Myles

Murphy

Conway added that the team hopes to get a long-term deal done with Murphy even after declining his option. The Bengals would have guaranteed Murphy $14.5 million in 2027 had they exercised the option. Murphy’s role has grown in each of the past two years. He also hit a career-high 5.5 sacks in 2025 while starting 17 games. He won’t garner a massive extension if a deal is worked out, but the Bengals are at least interested in keeping him around.

The Bengals have until May 1st to decide if they want to exercise Murphy’s fifth-year option or let his current contract expire at the end of next season. Murphy, who has totaled 8.5 sacks in 47 career games with the Bengals, had the best season of his career in 2025 and is “just starting to scratch the surface,” per Tobin, but whether or not they want to commit $14.475 million to him to retain him in 2027 is something the team isn’t sure of. We’ll know by the end of this week if Murphy’s option is exercised, but if not, he’ll likely need a breakout season in 2026 if he hopes to sign a long-term deal with the Bengals in the offseason.

Murphy suffered a knee sprain in late August and was placed on injured reserve to open the season. The second-year defender totaled 20 tackles, three TFLs, and three sacks in 17 games last season and is expected to take a big step this season. The Bengals defense has struggled out of the gate this season, allowing the sixth-most points and the fourth-most passing touchdowns on their way to a 1-3 start. The return of Murphy, which could still be a few weeks away, should help bolster a unit that also has the second-fewest sacks (5) of any team in the league.

The Bengals selected Murphy with the No. 28 overall pick in last year’s draft. The second-year lineman totaled 20 tackles and three sacks in 17 games last season and is expected to make a leap in his second season as a pro. Now, it sounds like Murphy is at risk of missing the first month of the season with this injury. According to Fowler, the Bengals “will be conservative” with Murphy to ensure he can be a “full go” once he returns.

Murphy ran an explosive 4.53 40-yard dash in this year’s combine and boasts a 9.71 RAS. The former Clemson Tiger totaled 18.5 sacks and 36 TFLs for his career and was an early declare after three collegiate seasons. His arrival is a welcomed addition to a Bengals team that has steadily improved on the defensive side of the ball over the last two seasons but ranked 29th in total sacks last season. Murphy and EDGE Trey Hendrickson could quickly form one of the league’s more lethal pass-rushing duos this upcoming season.

Murphy (6’5/268) arrived at Clemson alongside fellow premium five-star prospect Bryan Bresee and immediately became a fixture in the Tigers’ starting lineup. The consensus Freshman All-American earned an elite 92.5 run defense grade in his first season while forcing three fumbles and not missing a single tackle attempt all season. He went on to become a three-year All-ACC performer and the only player in the country to record 10 TFLs and a forced fumble each year from 2020-22. A tenacious edge setter, Murphy has active hands and possesses the latent strength to control, then discard blockers regardless of their size. He gets right into contact and does not disguise his desire to overpower opponents rather than tactfully outmaneuver them. Run defense is second nature to Murphy, and while he has made strides with his rush package, there is still plenty of room for improvement. He ran an eye-popping 4.53s 40-yard dash that was a 99th percentile time, as his 9.71 RAS shows the special combination of speed/power Murphy possesses. He has the potential to be a building block defender in the mold of Rashaun Gary.

Murphy (6'5/276) was one of the best run-stopping edge rusher in the country in 2021 with a run-stop grade of 92.2. But he’s also one of the best overall players at the position in the nation according to Pro Football Focus, which listed him as the No. 2 edge rusher in the country behind Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) and as the No. 10 overall player.

According to a post by PFF College, Murphy’s run stop grade of 92.2 ranks as the highest in the nation for any EDGE rusher since 2020. It ranks better than the likes of recent No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson and future 2023 top-5 pick Will Anderson of Alabama. Last season, Murphy registered 22 stops in the run game per PFF, and totaled 14.5 TFLs while notching eight sacks. Set for a return in 2022, Murphy should be in line for yet another career-year for the Tigers.

Bresee (6'5/290) arrived on campus considered by some recruiting analysts to be the top player in the Class of 2020, so it should come as no surprise that he’s listed so high on Clemson’s first depth chart of the season. And according to 247Sports’ Barton Simmons, the freshman defensive tackle has been “even better than advertised” in the eyes of the coaching staff. Another Clemson freshman defensive lineman to watch is DE Myles Murphy, who is listed second on the depth chart. Neither should lack for reps in Saturday’s opener.

Murphy (6'4/255) originally planned to make his decision just before the start of his senior season in August, but things have changed. The elite defensive lineman, who will pick Auburn, Clemson or Georgia, said that he knew he was ready to pick a school “about two weeks ago.” Murphy has visited all three schools on multiple occasions, and whichever one he picks will be landing one of the top pass rushers in the Class of 2020.