It's still a long way until the NFL season gets underway, but the Bengals got some bad injury news on Tuesday.
One of their key defensive players, signed to a contract extension this offseason, is in a walking boot.
Big defensive tackle B.J. Hill was at Tuesday's workout, per multiple reports, but had a walking boot on his lower left leg.
The Athletic's Paul Dehner wrote that Hill wasn't wearing the boot during an open locker room period last week.
Hill signed a three-year extension this offseason worth $33 million total.
He's one of the top tackling players on the interior of the defensive line. He totaled 56 tackles in 2024. Hill also had three sacks.
The Bengals need all the defensive help they can get, especially with a Trey Hendrickson extension still loading.
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It's certainly better for Hill to be hurt now rather than later.
Cincinnati will likely be extra cautious as it awaits progress on whatever specific injury Hill is dealing with.
As long as he's healthy by August and September, whatever he's dealing with now will really not be a big deal.
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