DJ Turner II Comments on Contract Extension Mindset Entering Final Days Before 2026 Season

DJ Turner continues to handle his lingering contract situation with grace.

The Bengals' top cornerback and arguably best secondary member discussed the report from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that there is "virtually no chance" Cincinnati inks him to a new deal entering the final season of his rookie contract.

"If I got a contract right now, I got a contract yesterday or tomorrow, I'll be the same," Turner said. "As I said, my mindset is gonna be the same regardless. I'm the highest paid, or I don't have a contract. It doesn't really matter. Just get better every week. Get better every week and win. That's really all you're gonna ask for."

Fowler wrote about the situation yesterday.

"Turner is an underrated cover man out of the AFC North," Fowler noted. "But this deal has virtually no chance to get done before Week 1, barring a massive and unexpected uptick. It isn't close, and Turner is poised to play out his rookie deal.

"If Cincinnati follows its own blueprint, it will franchise-tag Turner as it did with another star defensive back, Jessie Bates III, in 2022. Bates had to play on the tag before reaching a four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. Turner will be in line for a large payday in free agency if he reaches it. But the franchise tag is a real possibility here."

Cincinnati may be picking between Dax Hill and Turner for who will get a fresh deal in that group as the big contracts ahead of them start to stack up.

They just restructured Joe Burrow's contract this offseason in a first for the franchise, and guys like Amarius Mims and Dexter Lawrence could be looking for new paydays alongside those two names after this season.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin discussed all the juggling this summer.

“I’m not going to make any predictions about future contracts," Tobin stated. "We have everyone signed up right now, which is really good. It's a good feeling. I think everyone is locked in on the season, and we'll see what the future holds. But right now, our focus is winning and winning now. I'm not going to give any potential contract details or anything like that. Everyone's under contract, and we want the good players to stay here long term. That's always the way we've been.”

Turner could end up getting tagged, but a long-term deal would make sense for both sides. He just finished third in the NFL in pass breakups last season (18), while ESPN's Ben Solak has noted that 27.7% of Turner’s 2025 coverage snaps resulted in a pass breakup or interception (third as well).

Check out the full comments from Turner via CLNS Media's Mike Petraglia below:

DJ Turner on @JFowlerESPN report that barring an unexpected breakthrough, Bengals expected to let him play out his contract “My mindset is gonna be the same regardless. If I’m the highest paid, or I don't have a contract. It don't really matter.” pic.twitter.com/JD1Bk3GqYB
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) September 3, 2026

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