The Bengals want to retain Joe Flacco as the team's backup quarterback in 2026. After all, Flacco performed admirably after being acquired via trade, throwing for 1,664 yards, with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. Will Flacco re-sign, knowing he'd be locked into a backup role behind Joe Burrow?

Risner signed only a one-year deal but ultimately played 767 snaps for Cincinnati across both left and right guard. The former Viking was especially strong in pass protection, allowing only two sacks and 17 pressures across 503 pass-blocking snaps, helping the Bengals’ offensive line trend in the right direction.

This year's edition is more straightforward with no major contracts looming, but there are still tough decisions to make.

Hendrickson has given a half-decade of awesome play to the Bengals as their greatest free-agent signing ever. He re-worked a one-year, $29 million contract with the team to play for them in 2025.

"There is no world where Ken Anderson should get a (Pro Football Hall of Fame) vote over Bill Belichick," ESPN NFL analyst Damien Woody tweeted.

Are the Bengals desperate enough to do a move like this?

After winning the first two games of the season, the Cincinnati Bengals’ season went sideways. With starting quarterback Joe Burrow sidelined with a turf toe injury, the Bengals lost eight of their next nine games.