Bengals Free Agent Profile: Brian Asamoah II trying to stay for the re-tooling of Cincinnati’s linebacking corps

Brian Asamoah II joined the Bengals in the middle of the 2025 season.

John Sheeran — Cincinnati Bengals News Writer
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Nov 27, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Brian Asamoah II (53) during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium.
© Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

We’re getting closer and closer to NFL free agency, and the Cincinnati Bengals have 16 players with expiring contracts. Who will re-sign with the team, and who will leave when the 2026 league year begins? We’ll go through all impending free agents before the madness begins.

Cincinnati has had its fair share of midseason signings turn into longer tenures than just short-term depth projects. The next case could be a member of a maligned position group who shined on special teams.

Brian Asamoah II

Position: Linebacker
Age for 2027 Season: 26
Incoming NFL Year: 5th
Previous AAV: $1.1 million
2026 Snap %: 0%

Brian Asamoah originally joined Cincinnati’s practice squad right before the Bengals’ Week 9 game of the 2025 season. Asamoah was elevated off the practice squad to contribute on special teams following an injury to backup LB Shaka Heyward. He had a crucial block in Charlie Jones’ opening kickoff return for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears.

Cincinnati eventually signed Asamoah to the active roster and played him in three more games as a special-teamer. He suffered what ended up being a season-ending injury in Week 13 against the Baltimore Ravens and was placed on the Reserve/Injured list on Dec. 1.

Contract History

Asamoah signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal last year when he joined the Bengals’ active roster, and it did not include any guaranteed money. His deal counted $340,278 against the salary cap. His only other contracts were his rookie deal he signed as a third-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, and two practice squad deals, including the one that landed him in Cincinnati.

Prediction

Asamoah did not play a single down of defense for Cincinnati last year, but he showed promise on special teams and those players will always be useful to have. It would be more likely for him to come back if Heyward and Joe Giles-Harris weren’t both already back in the fold. The Bengals will likely add a couple more LBs to improve the unit, and the bottom of the depth chart is pretty much set.

It’s entirely possible Asamoah comes back on a minimum one-year deal, but I’m not counting on it with much more needed at the position.

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