Cincinnati Bengals Free Agency: Despite Age, Injury, Hernandez Could Be an Inexpensive Guard With a High Ceiling

Jay Morrison | Feb 13, 2025

Sep 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals guard Will Hernandez (76) against the Washington Commanders at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Cincinnati Bengals

CINCINNATI – Pro Football Focus has 11 guards – a position expected to be on the Cincinnati Bengals’ to-do list in free agency – listed among its Top 100 players with expiring contracts.

No. 11 on the list and No. 93 overall is Will Hernandez, who has played 97 games with 91 starts in seven seasons with the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals.

Hernandez’s contract year in 2024 was cut short when he suffered a torn ACL in Week 5.

His rehab could limit his participation in the offseason program, but he should be ready to resume practice during training camp.

That might be too big of a wildcard for a team like the Bengals, who are looking to upgrade the interior of their offensive line.

Or, depending on what other moves they make, it could fit right in their wheelhouse with a low price point and high ceiling.

A 2018 second-round pick, Hernandez was PFF’s No. 13 guard in pass protection in 2023, when he started all 17 games.

PFF ranked him as the No. 20 guard overall.

In 2022, Hernandez was No. 8 in pass blocking and No. 25 overall.

While making the rounds at the Super Bowl, Hernandez told PHNX Sports his preference would be to re-sign with the Cardinals, who signed him to a one-year, $1.2 million deal in 2022 before rewarding him with a two-year, $9 million contract in 2023.

"Of course I would love to stay where I'm at, where I already built those relationships, where I already know what each person brings to the table," Hernandez told PHNX Sports. "I'm a very loyal kind of dog. Once I connect with someone, once I play in the trenches with these guys, I'm attached.

“I would definitely love to stay, but at the end of the day, it isn't up to me,” he added. “I can't make these decisions, and if it happens where I can or I can't, we'll go off that and we'll see what the next step is.”

Arizona’s other starting guard, Evan Brown, is also an unrestricted free agent.

Hernandez turns 30 a week before the regular season begins.

Despite his age, both Spotrac.com and PFF are projecting Hernandez to sign a two-year deal in free agency.

Spotrac lists his market value as two years for $8.6 million, while PFF comes in at two years for $9.5 million.

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Published Feb 13, 2025

JAY MORRISON

Jay Morrison covers the Cincinnati Bengals for Bengals On SI. He has been writing about the NFL for nearly three decades. Combining a passion for stats and storytelling, Jay takes readers beyond the field for a unique look at the game and the people who play it. Prior to joining Bengals on SI, Jay covered the Cincinnati Bengals beat for The Athletic, the Dayton Daily News and Pro Football Network.