The Cincinnati Bengals have already been hailed for having an offseason which actually involved some big moves. A trade for Dexter Lawrence and free agent splashes such as Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook; It seems like the Bengals are actually all in this year.
Duke Tobin's next genius move was a restructure of Joe Burrow's contract, which is set to free up $10 million in cap space, a move that only win-now teams would ever make. The Bengals already had around $7 million left in cap space, so they are now looking at $17 million.
Some of that extra room will be used to finance the Lawrence move, but it means the Bengals could yet make more moves before the start of the season.
Bengals create (good) dilemma with Joe Burrow restructure
Realistically, there are two main options for the Bengals after this latest move. They could either use the new cap space to upgrade their linebacker room, as Demetrius Knight Jr and Barrett Carter are projected as the 2026 starters. Or, the Bengals could opt to secure long-term extensions to cornerbacks DJ Turner and/or Dax Hill.
There has been a lot of chatter about the linebacker spot for Cincinnati, with two names being the most likely additions. They could either go out and sign free agent Bobby Wagner, or they could trade for Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
Turner and Hill extensions should be the Bengals' priority
Many may clench at this prospect, as the Bengals linebacker corps was, last year, one of the worst in the NFL. But, securing the futures of two of their best and most reliable defensive players has to be the priority.
Last season, despite the struggles on defense, DJ Turner had one of the best individual coverage seasons in the NFL. He produced 28 solo tackles, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. His best attribute though, was his overall coverage, as he produced 18 pass breakups, which was the third-most in the NFL.
Why Bengals don't need to upgrade at linebacker
Questions will still be raised around the Bengals linebackers. But, The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. wrote an article about how the best-performing linebackers aren't necessarily elite players themselves, but they just perform well when behind a strong front.
"Most of the league’s best defenses didn’t invest heavily in linebackers, but rather in defensive lines capable of producing quality linebackers."Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic
Dehner referenced the recent Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, who had a dominant defensive front last season. He wrote the following:
"Seattle started Ernest Jones and Drake Thomas at linebacker. Jones earned a three-year, $28 million free agent contract before the year, a solid investment, but on his third team in five years. [...] Thomas entered his third NFL season last year. He was undrafted with 42 defensive snaps to his name. He finished starting 17 games, all the way through the Super Bowl, with a 72 grade from Pro Football Focus. The defensive line in front of them wrecked the league and became the template for every general manager in football."
If the Bengals want the optimum performance for their defense, they should focus on supporting Knight Jr and Carter, and then keep Turner and Hill happy by securing their futures with the extra cap space, rather than gambling on a Wagner-type player.
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