The Cincinnati Bengals gave up the second fewest points in the NFL this past season, and prior to losing their starting quarterback, they were arguably one of the best teams in the NFL. The Bengals fell short in the wildcard round of the playoffs against the Steelers, and with free agency quickly approaching in March, Cincinnati's front office will have some major decisions to make.
The Bengals have 15 players eligible to hit free agency on March 9, and they have decisions to make regarding some talented playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. Safeties Reggie Nelson and George Iloka, cornerbacks Leon Hall and Adam Jones, and linebacker Vincent Rey are all scheduled to become free agents.
Bengals free safety Nelson is one of the biggest questions for the Bengals this offseason and is coming off a great season in which he was named to his first Pro Bowl. The Bengals are expected to make a push for Nelson to stay this offseason but are not willing to overpay, according to ESPN's Coley Harvey.
Nelson recorded 77 combined tackles and a career-high eight interceptions during the 2015 season. The Bengals' front office will likely need to make a decision between Iloka and Nelson this offseason, as they are both likely to garner plenty of interest on the open market. It's possible Cincinnati could look to keep both of them around a little longer, but that will likely lead to cuts somewhere else on their roster, according to Harvey.
Cincinnati has young talent in their secondary but will still look to bring Nelson back next season at the right price.
