-year deal with the Buccaneers. Higgins put in a trade request in March after getting tagged, but all signs currently point to him spending the 2024 season in Cincinnati before hitting the open market next offseason.

Quarterbacks coach Brad Kragthorpe said the Cincinnati star appeared to be his usual self. "He looked like the Joe Burrow we're used to seeing," Kragthorpe said. "I didn't see any difference. I thought the ball came out of his hand well. Confidently. I'm happy where he's at." Burrow has previously indicated he doesn't typically begin throwing until OTAs later in the spring, so the fact that he was participating in voluntary workouts is a strong sign that he will be fully healthy by training camp, if not sooner. Burrow's 2023 season ended in Week 11 due to a torn ligament in his right wrist, and he underwent surgery in late November to correct the issue.

Hill operated as a starting safety for the Bengals in 2024 but struggled mightily in coverage. With Cincinnati having signed Geno Stone, Hill will transition to corner and is likely to play inside as he did in college at Michigan. Hilton is the incumbent at slot corner, which could mean Hill finds himself without a starting role to begin 2024.

Burton was seen on video striking a female fan in 2022 when fans stormed the field following the Crimson Tide's loss to Tennessee that season. Although he was never officially reprimanded, the incident was naturally a concern for some teams, but Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said the team felt "really good about the pick" and added that Cincinnati had done thorough due diligence on all its picks thus far.

Hendrickson's request comes just one day before the 2024 NFL Draft, so Cincinnati could get some picks in exchange for the three-time Pro Bowl defensive end if the Bengals acquiesce to his request and a deal comes together quickly. Coming off a 17.5-sack season, the 29-year-old Hendrickson is hoping to land a long-term contract, while Cincinnati hasn't offered him an extension.

"I do anticipate it," the wideout said while attending a youth football camp. "I've grown a love for Cincy that I didn't think I would, but, you know, man, looking forward to it." Higgins put in his trade request after the Bengals placed the franchise tag on him in February, but as yet the team has shown little interest in moving him.

Reader's 2023 season ended early due to a quad injury, but he played a key role along the Bengals' defensive line when healthy. He won't provide much in terms of pass rush, but the Lions already boast a strong run defense and Reader would add to that strength.