Updated March 12, 2026, 9:33 a.m. ET

One of the quietly expected moves for the Cincinnati Bengals in NFL free agency is here: The team has agreed to a contract extension with Orlando Brown Jr. 

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com broke the news on Thursday, reporting it as a two-year deal to keep him in Cincinnati through the 2028 season. 

Hobson detailed some of the happenings behind the scenes: 

“Brown feels comfortable enough to climb those stairs (sans agent) and talk to ownership, whether it be Bengals president Mike Brown or his daughter, executive vice president Katie Blackburn, who oversees the salary cap and contracts. This time the discussions were about extending the four-year, $64 million deal that made Brown the biggest free-agent signing in Bengals history.”

Brown was headed into a contract year before this move and it’s similar to what the Bengals did with Ted Karras.

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This offseason marks the first time in the Joe Burrow era that the Bengals will bring back all five offensive line starters from the prior season. It also comes on the heels of Trey Hendrickson signing with the Baltimore Ravens, creating even more problems for the Bengals in the AFC North.

Brown, who turns 30 in May, remains a key aspect for a Bengals franchise getting breakouts from young players on the line such as Dylan Fairchild and Amarius Mims.

“The deal creates a sense of stability for myself and the organization,” Brown told Hobson. “I didn’t necessarily feel the need to reset the market. We have great players in this locker room. It’s rare for a player to say, but making it team friendly … The way that I see it, it puts me and my family and the organization in a good spot.”