The Cincinnati Bengals have re-signed wide receiver Kendric Pryor.
A second-year player, Pryor was originally signed by the Bengals as a college free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft. He became a fan favorite during the 2022 preseason, but was waived during final cuts and was claimed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent his rookie season on the Jags’ active roster, and would return to Cincinnati in the middle of the 2023 season after Jacksonville waived him.
The Bengals have kept Pryor on their practice squad for most of the past three seasons, and elevated him for two games in 2024. He caught one reception for nine yards in Week 9 of that season, and took two kickoff returns back for a total of 43 yards in that contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. Pryor was called up for that game and in Week 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to Jermaine Burton being a healthy scratch for both weeks.
Burton is no longer on the roster, and for about a month, neither was Pryor. The 28-year old’s practice squad contract expired upon the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, and he was not retained via a Reserve/Futures deal like many of his practice squad teammates. The timing of this now makes Pryor’s transaction unique.
Kendric Pryor becomes Cincinnati’s first official re-signing of the offseason
Pryor is not the first player the Bengals have retained this offseason. Along with the 13 practice squad players signed to futures deals, Cincinnati has also extended the contracts of eight players who finished the regular season on the active roster, including tight end Tanner Hudson, wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley, and cornerback Jalen Davis will join the list soon.
Pryor is different because his deal had already expired and was free to sign with whomever wanted to offer him a contract. Impending free agents who were on the roster last year have to wait until the start of the new league year for their deals to expire. Pryor has also not accrued enough seasons to even reach restricted free agency, let along unrestricted free agency, so the Bengals would have total control over his rights even if he did finish 2025 on the 53-man roster.
Extended or re-signed, the reality is the same. Pryor returns to help bolster arguably the best wide receiver room in the NFL. He’ll look to earn a roster spot this offseason in a competition to fill in a role behind Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, and Mitchell Tinsley.
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This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Feb 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.