Cut season is rapidly approaching for NFL teams. It's a time when difficult financial decisions need to be made in the name of improvement. Every year, good players are cut simply because of the money an organization will save from moving on, and this year will be no different.
Bleacher Report recently listed the three most likely cap casualties for every team in the NFL, and fans in Cincinnati might not be too happy with the picks for the Bengals.
Alex Cappa, Geno Stone and Sam Hubbard listed as likely cut candidates for CIncinnati
Bleacher Report listed guard Alex Cappa as Cincinnati's most likely cap casualty due to his hefty cap hit of nearly $10.3 million in 2025. The argument is simply that his production doesn't match the price tag at this point, and thus the team would be better served to move on and use the cap space elsewhere.
From Bleacher Report:
"The Bengals mostly need to re-shuffle the deck on defense, but the offense has a few players who should be on the chopping block. Alex Cappa probably tops that list. The 29-year-old was ranked 107th out of 135 in pass blocking grade by PFF, giving up eight sacks. Sports Info Solutions also charted a poor season from the veteran, noting that he went from 16 blown blocks in pass pro in 2023 to 32 in 2024."
Cincinnati moving on from Cappa seems likely, as they desperately need to upgrade the interior offensive line. It also wouldn't be shocking to see the team move on from Hubbard, as difficult it might be.
Hubbard struggled in 2024, and his numbers were down across the board. He had just 41 total tackles, which is his lowest total since his rookie season, when he didn't start a single game. His two sacks also tied a career-low. He struggled to generate pressure on opposing QBs all season, probably in part due to the fact that he was playing through a hamstring tear.
At 29, Hubbard's best days might be behind him, and the team would save over $9 million in salary cap space if they release him this offseason.
Then, there's Geno Stone, who played better down the stretch, but was still a disappointment during his first season in Cincinnati. Will his late-season play be reason enough for the Bengals to keep him around? They're also pretty thin at safety. He seems like the least-likely of the three to get cut, but it wouldn't be shocking if he was.
The Bengals have some very difficult decision looming. It should be an interesting offseason in Cincinnati.
