The idea of the Cincinnati Bengals going to get another wide receiver with a big name for Joe Burrow seems low on the priority list as free agency continues.
But it’s not a complete non-factor, either.
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Stars want to play with Burrow. That’s no shocker. And after the showings from the combination of third wideouts and tight ends last season, there’s room for the Bengals to add help.
It doesn’t hurt, of course, that Burrow recently linked up with major names at a flag football tournament who happen to be free agents.
DeAndre Hopkins
A free agent, DeAndre Hopkins had some interesting Burrow-Bengals hints on social media and caught a touchdown from the Bengals quarterback during the game itself.
The reality? If Hopkins wants to settle for a cheap deal, the Bengals might be interested over the summer.
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Hopkins only had a one-year deal worth $5 million in Baltimore last year. He’s turning 34 in June. If he wants to keep playing, it probably wouldn’t be a terrible gamble to see if he can compete for third wideout snaps during camp.
Odell Beckham
Odell Beckham Jr. was at the tournament with Burrow too. He’s hoping it’s the launching pad for a full-blown NFL return.
Beckham is now 33 years old and hasn’t played since 2024 due to injuries and otherwise. He’d be even more of a prove-it gamble than Hopkins. But if it’s a prove-it deal that at least provides some summer competition and fun headlines for fans, it would be pretty hard to complain, right?
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Davante Adams
Quick sidebar here: Davante Adams had some interesting Burrow comments at the tournament, too. But he’s a member of the Los Angeles Rams and on a huge contract, so not happening. That is, unless he gets cut loose and at the age of 34 would be willing to sign for cheap and run as a third wideout and depth. So again, not happening, but topical given the weekend’s events.
Bengals’ in-house competition and other factors
Part of the reason this is a discussion past the flag football event is due to the struggles behind Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the depth chart last season. Mike Gesicki is a tight end who is actually a big slot guy and was limited to 13 games last year. Andrei Iosivas regressed, catching just 33 passes over 17 games with notable drop issues. Charlie Jones is on the roster for special teams and guys like Kendric Pryor and Mitchell Tinsley are developmental guys right now.
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Most realistically, the Bengals are going to add to the position in the draft or undrafted free agency.
But, again, Burrow is a magnet for free agents. If one of the above guys is willing to play a small role for cheap, perhaps the Bengals entertain the idea. While unlikely, there are worse questions to have around a team’s offense ahead of the summer.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Would Bengals really sign DeAndre Hopkins or Odell Beckham?