The Cincinnati Bengals will have some sorting out to do at cornerback this offseason.
Three different corners will hit free agency next month, including starting cornerback Eli Apple. Reserve nickel corners Jalen Davis and Tre Flowers are also set to hit the market, leaving a possible void at the slot for the Bengals.
Flowers and Apple each have a projected market value of around $11 million, which could prove to be a challenge for the Bengals if they want to keep both players. Do the Bengals retain Apple as a starter if he returns? With Chidobe Awuzie healing from an ACL tear and Cam Taylor-Britt building his way up the ranks, Apple may not be a surefire starter if he's with the Bengals in 2023.
Awuzie may not even be ready by Week 1 and is entering a contract year, which means the Bengals might have to start thinking about a potential future without him. In a cornerback-laden NFL Draft class, will the Bengals repeat history and draft another cornerback in the second round like they did with Taylor-Britt last year?
The Bengals have a lot of cap space to work with in terms of bolstering their secondary. Given the circumstances with theupcoming Joe Burrow contract extension era, Cincinnati may have to be a little more conservative with how they stock up at cornerback. There's no shortage of free agents on the market, including proven reserves the team could acquire for a bargain.
The Strictly Stripes podcast makes a case for who stays and who goes amongst the Bengals' free agent corners. Looking through the top free agents and NFL Draft prospects, they sort out the pieces to the puzzle and see what could fit for the Bengals in 2023 and beyond.
This podcast features Mohammad Ahmad, Andrew Gillis and Michael Niziolek.
Music: Starfields by Hallman
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