In Cincinnati, a number of significant decisions will need to be taken. The wide receiver room could end up drastically different or remain the same for a another season. When it comes to re-signing negotiations, Ja’Marr Chase will get his money, Tee Higgins will probably be named, but the third member of the triumvirate has remained anonymous. It is time for the Cincinnati Bengals to re-sign Tyler Boyd.
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Unquestionably, the Bengals should bring back Tyler Boyd in 2024.
Over the past eight years, Boyd has more than any other player come to represent what it means to be a Cincinnati Bengal. Boyd, who went undrafted out of Pitt in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, hasn’t missed a play in that entire period. Playing with all-time Bengals greats like A.J. Green, Tee Higgins, and Ja’Marr Chase, he has shown leadership in the receiver room.
Boyd endured some of the worst seasons the Bengals have had since the start of the Marvin Lewis era. The Bengals were about as uninspired as they could be, going 19-28-1 in his first three years in Cincinnati. But the team signed him to a $43 million, four-year extension this year because they understood how important he was. When Zac Taylor arrived that same year, he made sure that Green was facing his best receiver. In retrospect, Green’s performance declined since he missed the entire 2019 campaign. 2019 would have been considerably worse without Boyd than the 2–15 place they barely made it to.
Boyd advanced as a leader during the season. He is frequently reported as saying that he detests losing, so when the Bengals lost every week, he had to support not just his teammates but also himself. Then, he was suddenly the grizzled veteran as the Bengals acquired two young, explosive WR1-type players in Higgins and Chase.
Even though Charlie Jones was selected as the likely replacement, it would be beneficial to retain Boyd in the receiving room. Boyd needs to be extended regardless of whether Higgins is a part of the Bengals in 2024. If Higgins is no longer with us? It would carry significantly more significance.
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Boyd’s drops have generated a lot of discussion during the past two years. Before Week 18, in 2023, Boyd has dropped five passes. A year ago, he made three drops. Boyd has had 20 drops in total since 2018. Compare that to his 638 targets in the same time frame, and it may seem like a lot. His rate of decline is 3.1%. While 2023 is tied for Boyd’s worst season in terms of drops in 2018, he is far behind Tyreek Hill (11), David Njoku (11), and Puka Nacua (12), the league leaders.
On Boyd, the magnifying glass was focused during Super Bowl LVI. With 6:20 remaining in the game, the Bengals held a slim 20-16 lead going into third-and-nine. Burrow’s pass to Joe wason target and struck Boyd’s hands, but it was not quite enough. It was the season’s first drop for him.
