Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals re-signed tight end Drew Sample to a three-year, $10.5 million contract extension on Monday, according to a source. Sample will receive $3.5 million in 2024. In his fifth year with the Bengals in 2023, Sample had 22 catches on 27 targets for 163 yards and a career-high two touchdowns in 17 games (10 starts). Tanner Hudson, Mitchell Wilcox and Irv Smith Jr. are all free agents, but one or more of them could be retained or the Bengals could add competition at the position through the NFL draft. The 27-year-old Sample has accumulated just 80 receptions (103 targets) for 621 yards and three touchdowns in his five years in the NFL with Cincy, so it would be unrealistic to expect the Bengals to utilize him as their unquestioned No. 1 pass-catching TE in 2024.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is requesting a trade, according to Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team. The organization used the franchise tag on Higgins this offseason and reportedly wants to keep him around, but it appears Higgins is ready to move on. The 2020 second-round pick has racked up 257 receptions for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns through his first 58 NFL games. He posted at least 1,000 receiving yards in 2021 and 2022, but he was limited to just 656 yards in 12 games last season. With Ja'Marr Chase on the roster, Higgins is stuck in the WR2 role, meaning he's unlikely to post monster seasons that will earn him a high-figure contract. He could operate as a team's top receiver if he lands in an ideal spot, but we'll see if the organization is willing to move him before the start of the 2024 campaign.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) said he expects to be cleared for contact in May. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft suffered a torn wrist ligament in his throwing hand on November 16 against the Baltimore Ravens. The injury ended his season after 10 games. After starting the season with a calf injury, Burrow threw for 2,309 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions before being sidelined. His recovery timeline puts him well on schedule to participate in all of the team's offseason activities, so this specific injury should not be a concern. However, he has now missed 13 games in four NFL seasons, so a future injury could be a risk. Either way, he is being valued as a mid or low-end QB1 in fantasy football. The team used the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase is under contract, giving Burrow plenty of firepower to bounce back.

The Cincinnati Bengals announced on Thursday that quarterback Jake Browning has been issued a tender, which assures the team that they will retain his exclusive rights for the 2024 season. Browning now has the option of signing the team's tender offer or negotiating a long-term deal with the club. The 27-year-old made his NFL debut in 2023 for the Bengals and was forced into a starting role due to injuries to Joe Burrow. Browning ended up appearing in nine games (seven starts) and acquitted himself well with a league-high 70.4% completion percentage with 1,936 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He's fully expected to be Burrow's top backup for the 2024 season, but he won't be on the fantasy radar again unless Burrow misses more time due to injury.

Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin hinted that the team doesn't plan on trading impending free-agent wide receiver Tee Higgins, who was given the franchise tag. "Really simple. He's a good player. We want to keep him. We have resources to do that. We're a better team with Tee," Tobin said. While it's great news for the Bengals if they keep Higgins around for another season, it's also bad news for his fantasy value entering the 2024 campaign. The 25-year-old would make $21.8 million this year if he ends up playing on the franchise tag. He played in just 11 games in 2023 due to hamstring and rib injuries, finishing with a disappointing 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns on 76 targets. A bounce-back season in 2024 for Higgins should be expected if he's healthy, but the presence of Ja'Marr Chase will continue to affect Higgins' ceiling if he remains in Cincy.