The Cincinnati Bengals will, in all likelihood, bid adieu to superstar defensive end Trey Hendrickson this offseason. Cincinnati's front office did a dreadful job maintaining a good relationship with the franchise's best-ever free-agent signing, and Hendrickson will want a change of scenery.
Well, unless the Bengals decide they can't find any better pass rusher on the open market and franchise tag him as a result. It's possible, but highly unlikely.
Here's the thing: Rather than franchise tagging Hendrickson, the Bengals can take the massive chunk of change they'd spend there and spend big on all three levels of their defense. That unit is in dire need of an overhaul, and as Din Djarin would say, "This is the way."
Trey Hendrickson's contentious Bengals exit frees up would-be franchise tag spending to execute comprehensive fix of defense
I've written about the prospect of a Hendrickson franchise tag, and ESPN's Adam Schefter shared what that amount would be back in late August:
Whether that's totally accurate or not is a matter of quibbling over a few million dollars. The main point here is that, rather than dumping nearly $35 million on one player for the 2026 season, the Bengals are positioned to score multiple defensive starters who fit them super well.
Could I interest you in the very best linebacker available? How about one of the NFL's most underrated, multifaceted defensive linemen? Or perhaps a cornerstone of the resurgent New England Patriots who'd upgrade a position that's been an issue for three seasons running in Cincinnati?
For just $10 million or thereabouts more this coming season, these hypothetical signings could be the blueprint to vaulting the Bengals back to Super Bowl contention:
- LB Devin Lloyd — 3 years, $60 million
- S Jaylinn Hawkins — 3 years, $45 million
- DL John Franklin-Myers — 3 years, $30 million
The defensive line rotation would feature a savvy veteran in John Franklin-Myers who can rush the passer from the inside or off the edge.
For the AFC's No. 1-seeded Broncos this year, Franklin-Myers racked up 7.5 sacks and had seven in 2024 as well. He'd be the absolute perfect mentor for Shemar Stewart, who's still finding his way at the NFL level — and whose ceiling could be a more explosive version of JFM's versatility.
Austin Gayle of The Ringer opines that Franklin-Myers will be worth $15 million per season on his next deal. That frankly seems like a ridiculous valuation. Spotrac puts JFM more in the $7 million AAV range. I split the difference, more toward the lower range.
Again, the principle of the thing here is to prove that the Bengals can get three quality free agents for an in-the-same-ballpark price as it'd take to tag Hendrickson.
OK moving on. Speaking of leadership and, er, mentorship, who better than Devin Lloyd to show the ropes to Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter after their mighty rookie-season struggles?
Lloyd was a past first-round pick who didn't really live up to that billing, to the point where Jacksonville didn't pick up his fifth-year contract option. All Lloyd did in response to that was erupt for a career year this season as a second-team All-Pro selection.
Finally, the Bengals overspend some and take a bit of an admitted risk on Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins. My thinking is, Hawkins is a far surer tackler than Cincinnati free agent to-be Geno Stone, grading as PFF's No. 1 run-defending safety in 2025.
Hawkins is also an ace in pass coverage. He allowed a 73.4 passer rating when targeted this season, compared to Stone's abysmal 110.4 mark.
Do y'all see the vision? I most assuredly do.