Things aren't looking too rosy for the rest of the Cincinnati Bengals' 2025 season as they lick their wounds on a Week 10 bye. Don't expect the offseason to be much better either.
At least that's the prevailing notion from a major publication. Well, probably more than one major publication. It doesn't take a rocket scientist or football guru to know the Bengals have the worst defense in the NFL, bar none. Dealing away linebacker/team captain Logan Wilson at the NFL trade deadline sure didn't help matters.
So when it comes to upgrading that unit, the question is, where to start? The implied answer here for purposes of this article is, "Literally anywhere."
Bleacher Report labels Bengals defense 'ugly' in league-wide free agency forecast
In a breakdown of all 32 teams' biggest needs once 2026 free agency opens for business, Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon declared the Bengals' most vital areas for upgrades as, "Defense Across the Board."
"I still have concerns about a rookie guard duo combined with an aging Ted Karras within the interior offensive line, but the Cincinnati defense needs a replenishment of talent more than anything. There's nothing in the secondary beyond DJ Turner II, they well could lose Trey Hendrickson on the edge, and they just sent veteran Logan Wilson to Dallas. It's ugly."
Quite a fine job there by Gagnon to distill Cincinnati's chief concerns into a mere paragraph. Indeed, rookie guards Dylan Fairchild and Jalen Rivers look a bit shaky at times, especially Rivers, but the defense is just a complete and utter dumpster fire.
Speaking of rookies, linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter are starting and couldn't be playing much worse than they are.
Is it growing pains, or is it just another in a long line of whiffed draft picks by Duke Tobin?
Whatever the case may be, Knight and Carter don't look like they're "it" as NFL starters. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell in Round 1, and he's already established himself as an elite player at the position.
Cincinnati opted for defensive end project Shemar Stewart at 17th overall instead. Tobin and the his scouts then opted to spend two of their next three picks on off-ball linebackers who aren't in the same galaxy as Campbell in terms of ability to play football at the NFL level.
Stewart is in and out of the lineup with injuries. He wasn't even a terribly good college player at Texas A&M to begin with, registering 4.5 sacks in three seasons there.
Who can Bengals target in 2026 free agency to shore up pitiful defense?
Well, speaking of linebackers, I wrote yesterday about how the Bengals could fit in Leo Chenal and Devin Lloyd under the salary cap with ease based on those players' projected contract values. Won't be the last time I cover those two dudes as free-agent fits in Cincinnati, I can assure you. Same goes for Denver Broncos defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen.
It's just unrealistic to expect the Bengals to spend big, top-of-market money on players like Chenal, Lloyd, JFM, or Woolen. They so often refuse to admit defeat on draft picks until it's too late.
Knight and Carter will have all the runway in the world to fail. They aren't playable on an NFL field right now. That won't stop Cincinnati from deploying them.
There's still a huge need at defensive end. The best pending free agent is none other than Trey Hendrickson. The Bengals will franchise tag him and kick off another soap opera. Take it to the bank. Meanwhile, they'll lose out on other prospective additions to fortify their busted d-line.
Should be a fun offseason!