The Cincinnati Bengals reunited with a familiar face in NFL free agency.
The Cincinnati Bengals continue to handle internal business as the offseason unfolds, prioritizing depth and continuity behind one of the NFL’s most explosive passing attacks led by quarterback Joe Burrow.
With both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins headlining the wide receiver room, the front office has made its first move to solidify competition for the final roster spots heading into training camp.
That effort includes bringing back a familiar face in Kendric Pryor, who has spent the past few seasons developing within the organization on the practice squad. “We have re‑signed free agent WR Kendric Pryor to a one‑year contract,” the Bengals wrote on X.
Pryor will enter the 2026 season as a second‑year player in terms of experience if he makes the roster at any point, though he has been around the league since going undrafted out of Wisconsin following the 2022 NFL Draft.
The 28‑year‑old wideout originally signed with Cincinnati as a free agent and flashed during the 2022 preseason before being waived during final roster cuts. The Jacksonville Jaguars claimed him, and he spent his rookie year on their active roster before eventually making his way back to Cincinnati in 2023.
Pryor has spent most of the past three seasons on the Bengals’ practice squad, serving as a reliable depth option and special teams contributor. In 2024, he appeared in two games as a practice squad elevation. During that stint, he recorded one reception for nine yards and added two kickoff returns for 43 yards in a Week 9 appearance against the Las Vegas Raiders. He was also elevated in Week 18, providing depth amid late‑season roster shuffling.
He did not appear in a regular‑season game in 2025, and his practice squad contract expired in January. Unlike many teammates who signed reserve or futures deals immediately, Pryor briefly became a free agent before Cincinnati opted to bring him back on a new one‑year agreement on Wednesday.
The move underscores the Bengals’ emphasis on maintaining familiarity within their system. While Pryor faces an uphill battle to crack a receiver rotation that includes Chase, Higgins and others, his knowledge of the playbook and special teams versatility gives him a legitimate chance to compete for a depth role.
For Cincinnati, retaining Pryor is a low‑risk move that preserves continuity and camp competition. For Pryor, it is another opportunity to turn perseverance into a permanent roster spot on a team with playoff aspirations.