Bengals Free Agent Profile: Cam Sample’s injury comeback propels him into another unknown offseason

Cam Sample returned to Cincinnati to play out a contract year, but will he be a part of the defensive line retooling?

John Sheeran — Cincinnati Bengals News Writer
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Cincinnati Bengals Cam Sample (96) celebrates after a successful play during their game against the Seattle Seahawks at Paycor Stadium on Sunday October 15, 2023. Bengals were up 14-10 at halftime.
© Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

We’re getting closer and closer to NFL free agency, and the Cincinnati Bengals have 16 players with expiring contracts. Who will re-sign with the team, and who will leave when the 2026 league year begins? We’ll go through all impending free agents before the madness begins.

As many as three defensive ends could be leaving the Bengals in free agency. Trey Hendrickson is the obvious top name of the list, and Joseph Ossai may command a decent contract as well, but there’s another player deeper in the defensive line room that may be looking at a fresh start in 2026.

Cam Sample

Position: Defensive end
Age for 2027 Season: 27
Incoming NFL Year: 6th
Previous AAV: $1,267,500
2026 Snap %: 21.5%

Cam Sample was originally drafted by Cincinnati in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the pick directly following Ossai. He immediately became a key rotational piece along the defensive lines of both playoff teams in 2021 and 2022, and that role was maintained in 2023. He missed all of 2024 due to a torn Achilles suffered in training camp, but was re-signed in the 2025 offseason. Defensive coordinator Al Golden wanted Sample back to see what he could get out of him coming off a major injury.

Sample was able to play by the time the preseason came around and made the 53-man roster despite not having too much contractual security. He did however see his snaps decrease to 234 after averaging 365 snaps during his first three regular seasons, but managed to match his career-high of two sacks.

Contract History and Projection

Sample signed a one-year, $1,267,500 deal last offseason which included $300,000 in performance incentives. It was his first contract he signed as a veteran player following the expiration of his rookie deal.

Spotrac.com’s calculated market value for Sample is a one-year, $1,962,479 contract, which would be a relative bump in terms of Average Annual Value (AAV) to the salary cap’s increase.

Prediction

Bringing back Sample last year was a low-risk move to help fill out the defensive depth chart. His evaluation has not changed very much since entering the league, and he’s always going to be more of a run-defending base end rather than a reliable answer as a pass rusher.

Despite Hendrickson and Ossai both likely leaving, the need to retain Sample is not very high. I could see a similar one-year deal being signed if initial plans don’t pan out, but the Bengals have other younger players such as Cedric Johnson and Isaiah Foskey who can step up in Sample’s place if he moves on.

Turnover is expected to happen at this position, and I expect Sample to be part of the departures.

Bengals Free Agent Profiles

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