Veteran LB taunts Bengals on new team about what could've been on defense

The Cincinnati Bengals did play better on defense in Week 12's 26-20 loss to the New England Patriots, but it's dizzying to think on the amount of talent they've let escape the building in recent years.

Whether it's former players going on to shine for other teams, or missed opportunities via free agency or the draft, the Bengals' historically bad defensive unit in 2025 has the brains of Who Dey Nation racing. So many what-if scenarios.

A couple more plays made here and there could've made all the difference for this season. Alas, the 3-8 Bengals faithful watched another 3-8 team's defense continue to overachieve on Sunday.

Akeem Davis-Gaither & Cardinals a cruel reminder to Bengals fans on what they've missed out on

Yes, the Arizona Cardinals lost 27-24 to the Jaguars in overtime. That's not the main point here as it relates to the Bengals.

Former Cincinnati linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither has started all season in Arizona. He's played at a higher level than any player the Bengals employ at the position and it ain't close.

Rookies Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. are the two worst linebackers in the sport, per PFF's grades. Meanwhile, Davis-Gaither is making plays like these:

Miss you, ADG. It's almost like the front office couldn't have botched the linebacker position any harder between drafting Knight and Carter, cutting Germaine Pratt, letting you walk, and trading O captain my captain Logan Wilson.

Then there's Walter Nolen. The Ole Miss defensive tackle prospect was heavily linked to the Bengals and was mine and many fans' preferred pick at that spot.

You can't count on Cincinnati to trade up for anyone in the first round of the draft. That's multiversal la-la land where doing so would mean a Super Bowl victory! Thus, of course Nolen was picked 16th overall, just before the Bengals took Shemar Stewart at No. 17.

How's Walter Nolen doing, you ask? Pretty well indeed!

Oh, and the awful safety play that's plagued the Bengals since Jessie Bates left in free agency? What would it have taken to trade for Budda Baker a couple years ago, last year, or this year? His latest contract extension of three years, $54 million that runs through 2027 is very manageable!

Let's check in on Budda to see if he's still out there making splash plays in the desert.

Oh. Oh no.

Bengals safety Geno Stone is out here gloating on X/Twitter about his pick-six from Sunday as if he hasn't sabotaged this team as a possible Ravens double agent since his arrival in 2024. Then Stone wonders why people are apparently hating on him. What a mystery, Geno!!

So in other words, the Bengals could've held onto ADG to start him at linebacker. They could've moved up and drafted Walter Nolen, or any of the 10 players I wanted ahead of him — save for Mike Green, I was unemployed at the time and found out about his off-field issues after the fact — who were better than Shemar Stewart.

And in lieu of Jessie Bates, there are few other safeties I'd want to spearhead Cincinnati's secondary than Budda Baker.

Somebody please fire Duke Tobin. We've all had enough.

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