Vonn Bell, the latest prize for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020 NFL free agency, didn’t figure to come cheap.
That’s what made the announcement Wednesday that the Bengals had agreed to sign the 25-year-old safety so surprising. The front office had already spent massive money on guys like Trae Waynes and D.J. Reader atop the A.J. Green tag.
Yet according to ESPN’s Ben Baby, the contract checks in at three years and $18 million. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, $11.5 million comes over the first two years with $7 million in Year 1.
In other words, it’s another front-loaded deal where the Bengals get the big money out of the way early. Waynes, especially, had a similar structure with about $20 million coming Year 1 on a $42 million deal.
It’s a savvy way for the Bengals to attempt to spur a turnaround right away. Pay up early while benefiting from a rookie quarterback, worry about extensions later.
Even so, this latest unexpected expenditure could mean further moves as the front office looks to free up cap space.
