The deadline for teams to exercise the fifth-year options on the contracts of 2023 first-round picks is May 1 and it looks like the Bengals are gonna come right down to the wire on their Myles Murphy call.
Murphy was the 28th overall pick in 2023 and he moved into a starting role during the 2025 season. Murphy recorded 5.5 sacks while playing in every game and director of player personnel Duke Tobin had positive things to say about him during a Monday press conference.
“He’s a 24-year-old guy that’s just starting to scratch the surface,” Tobin said. “I was pleased with his progression last year and how he took ownership of the starting role and how he grew throughout the season. By the end of the year, he was a problem for teams. He’s a guy we believe in.”
That belief doesn’t mean the Bengals will be exercising the option, however. Murphy would be guaranteed $14.475 million in 2027 under the terms of the option and Tobin said the team will look this week to “see what kind of costs we can layer in next year.” Tobin added that they’d like a “long-term relationship” with Murphy, but is equally unsure if that will come together in Cincinnati.
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