Bengals Offseason List: Part Two Free Agents

1 of 5

Outside of the NFL Combine and pro days, the next big date on the NFL calendar is the start of free agency which begins March 9th at 4:00 p.m. EST. The Bengals have 15 players set for some type of free agency, half of which were either starters or big contributors. Bengals scouting czar Duke Tobin said it’s no secret what the Bengals like to do and that’s sign their guys. So by now we all know what the Bengals strategy will be, and that’s to sign their own and possibly sign a bottom tier veteran late in free agency.

Jan 9, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones (24) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY SportsHere’s a look at the Bengals top 5 free agents and what to expect. Listed in order of importance. /

1. Cornerback Adam Jones
Jones was a machine this year, locking down opposing receivers and battling through an injury. Some think that Jones might have cost himself some money with his playoff meltdown, but that’s not going to happen. As the league has shown time and time again, talent trumps behavior and Jones will follow with a big payday. With Dre Kirkpatrick struggling and in the last year of his contract and Darqueze Dennard unproven, suddenly one of the Bengals deepest positions has become one of the question marks.

Recommendation: Extend Dre Kirkpatrick to get his 7.5 million dollar cap hit down and use the extra money to sign Jones.