The Bengals are entering a pivotal period for locking up key young talent, and Chase Brown is at the top of that list. After a breakout season with over 1,300 scrimmage yards and continued production, Brown has publicly expressed his desire to stay in Cincinnati long-term while his agent and the team have been in ongoing communication about a new contract. Historically, Cincinnati has waited to extend players until they’ve proven themselves—and often until prices inflate, as seen with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins—but Brown seems positioned to be part of that core moving forward. Getting a deal done now could be mutually beneficial: stability for the team and financial security for Brown before he hits unrestricted free agency.

For Dax Hill, the situation is slightly different. The Bengals exercised his fifth-year option for the 2026 season, keeping him under contract through next year. That move shows organizational belief in his upside after a position switch from safety to cornerback, despite an ACL injury. Hill’s extension may not come immediately this offseason—teams often wait to see a full season of production before committing significant new money—but his late-season performance in 2025 could push the Bengals toward long-term talks instead of reaching for a cornerback in the draft.

DJ Turner has arguably the strongest case for an early extension among the three. After a career-best 2025 campaign highlighted by high PFF grades, pass breakups, and interceptions, Turner looks like a foundational piece of the Bengals’ defense. He’s expressed a clear desire to stay long term, and team insiders expect extension talks to start soon. With contracts for Brown and Turner both in play, the Bengals’ front office will need to balance cap flexibility with locking down homegrown contributors in the coming months.

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