Although they lost Super Bowl 56, the Cincinnati Bengals and the fan base should feel proud of their efforts. Nobody saw them making a Super Bowl run and they had a legitimate shot at upsetting the Los Angeles Rams. There will be changes to the roster, which is why we will be taking a look at some potential Bengals free agents who might not return next year.

The core of this roster will largely stay the same. Cincinnati doesn't have too many big names hitting free agency in the offseason. Additionally, the Bengals have a ton of money to acquire solid talent through free agency. It's looking like the front office will be able to trim the fat while bulking up the rest of the roster.

Three players stand out to potentially hit the open market in the offseason. Two of which make a ton of sense, while one could be a big loss for the Bengals. Even so, Cincinnati should be able to find upgrades for each of these positions.

With that said, here are three potential Bengals free agents after losing Super Bowl 56.

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Bengals Free Agents

3. Quinton Spain

Although he talked a big game, Quinton Spain failed to live up to expectations. Not only did he play a large part in the Bengals struggling offensive line, but he also allowed the game losing sack in the Super Bowl. Spain has been a rather mediocre lineman at best and should be on his way out of Cincinnati in the offseason.

If anything, Bengals fans should be happy to see Spain go. Cincinnati will be making major changes to the offensive line after watching Joe Burrow get sacked 70 times this year. If they don't then it's time to criticize that front office. Maybe Quinton Spain remains on the roster as a depth piece, but chances are he'll be hitting the free-agent market.

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2. Eli Apple

Another big talker who was proven to be less than efficient on the field. Eli Apple has had a rough career in the NFL so far and his skill set hasn't quite improved much at all. The Bengals defense has some real potential to be a problem next year and it's likely that Apple won't be involved in the future plans.

Similar to Spain, Eli Apple talked a lot of trash to fans and other wide receivers in the league. However, he gave up the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 56. The Bengals have an opportunity to create one of the best defenses in the league and we shouldn't expect to see Apple on the roster next year.

1. CJ Uzomah

Although CJ Uzomah is liked by the fan base, the fact is he's not a great tight end in general. He plays his role well, but the Bengals could put their offense over the top with an upgrade in that position. Furthermore, there are other teams who are needing a reliable tight end that could be willing to pay him a decent-sized contract.

He's a solid blocker and helps in the passing game, but he's not great at anything. The Bengals should highly consider making a splash move in the offseason to upgrade their tight end group. Rob Gronkowski has claimed he'd be interested in playing with Joe Burrow, but it's not a guarantee Cincinnati signs the future Hall of Fame tight end. Either way, the front office should be looking to move on from CJ Uzomah.