The Cincinnati Bengals entered the offseason knowing the defense needed a massive overhaul. They got the party started on that particular renovation by signing edge rusher Boye Mafe and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen in free agency.
Then came the spectacularly surprising news that the team was trading for Dexter Lawrence.
However, those high-priced acquisitions come after the Bengals brass have completely whiffed on defensive line prospects over the past several drafts.
While pursuing Mafe and Allen in free agency and trading for Lawrence were great ideas that needed to happen, they also point to Cincinnati's inability to get it right in the draft, despite multiple cracks at it.
Years of draft misses leave Bengals no choice but to pivot
Since 2022, the Bengals have spent five top-100 picks on defensive linemen, yet have somehow gotten worse as a unit each year.
Those five top-100 selections along the d-line are:
* 2022, Zach Carter, 95th overall (55 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFL)
* 2023, Myles Murphy, 28th overall (92 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 10 TFL)
* 2024, Kris Jenkins, 49th overall (67 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 5 TFL)
* 2024, McKinnley Jackson, 97th overall (6 tckls, 1 sack, 2 TFL)
* 2025 Shemar Stewart, 17th overall (11 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFL)
That is immense draft capital spent on limited production and results.
We would compare the totals to Will Anderson, but that would not be fair. Instead, we will compare the Bengals' Top 100 defensive line picks since 2022 and their career stats to other prospects selected at the same positions, over the same time frame.
However, the curveball here is that the following players heard their names called outside the Top 100 in their respective drafts.
* 2022, DJ Davidson (NYG), 147th overall (49 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 4 TFL)
* 2023 Tavius Robinson (BAL), 124th overall (86 tackles, 9 sacks, 9 TFL)
* 2024 Justin Eboigbe (LAC), 104th overall (41 tackles, 6 sacks, 7 TFL)
* 2024 Brandon Dorlus (ATL), 109th overall (30 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 11 TFL)
* 2025 Tonka Hemingway (LV), 135th overall (9 tackles, 4 sacks, 5 TFL in nine games)
In total, that is 231 tackles, 16 sacks, and 21 tackles for loss for Cincinnati’s top 100 defensive line picks since 2022.
The group outside of the top 100 totaled 215 tackles, 30 sacks, and 36 tackles for loss.
Bengals could still find defensive line value late in the 2026 draft
We won't know if the Bengals have completely abandoned the idea of finding defensive line help in the draft until this weekend.
However, that very well could be the case, at least for 2026, as the only person not on the roster from the list above is Zach Carter.
The front office could forego the defensive line in favor of bigger needs at linebacker, depth at corner, and offensive line.
However, if they so choose, as the list above suggests, the Bengals could continue adding to the defensive line with undervalued prospects who may be available on day three of the draft or beyond.
Some defensive line prospects the Bengals are hopefully in on as Day 3, priority free agents include Nick Barrett (DT, South Carolina), Caden Curry (EDGE, Ohio State), Michael Heldman (EDGE, Central Michigan), Aidan Hubbard (EDGE, Northwestern), and Jacobian Guillory (DT, LSU).
Bengals deserve credit, but this problem was self-inflicted
Signing Mafe and Allen and trading for Lawrence rather than holding on to their first-round pick is not a “yes…but,” or “either…or,” predicament. It is a classic “yes.. and,” situation.
Yes, the Bengals deserve credit for being aggressive and landing a player who should have a significantly positive impact on their defense. And, they deserve excoriation for their scouting and talent evaluation, or lack thereof, along the defensive line in the draft over the past few years.
We can’t excuse their incompetence in this area that has set the defense back, while we applaud their aggressive, necessary transactions.
But at least the organization recognized where the wind was blowing and headed off disaster. And for that, fans should breathe a sigh of relief.
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