Latest Deal Sets Market for Bengals Veteran Ahead of Free Agency

The Cincinnati Bengals have a lot of storylines to follow this offseason. They will likely lose Trey Hendrickson in free agency, but they have the chance to franchise tag him. Cincinnati could dip into the trade market to add to their roster, too.

The Bengals need to upgrade their defense, which means they can't afford to lose any key pieces from their roster, aside from Hendrickson, in free agency.

With that in mind, the Bengals should have their eyes on a recent move from the Buffalo Bills. NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported the Bills are re-signing Sam Franklin Jr. to a three-year deal worth up to $7.5 million.

"The Bills are re-signing safety Sam Franklin Jr. to a three-year deal worth up to $7.5M, per source," Fowler wrote in a post on X Friday morning. "Franklin recorded 13 tackles as a core special teamer last season. The deal includes $5M in first two years."

This deal could have an impact on Tycen Anderson's future in Cincinnati.

Tycen Anderson's Market Could Be Set

Sep 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals safety Tycen Anderson (26) acknowledges the crowd after a play during the second half in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Franklin is a core special teams player for the Bills. He's a huge piece of the puzzle in Buffalo and a lot of fans dont' appreciate how much he contributes to the team.

The Bengals have their own core special teams player in Anderson. The 26-year-old is also a free agent this offseason.

With that in mind, the Bengals now have the market for Anderson. They could likely retain him on a similar deal worth around $7.5 million over three years.

NFL sources tell James Rapien that the Bengals are interested in re-signing Anderson.

"I'd love that," Bengals special teams coach Darrin Simmons said on Friday. "I think it's a huge, huge factor for us. He's obviously a good player. I think that he's an important cog for us and he knows how I feel about him. We stay in touch a lot and have throughout his career. I've got a great affection for him. I have a great deal of trust and admiration for what he does and it'll be great to get him back."

Anderson came back halfway through the season in 2023 after sustaining an injury. Since then, he's played all 17 games in 2024 and all 17 games in 2025. He's a huge piece of the puzzle for the Bengals, though he may be overlooked. It's hard to find somebody willing to commit to an out of the box role on an NFL team. The Bengals shouldn't let him leave in free agency, especially if they can sign him to a 3-year contract worth up to $7.5 million.

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