Over the next couple of months in the lead-up to the start of the 2026 league year and subsequent free agency period in mid-March, Cincinnati Bengals fans and supporters of all the other NFL teams will hear more and more about what their club needs to add to compete or just to outright get better.
if your team is only watching the playoffs at this point-- which, six teams just joined the rest of us lovable losers on the couch after Super Wild Card Weekend-- a lot of the conversations that are already heading into the weeds are all about needs, needs, needs.
Cincinnati has a lot of those, especially on the defensive side of the ball. However, needs aren't the only important thing when it comes to how a team should approach the offseason.
Sometimes, a position isn't necessarily in need of an upgrade, but instead could use some competition. Competition makes players better, especially if they're fighting for a starting role, even if they were a starter the season prior. So, with that in mind, here are three positions that the Bengals would benefit from adding competition to.
All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference.
Bengals should challenge Jalen Davis as the starting nickelback
While this torturous 6-11 campaign was one that Who Dey Nation would like to forget, something that was a delight to watch was the emergence of long-time Bengal and practice squad veteran Jalen Davis.
After spending his first five years with Cincinnati constantly being juggled between the practice squad and active roster, Davis stayed steadfast and patient, even enduring the disappointment of being called up, only to barely see the field on defense.
Once injuries hit the Bengals' secondary this year, Davis got a real shot...and he ran with it.
Davis played the latter half of the season exceptionally well, finishing the season with 20 tackles, two pressures, a sack, a forced fumble, and his first career interception. He also earned a solid 65.5 grade from Pro Football Focus. So, why do they need competition at the nickel spot?
Well, there are a few reasons. One, Davis will be turning 30 years old next month. Two, he's spent most of his career on the practice squad, and while Davis did play well, it was a fairly small sample size (just 7 games), so it's unclear if he will be a solid starter over the course of a full season or if he just caught fire.
That's not to say Jalen Davis starting or playing a heavy amount of snaps next season would be a bad thing, but they should still bring in a young corner who can play in the slot, potentially through the draft like Keionte Scott out of Miami (FL). That is, unless they see Bralyn Lux as someone who could be competition for Davis in training camp.
Andrei Iosivas can't go uncontested as Bengals' WR3 in 2026
Since Tyler Boyd's departure in the 2024 offseason, the Bengals have struggled to replace his production at WR3. You could point to Mike Gesicki, who plays more like a slot receiver even though he is listed at tight end; however, Cincy has missed having a true WR3 since the Pittsburgh alum left the team. That's not for lack of trying either.
While they haven't made any major signings (Isaiah Williams and Ke'Shawn Williams have been brought in to be return specialists), they have used draft picks on guys like Charlie Jones, Andrei Iosivas, and Jermaine Burton.
Although Jones has purely been tasked with return duties and Burton barely saw the field and is now off the team, Iosivas has become a major part of the offense for better or for worse.
He's a solid red zone threat and can make catches in traffic, but he's not explosive, doesn't create separation, and developed a nasty drop issue in 2025. For a sixth-round pick, he hasn't been bad, but the Princeton alum is not someone you want at WR3. You need someone who's either explosive or reliable, and Iosivas really hasn't been either.
There's also Mitchell Tinsley, who had some strong moments, but he's hardly WR3 material at this point and needs far more development to get there. Cincinnati could either go out in free agency and grab a cheap, reliable veteran like Keenan Allen or Kendrick Bourne, or take advantage of what looks to be a pretty good wide receiver class in the draft.
Zachariah Branch out of Georgia is an interesting name to look out for. Some outlets have him going in the third or fourth round and he specializes as a slot receiver. He could be the next Boyd, only more explosive.
Read More: What Duke Tobin's press conference revealed about Bengals' free agency
The Bengals have had a middling tight end room for too long
Tight end is a weird position for the Bengals. They have a lot of contributors here, but none of them are a true TE1. Noah Fant has his moments, but his fumbles were a huge issue, and he may not be back because of them.
As mentioned above, Mike Gesicki plays more like a slot receiver, and he struggled mightily in 2025 after a strong 2024 campaign (though Burrow's injury naturally played a role in that). Drew Sample is almost exclusively a blocking tight end, and Tanner Hudson will randomly show up at times to catch a touchdown or have a fairly long reception.
Erick All Jr. has the most potential out of everyone in this room, but the injury history is alarming, which is a shame because he showed a lot of flash as both a blocker and receiver in his rookie season.
Realistically, they could go into 2026 with this same TE room or something close to it, and it wouldn't be an issue for this offense (especially if they do get someone who can be a WR3). Between Gesicki, Sample, and Hudson, they mostly get the output they need from their tight ends.
However, adding someone who could be a legitimate TE1 would be nice. Preferably, an inline tight end who can both block and catch, rather than just one or the other.
This free agency class at the position is top-heavy, doesn't have the depth that some other positions have, where you can reach past the best available and still find someone who fits the bill. Guys like Njoku, Pitts, Likely, and Goedert are available, but they will probably command more on the market than the Bengals are willing to pay. So, if they want to add competition to the room, it'd be through the draft.
Prospects like Georgia's Oscar Delp, Texas' Jack Endries, and Cincinnati's Joe Royer fit the role of a more traditional tight end, even if their blocking might need some work, and they should all be available on Day 2/3.
It'll be a busy offseason for the Bengals' front office just dealing with the absolute needs alone if they're serious about getting back to contention, but hopefully they still have the resources left over to add some competition to these positions as well.