One of the NFL’s most reliable veterans, who played his collegiate career at the University of Pittsburgh, is set to become a free agent after the 2023 season and he’s interested in coming back to play for his hometown team.
“You never know,” WR Tyler Boyd said. “I love Coach [Mike] Tomlin. He’s probably one of the realest dudes in the sport’s business. Obviously, I played at Pitt, and I had a lot of run-ins with him and talked to him just about football. His personality is more like a father figure, it’s a great connection.”
Boyd has spent his entire eight-year Bengals career on the field. However, his deal will expire at the end of the current campaign, and Cincinnati may decide to split ways with him in order to award a few more large contracts.
After making Joe Burrow the highest-paid quarterback in the league during the previous summer, the team is already strapped for cash, and two more playmakers will soon receive large salaries.
While WR Ja’Marr Chase is eligible for a contract extension, WR Tee Higgins’ rookie deal is coming to an end. The Bengals will have to pay if they wish to keep either.
In a perfect world, Cincinnati would be able to keep all three players. But it looks like at least one of them will not be with the team in 2024, and Boyd seems to be the early odd man out.
The Steelers could be the benefactors. They’re likely to move on from veteran WR Allen Robinson II, who had just 280 yards and zero touchdowns this season, as they’ll save $10M against the cap.
Thus, Pittsburgh will require a new wide receiver to complement Diontae Johnson and George Pickens at number three. That might be the No. 55 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, having recorded more than 500 yards and 50 catches in all but one of his NFL seasons.
Boyd is still open to playing in Pittsburgh, even if he decides to stay with the Bengals or sign with another team this offseason.
“Who knows,” Boyd continued. “Even if I don’t go after this year, I could do a one-year deal at the end of my career and maybe finish up, but who knows.”
