CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t just tweaking the roster; they are tearing it down to the studs. After a 6-11 campaign in 2025 that saw the defense finish 31st in total yards allowed, the front office spent the opening week of free agency in a desperate sprint to save Joe Burrow’s championship window. The mission is clear: stop the bleeding in a unit that surrendered a league-worst 2,500 rushing yards last season.
The sting of losing Trey Hendrickson to the rival Baltimore Ravens on a $112 million deal still lingers around Paycor Stadium. Hendrickson was the heartbeat of the pass rush. To counter that loss, Cincinnati pivoted quickly. They secured EDGE Boye Mafe on a three-year contract, fresh off his Super Bowl LX victory with Seattle. Mafe brings a 19% pass-rush win rate—a figure that rivals the elite tier of the league.
Cincinnati also brought home a local hero in safety Bryan Cook. The Mt. Healthy native and former UC Bearcat returns to shore up a secondary that looked lost during the Geno Stone era. Cook’s 4.5% missed tackle rate is exactly what defensive coordinator Al Golden needs to stabilize the back end. Adding veteran DT Jonathan Allen on a two-year, $26 million deal provides the interior grit this team lacked when the weather turned cold in November.
Despite these splashes, the job is only half done. The Bengals still lack a true “thumper” at the second level who can erase tight ends and stonewall pulling guards.
If Sonny Styles is available at No. 10, the Bengals should sprint the card to the podium. Styles is a freak of nature. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 245 pounds, he dismantled the Combine with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash. He isn’t just a linebacker; he is a defensive weapon that can play in the box, match up with receivers, or rush from the edge.
If Styles is off the board, names like Caleb Downs or LSU corner Mansoor Delane remain high on the priority list. However, none offer the transformative ceiling that Styles provides to a front seven that looked soft for much of the 2025 season.
“We know the standard wasn’t met last year. It was unacceptable. We’re bringing in guys who are violent, high-IQ football players. We need to get back to being the team nobody wants to see in January.”
— Zac Taylor, Bengals Head Coach
The AFC North is a gauntlet. With Hendrickson now chasing Burrow in a Ravens jersey and the Browns boasting Caleb Downs as a potential draft target themselves, the Bengals cannot afford a “project” pick at 10. They need an immediate starter. Rebuilding the defensive line and linebacker corps is the only way to ensure 2025 was a fluke rather than a trend. If the Bengals nail this draft, they return to the Super Bowl conversation. If they miss, they risk wasting another year of an elite offense.
