Cincinnati Bengals Free Agency Preview: Should the Team Right a Wrong and Bring Back the Guard That Got Away?

CINCINNATI – While the top two guards heading into free agency, Kansas City’s Trey Smith and Indianapolis’ Will Fries, likely will be too expensive for the Cincinnati Bengals’ wish list, the No. 3 option could be a fit.

And it would be a boomerang moment for many Bengals fans, and perhaps some inside the organization, who feel Teven Jenkins was the one who got away.

Pro Football Focus lists Jenkins, who will turn 27 next month, as the No. 3 guard option this offseason and No. 25 overall.

The Bears drafted Jenkins in the second round in 2021 after the Bengals made one of their biggest draft blunders in decades when they traded pick No. 38 for No. 46 and two fourth-round selections.

Chicago took Jenkins at No. 39, and Cincinnati selected Jackson Carman at 46. And with the two fourth-round picks they acquired, they drafted defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin (who played five career games and is out of the league) and offensive tackle D’Ante Smith (three career games played).

Jenkins, meanwhile, has started 38 games the last three seasons and was PFF’s No. 15 ranked guard in pass blocking and No. 17 overall in 2024.

Teven Jenkins clearing the pocket with maximum force and punishment #fullslab pic.twitter.com/7Mi2fm3ydO
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) December 11, 2023

Injuries have prevented Jenkins from playing a full season.

He missed the final two games last year with a hip injury and sat out Week 11 with an ankle.

Jenkins began the 2023 season on Injured Reserve with calf strains in both leagues, but he started 13 of the final 14 games, missing only Week 16 with a concussion.

He missed four games in 2022 with a combination of hip and neck injuries.

That injury history likely is contributing to a considerably lower market value for Jenkins than Fries, who is ranked just one spot ahead of him on PFF’s list.

Previous Guard Profiles

While Spotrac lists Fries with a market value of $14.1 million annually, Jenkins comes in at $10.3 million, which is what current Bengals guard Alex Cappa, 30, would cost against the cap in 2025.

The Bengals are expected to cut Cappa this offseason, and Jenkins would be a better and younger replacement.

On The Athletic’s mock offseason worksheet, I plugged in Jenkins as my replacement for Cappa.

Latest Growler w/ @ByJayMorrison & @MoEgger

💻 We dive into our #Bengals Mock Offseason sheets, discussing the toughest decisions and revelations from this year's exercise.

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— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) January 29, 2025

Spotrac has Jenkins projected contract as $31 million over three seasons.

The Bengals gave Cappa a four-year, $35 million deal in 2022.

Decisions on extensions for wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson will go a long way in determining how much money the team can allocate to upgrading the offensive line.

But even if the team brings back both stars, there would be a path to at least one guard in Jenkins’ price range.

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