1. Not re-signing Vonn Bell
The biggest whiff of the offseason for the Bengals has been the loss of Vonn Bell, who signed a three-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. This was a move that shocked a lot of fans, as it never felt as though Bell would leave.
Bell and Jessie Bates both departed for other teams in the offseason, meaning that the Bengals were forced to find replacements at both starting safety spots. They had already found Bates' replacement in last year's draft but finding a replacement for Bell wasn't in the original plan.
While Nick Scott should hopefully fill the void that Bell left behind, it'll be hard for anyone to replace the leadership that Bell provided. He joined this team before the winning started happening and was a respected player on the defensive side of the ball.
What also hurts is how much money Bell signed for. He inked a three-year deal worth $22.5 million and is set to make $7 million this year. That's a contract Cincinnati certainly could have afforded.
Hopefully the Cincinnati Bengals don't end up regretting these moves too much.