Edge rusher Myles Murphy set career highs for sacks, tackles and quarterback hits during the 2025 season, but his improvement wasn’t enough to convince the Bengals to guarantee his return for the 2027 season.
The Bengals declined to exercise their option for a fifth season with the 2023 first-round pick and Murphy said he understands why the team made the decision. The Bengals made a lot of investments in veteran defensive players this offseason and director of player personnel Duke Tobin cited those moves while breaking the news to Murphy.
“I knew it was a possibility,” Murphy said, via Laurel Pfahler of the Dayton Daily News. “Duke and everyone upstairs, they’ve been pretty transparent on ‘we spent a lot of money this offseason.’ So, it does make sense. We talk. No hard feelings. We talk about everything, so really, just doing my job right now, getting ready for the upcoming season, trying to be in the best shape I can be, the best teammate I can be.”
Murphy said that Tobin said the team has interest in signing Murphy to an extension, but it seems likely that any next steps will come after seeing how Murphy performs on the field this fall. That sets up the 2026 season as a pivotal one.
“What happens in the business world or off the field, you cannot let that affect you,” Murphy said. “You won’t be at your best when it comes time to play football. So, I think at the end of the day, fifth year or not, extension or not, I’ve got to be at my best regardless.”
Murphy had three sacks in the final four games of the 2025 season and picking up where he left off will lead to a big contract somewhere next spring.
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