4 alarming needs that remain on the Bengals’ roster, and how they will be addressed after initial waves of free agency
The Cincinnati Bengals are far from done filling their roster holes this offseason. Here are the most glaring needs after the prime of free agency has passed.
The Cincinnati Bengals have a month until the 2026 NFL Draft, and they will not enter the “Annual Player Selection Meeting” with all of their roster holes filled.
Not even close to be perfectly honest with you.
Bryan Cook, Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, and Josh Johnson have been the only new additions the Cincinnati has made since free agency opened. They may be the only new names in the building before the draft arrives.
What still needs help, and when will that help arrive? Let’s dive into the biggest needs remaining on the Bengals’ offseason roster.
Defensive end
Mafe signed one of the largest contracts in terms of Average Annual Value in free agency, and Myles Murphy is slated to start as his bookend EDGE, but the defensive end group still needs help the most considering the importance of the position, and the necessity of having more than just two starters.
Shemar Stewart and Cedric Johnson are currently third and fourth on the depth chart. That’s not going to cut it by the time training camp starts.
It’s necessary for at least one of Stewart or Johnson to take a notable leap this year, and there will be more pressure on the former to do so as last year’s first-round pick, but Cincinnati cannot rely on both of them being quality pass rushers this year.
Mafe and Murphy being an intriguing duo also can’t mask the fact that they combined for just 7.5 sacks last year. They have much to prove themselves.
What Will Happen? Another answer is required to fill out this room, and I expect it to come via the draft as early as possible. Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. is the dream target in the first round.
Linebacker
No other position has weaker starters on the roster than at linebacker.
Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. flashing here and there toward the end of the season was not enough to make everyone comfortable about throwing them back into the fire without any help next to them. And yet, the Bengals got in their own way again and exited the prime of free agency without any support for a glaring need.
Positional value is simply why DE should be considering a more glaring need at the moment, and a likely explanation as to why there wasn’t much actual aggression toward signing a veteran.
Nevertheless, Carter and Knight are a bad duo until they aren’t, and the depth behind them featuring Oren Burks, Joe Giles-Harris, and Shaka Heyward explains why this group was such a liability last year.
What Will Happen? Ohio State’s Sonny Styles would be an unlikely but welcomed first-round pick since he’s a virtual lock to go ahead of Cincy, but outside of him, adding another rookie here may not be the best solution. I still see a veteran joining either before or right after the draft.
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There’s a free agent linebacker who checks every single box the Cincinnati Bengals could possibly care about in their search
Former New England Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai fits what the Cincinnati Bengals need.
Cornerback
DJ Turner II and Dax Hill are two very good starters on the outside, and Jalen Davis being the starting nickelback is far from the worst possible outcome on the roster.
All three are in contract years, and depth at a position that goes through injuries year after year is not in a good place.
DJ Ivey and Josh Newton are your first options off the bench at the moment. Newton fell dramatically down the depth chart last year, and Ivey’s only played 195 snaps in three years.
Immediate slot starter and long-term answers on the boundary are on the minds here.
What Will Happen? Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy or LSU’s Mansoor Delane may be the most probable first-round picks the Bengals will make depending how the board is likely to fall. I think a corner will be drafted early regardless at this point.
Offensive depth
Cincinnati is bullish on its starting offense for good reason. There really isn’t a glaring hole outside of tight end with Drew Sample still leading the charge, but Mike Gesicki is paid well and helps bring value in the passing game.
Pretty much every position on offense needs better depth, and that’s undeniable.
The offensive line features Cody Ford as the backup swing tackle, Jalen River as the backup swing guard, and Matt Lee as the backup center.
Tanner Hudson, Cam Grandy, and Erick All Jr., who’s coming back from double ACL repair surgeries, are the depth at tight end.
Mitchell Tinsley is the first wide receiver off the bench, and behind him is Charlie Jones and Ke’Shawn Williams.
Josh Johnson is the second-string quarterback.
The only position that may be content with depth is running back with Samaje Perine and Tahj Brooks as its backups.
What Will Happen? I don’t expect any offensive position to be taken in the first round, but a receiver or o-lineman may come on Day 2. The last four rounds of the draft are where most of the answers are expected to arrive, and Joe Flacco may come back to back up Joe Burrow again if he can’t find a starting gig.
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Bengals Free Agency Tracker: Extensions, re-signings, new additions, and departures from Cincinnati’s roster
Stay up to date with every free agency decision the Cincinnati Bengals make in 2026.
