The Cincinnati Bengals brought back a key member of the defensive line, as they re-signed veteran defensive tackle B.J. Hill to a three-year deal worth $33 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The deal includes $16 million guaranteed and will keep Hill in a Bengals uniform through the 2027 NFL season. It's a decent deal for a still-productive player.
Bengals re-sign B.J. Hill to three-year deal worth $33 million
In 2024, Hill, 29, recorded 56 total tackles, nine QB hits, seven tackles for a loss and four passes defended in 15 games. Hill was initially traded to the Bengals from the New York Giants in August of 2021, and he has spent the past four seasons in Cincinnati.
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In addition to bringing back Hill, the Bengals also re-signed tight end Mike Gesicki to a three-year deal worth $25.5 million. Clearly, they felt like both of those guys can continue to contribute in a major way moving forward.
There was some speculation that the Bengals would let Hill walk and sign elsewhere, but that clearly wasn't the case. Hill will now continue to hold down the right interior side of the defensive line for Cincinnati.
The main question is who will be lining up alongside Hill on the outside, as the Bengals have granted star defensvie end Trey Hendrickson permission to seek a trade out of Cincinnati. Hill and Hendrickson have lined up alongside each other on the line for the past four seasons. Hendrickson may have played his last game with the Bengals, but Hill hasn't.
Hill is just one of the first dominos when it comes to free agency for Cincinnati. The team still has a plethora of decisions and moves to make as the league continues to undergo its annual shakeup.