The Cincinnati Bengals extending cornerback DJ Turner II to a long-term contract has been the quiet hope for the entire offseason. A report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler states there is “virtually no chance” a deal gets done before Week 1.

The most likely scenario now is Turner playing out the last year of his rookie contract this season. Fowler reports Cincinnati using the franchise tag on Turner next offseason is a “real possibility.”

Not ideal for either party, especially with a deadline rapidly approaching.

If not DJ Turner II, who will the Bengals extend before Week 1?

Turner was viewed as the logical player for the Bengals to extend leading up to this season. He’s their No. 1 cornerback and has handled himself perfectly entering the final year of his rookie contract. But if both sides can’t agree on the financials, this deal isn’t coming together before Week 1.

The start of the regular season is Cincinnati’s hard deadline for major contracts. The front office does not negotiate when the games are being played. Talks then pick up again in the weeks before free agency, or sometimes, they never do.

It’s entirely possible the Bengals start the season without extending any other player on their roster. But if a deal comes together within the next seven days, these are the names to consider.

Chase Brown

Running back Chase Brown is probably the best combination of a player who’s earned an extension, and who could be affordable to extend. Brown has been the starting tailback in Cincy’s offense for the last two years in which he’s amassed 2,806 scrimmage yards and 22 total touchdowns. He’s become an ideal fit next to Joe Burrow, and the mid-tier RB market has settled in the range of $11-13 million per year.

There is also always the conversation about whether it’s wise to pay a running back a long-term contract. The Bengals signed Joe Mixon for $12 million per year five years ago, and he didn’t see all of the deal.

The offense is in a good place to move on from Brown next year with a cheaper and younger replacement. The price relative to other extension options, however, make this feel like the most probable deal coming together outside of Turner.

Dax Hill

Turner’s partner in crime, CB Dax Hill, is also up for a new deal, playing on his fifth-year option as a first-round pick from 2022. There have been no signs of Cincinnati getting anywhere close to an extension with Hill, as this seems destined to play out with him finishing his contract and hitting free agency next year. Having been moved around in the secondary for basically all of his time with the Bengals, Hill can utilize this opportunity to play well as a starter for one more year and then get a fresh start on a new team.

The drafting of Tacario Davis made it seem like Cincinnati was willing to move on from at least one of its starting cornerbacks. Hill, based on how everything has gone with him and the prioritization of Turner, seemed like the odd man out. Maybe that’s not the case anymore if the situation with Turner is a true stalemate? It’s tough to tell at this juncture.

Should the Bengals want at least one of their corners locked in long-term, Hill should be the more affordable choice. I just am not expecting an agreement to be made here due to the aforementioned circumstances.

Myles Murphy

The Bengals declined to exercise the fifth-year option on defensive end Myles Murphy’s contract back in April. The club’s first-round pick from 2023 is scheduled to be a free agent next year. For reference, the fifth-year option would’ve cost Cincinnati $14.475 million in guaranteed salary next year.

If the front office wasn’t willing to pony up that kind of money, I do not see them landing on a long-term agreement exceeding that value per year.

Murphy is not as proven from a year-to-year basis as Turner, Brown, or Hill. All of them have shown signs of quality play prior to 2025. Last year was Murphy’s first season showcasing that value. It makes sense if the Bengals want him to prove he can sustain it.

Factor in investments in Shemar Stewart, Boye Mafe, and Cashius Howell, and Murphy is the least-likely to sign a new deal from my perspective. 

Who gets paid, if any?

I believe Cincinnati should be working overtime this week to get a deal done with Turner. If he sees himself as the next highest-paid corner in the league, then there’s nothing to be done with that. If it’s an argument over guaranteed money, it’s further confirmation the Bengals still have progress to make with their process and organizational philosophy.

No deal for Turner is very possible. I could see only one of the others signing a deal, and Brown would be the easiest to get done. Quarterback Joe Burrow also endorsed his tailback near the start of training camp.

“He does everything,” Burrow said on July 30. “He’s a complete back. He can protect, he trains as a receiver all offseason, and you wouldn’t know that he was a running back when he’s out there doing it. He makes people miss. The first guy almost never brings him down. He’s smart. He cares about it.

“I think there’s very few backs in this league that you can say that about,” Burrow continued. “When you have a guy like that, you don’t have to take him off the field. You can put him in so many different packages. You can build packages for him in different places on the field.”

Cincinnati could make next offseason a bit easier by knocking out at least one of these deals now. All of them seem to be more likely to not happen, and that makes capitalizing on this season even more important with all of them fighting to prove their worth.