The Cincinnati Bengals spent the offseason bolstering their defense that had become one of the roster’s clearest weaknesses.
That work also put an emphasis on Myles Murphy‘s upcoming season.
The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. identified Murphy as the Cincinnati player with the most at stake in 2026.
Dehner wrote that another season at the level Murphy reached during the second half of 2025 could send the edge rusher into free agency with a projected price exceeding $20 million per year.
The 2023 first-round pick enters the final year of his rookie contract after Cincinnati declined his fifth-year option.
He now has a chance to turn one strong finish into a contract worth more than the option the Bengals passed on.
A step backward could leave him searching for a prove-it deal.
Murphy Soars, Dexter Lawrence Could Help Even More
GettyThe Cincinnati Bengals look for Murphy to have a breakout year in 2026.
Murphy finally began producing like the player Cincinnati expected after it selected him No. 28 overall out of Clemson.
He set career highs with 52 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits and six tackles for loss across 17 games last season. His sack total led the Bengals.
PFF also credited Murphy with 29 defensive stops and ranked his 36 solo tackles sixth among qualifying edge defenders.
The improvement became more noticeable late in the year, when Trey Hendrickson was injured and Murphy received a larger role.
During Cincinnati’s offseason program in May, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Murphy had “continued to take off” over the course of last season and into the offseason.
The underlying pass-rush numbers provided another encouraging sign.
Bengals.com reported that Murphy generated 41 pressures and a team-high 31 hurries while playing more snaps than he had during his first two seasons combined.
Cincinnati has now changed the environment around him.
The arrival of Dexter Lawrence gives the Bengals an interior defender capable of collapsing the pocket and demanding extra attention.
Murphy has already explained why that matters to an edge rusher.
“He’s a monster on the field,” Murphy said of Lawrence, via Bengals.com. “Consistently bringing middle push. Pressure.”
Murphy should see better opportunities for disruption when protections tilt toward Lawrence, and conversely, quarterbacks also may have less room to step forward when Murphy wins around the edge.
Bengals’ Decision Leaves Murphy With a Wide Contract Range
GettyBengals head coach Zac Taylor will face a decision to make with Murphy’s contract for 2027.
The Bengals declined a fifth-year option worth $14.475 million for 2027, per NFL.com.
Cincinnati has maintained that the decision centered on salary-cap flexibility after its defensive spending spree. The team has also said it remains interested in keeping Murphy beyond this season.
Therefore, both sides have room to benefit.
The Bengals receive one more year to evaluate whether Murphy’s late-season rise can become his normal level of play.
And Murphy receives a starting role on a deeper line that could help him reach free agency with better numbers and greater leverage.
He will need more than occasional pressure to reach the market Dehner projected.
A $20 million annual salary would place Murphy in a tier reserved for esteemed impact rushers. He must convert more of those hurries into sacks, in addition to defending the run consistently.
The moment is substantial because Murphy is still only 24 and entering what should be the beginning of his prime.
His first three seasons produced 8.5 sacks in 47 games, and those numbers alone would make a major extension difficult to justify.
His finish to 2025 offered value to ponder, especially with Cincinnati spending the offseason to improve nearly every condition around Murphy.
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