The Cincinnati Bengals still have about $23.43 million in available cap space in 2024 according to Over the Cap. And with few roster holes to fill heading into the NFL draft, Bleacher Report analyst Matt Holder suggested that Cincy use some of that money to strengthen their wide receiver group.
“To be honest, the Bengals have a pretty good roster where there isn’t much room for an outsider to come in and start right away,” Holder noted in his article determining late free agent fits for each team. Instead, the writer urged Cincinnati to think long-term with a DJ Chark Jr. signing at wide receiver.
“Adding Chark would be a move to see if he can potentially replace Tee Higgins next season,” Holder reasoned. “The 2019 Pro Bowler isn’t the same player he used to be, but he is coming off consecutive 500-yard seasons.”
During his Pro Bowl campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chark topped 1,000 receiving yards for the first and only time in his career. He’s a 6-foot-3 big play threat who has 23 career touchdowns and an average of 14.5 yards per reception.
Bengals Should Add 1-2 Wide Receivers Before End of 2024 Offseason
If the price is affordable — and it should be considering Chark signed for $5 million last spring — this potential acquisition makes sense for a couple of reasons.
The first is that you can never have enough depth, and as of now, the Bengals are lacking in that department at wide receiver. Ja’Marr Chase is your superstar No. 1, and Higgins has already voiced his intention to play on the franchise tag if Cincy chooses not to trade him.
Behind the top two, there are uncertainties.
2023 draft picks Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas showed glimpses of promise as rookies, but you can’t rely on a fourth rounder and a sixth rounder to take major leaps in production. After all, long-time staff favorite UDFA Trenton Irwin outshined both when called upon.
Chark is a former second-round talent with a proven track record, and he’d immediately become the Bengals’ third best wide receiver on the roster if signed.
Reason number two is Higgins. As Holder hinted, this move would be as much about 2025 as it would be about 2024.
If Cincinnati can persuade Chark to accept a two-year deal, for example, he could spend year one learning the system as a rotational piece and then step into Higgins role next season. In the meantime, he’d also serve as injury or holdout insurance on the outside, should something happen to Chase or Higgins.
Chark is a step or two below the Bengals’ current star pass-catchers, but he’s similar enough to Higgins to help with the transition in the case of a 2025 departure. Coupled with a dynamic slot receiver selection in the draft, Cincy could equip Joe Burrow with his deepest wide receiver group since entering the league.
Healthy Bengals Roster Is Still Greatest Threat to Chiefs in AFC Conference
It’s an all-in type move to keep Higgins at a $21.816 million salary, so why not go one step further? Sign Chark, draft a slot-threat in round two or three, and then save your round one selection for a new pillar on the offensive or defensive line.
When the Bengals are in good health, they are the only AFC team that has frequently outperformed Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs more often than not. This makes them the most likely to have a chance at overthrowing the back-to-back defending world champions.
They just need to have a successful draft and add one or two more experienced players to be prepared for any challenges along the way.
