Two Bengals opt out of 2020 season

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

The Cincinnati Bengals have at least two players indicating they plan to opt out of the 2020 season.

Nose tackle Josh Tupou has informed the team he plans to opt out of the 2020 season, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, and the Bengals announced Friday morning offensive tackle Isaiah Prince has been added to the reserve/opt-out list. The Bengals have not made a roster move official yet on Tupou.

The NFL Players’ Association and NFL owners came to an agreement last week on a plan paving the way for teams to return to the field with various safety protocols and a gradual progression into training camp practices. The agreement included a voluntary opt-out, which applies to any player as long as he informs his team by Aug. 3. Players who opt-out under this category will receive a $150,000 advance against their 2020 base salary, and their contract will freeze.

Tupou played in all 16 games last season with seven starts and was expected to see substantial playing time in 2020 behind Geno Atkins and D.J. Reader. Prince was a sixth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and joined the Bengals on waivers in December but did not see action. He played in four games for Miami as a rookie, with two starts.

Tupou would be the fifth defensive linemen to show up on the NFL wire transactions as opting out, joining the Bears’ Eddie Goldman, the Vikings’ Michael Pierce, the Bills’ Star Lotulelei and the Texans’ Eddie Vanderdoes.

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