B.j. Hill

Career StatsB+

Year	Team	GP	Sacks	Tkl	TFL
Career		129	27.5	407	31
2025		17	4.0	66	2
2024		15	3.0	56	9.5
2023		17

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

B.J. Hill's Contract Value Index lands at B-, putting the deal in a defined slice of comparable signings. At $11M AAV on a three-year deal, Hill is getting paid like a solid-to-above-average interior defensive lineman, which aligns squarely with his B+ performance grade and his 2025 season production of 66 tackles and 4 sacks across 17 games—the kind of grinding, steady interior presence that anchors a defensive line without always generating splash-play volume. For a 31-year-old established veteran eight seasons into his career, this contract represents fair value in the current DT market: he's neither an overpaid veteran in decline nor a bargain-basement deal, but rather an appropriately compensated anchor piece for a team investing in its defensive rebuild. The Bengals' public commitment to Hill—shutting down cut-candidate speculation and surrounding him with complementary pass-rush talent via recent signings—signals organizational confidence that he remains a reliable two-down anchor, and the reported acquisition of Dexter Lawrence and signing of Jonathan Allen suggest the front office believes Hill's production can actually increase alongside disruptive edge talent. His CVI grade reflects a sensible allocation of resources: not a steal, but a stable, defensible contract for a veteran who has earned his place in Cincinnati's defensive puzzle heading into 2026.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the B band — a quick read on where B.j.'s contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

B.J. Hill is an eight-year veteran defensive tackle anchoring Cincinnati's interior line with proven durability and consistency. The 31-year-old has appeared in 129 career games, establishing himself as a reliable two-down run defender and pass-rush contributor in the trenches. Hill earns a B+ grade this season, reflecting a solid if unspectacular campaign against a backdrop of declining physical performance across the 2025 slate. Hill's tackle production remains elite relative to NFL standards, averaging 3.88 per game against an NFL average of 1.82, positioning him among the league's most active interior defenders at the position. His sack rate of 0.24 per game exceeds the league average of 0.14, and he generates 0.53 QB hits per game—well above the 0.29 benchmark—demonstrating continued disruptive ability on passing downs. The concern centers on his tackle-for-loss metric, which has declined to 0.12 per game, well below the positional average of 0.27, suggesting diminishing explosiveness in lateral pursuit and gap integrity. Hill's season trend reveals a troubling descent: he posted a C+ in 2025 after posting a B in both 2024 and 2023, indicating accelerating decline in overall performance. At 31 with eight seasons logged, Hill remains valuable as a rotation anchor and veteran presence, though the downward trajectory warrants monitoring as the Bengals evaluate roster depth and age in their defensive interior going forward. Look for whether Hill can stabilize his play or if injury and mileage further erode his penetration and gap discipline.

How B.j. Compares at the Position

B.j. Hill ranks 27th of 217 graded defensive tackles by performance. That slots B.j. between Larry Ogunjobi (B+) just ahead and Jalen Redmond (B+) just behind.

Current Sentiment

B.J. Hill enters the 2026 offseason under a significant cloud of uncertainty due to his placement on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list heading into training camp. As a reliable eight-year veteran defensive lineman, Hill has established himself as a dependable starter with 27.5 career sacks, but the injury has created an immediate perception problem—he is losing critical reps during the most important evaluation period of the offseason. Media coverage frames his absence as an opportunity for younger defensive linemen to break out, which subtly undermines Hill's standing as a lock for the rotation. Without clarity on the severity or timeline for his return, fan and analyst sentiment has shifted from viewing him as a stable contributor to questioning his availability and durability heading into a contract year. The narrative will likely remain negative until Hill returns to full participation and demonstrates he can reclaim his role without setback.