Joe Burrow restructure saves underrated Bengals defender from cap casualty status

The Cincinnati Bengals’ restructuring of Joe Burrow’s contract to save the team $10 million is a great sign for an underrated defensive player, T.J. Slaton, who many believe is on the salary-cap cutting board.

Now that the front office suddenly has money to spend, many believe those extra dollars could go to finding a linebacker or two to shore up what remains the biggest question mark on the defense. 

However, that extra cushion relieves the salary-strapped team of the pressure to make a business decision with Slaton, for now. 

Bengals may gain little by moving on from T.J. Slaton

In the midst of an offseason that saw the defensive line overhauled, with two of the most significant acquisitions coming at defensive tackle, it is easy to overlook the hard-to-miss Slaton. 

The Bengals acquired Slaton in free agency last offseason from the Green Bay Packers, signing him to a two-year, $14 million contract. 

If the Bengals were to release Slaton now, they would save $6.6 million. But they would also incur a $2.5 million dead money penalty in the process. And while adding even more cap space could be useful, it might be worth looking at other avenues by which to do so.

T.J. Slaton remains important to Bengals' defense

For all of the credit we give to Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and BJ Hill about being double-teamed the past few seasons, Slaton faced a fair share of his own last year. 

Furthermore, what makes Lawrence special is that he is a run-stuffing defensive tackle who can get to the quarterback. 

The only other archetypal run-stuffing defensive tackle the team seems ready to count on game day is Slaton. The other interior linemen are more in the 3-tech mold, which the team hopes will provide pressure up the middle. 

The next best option to fulfill that run-stopping role in the middle of the defensive line is McKinnley Jackson. However, it does not appear that the coaching staff is keen on him filling in at nose tackle quite yet.  

For as much as we chide the defense for not getting enough consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, let’s not forget that they were last in total rushing yards and yards per game allowed. They were also 31st in rushing yards allowed per attempt. 

If defensive coordinator Al Golden deploys more 3-4 looks with Lawrence at the nose, Slaton will become an immensely valuable backup.

Future moves could alter the equation

However, while Slaton should feel more confident in his caste on the team after Burrow’s restructure, circumstances could still change quickly, fast, and in a hurry. 

The Bengals must get a deal done with DJ Turner, who should expect a contract near the top of the market. If that were to happen, depending on how the team structures the contract, they could need salary relief again. 

Also, if the front office decides to address the aforementioned linebacker position through a trade, it would need sufficient cap space to absorb the additional contract.

Lastly, McKinnley Jackson could impress the coaching staff so much this preseason that he makes Slaton expendable. That would be an excellent problem to have, but we have no reason to believe that will happen at this juncture.

Why the Bengals keeping T.J. Slaton makes sense

Slaton had the best season of his career last year, registering highs in sacks, tackles, tackles for loss, and QB hits. Now, his entourage has certainly improved since last year, giving us reason to believe he will be even better in 2027.

Slaton’s arrow is going up, along with his being the best option to back up Lawrence at nose tackle, which means that Burrow’s contract restructuring could be the most beneficial for Slaton. In turn, his presence on the team in 2027 could be one of the most valuable, albeit underrated, just like his 2026 season.

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