The Cincinnati Bengals finished the 2025-2026 season with an underwhelming 6-11 record. There is hope for the next NFL season, but they have some work to do.
Draft
The Bengals have the 10th pick in this year’s draft, and they will try to invest in their defense with this pick. If Caleb Downs is available at 10, and assuming some of the guys projected to be top-3 picks don’t fall, Cincinnati should pick him. He has shown flashes of being an elite safety at the next level. In the second round, the Bengals will go after a defensive lineman, like Zion Young or Caleb Banks.
Free Agency
The Bengals have around $55 million, placing them around the top 10 in the league in cap space. They should resign Joseph Ossai, Cam Taylor-Britt, and Trey Henderickson. After they resign Henderickson, they should trade him for picks. Then, in free agency, they should sign D.J. Reader, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Cam Robinson, and Nick Cross. D.J. Reader is a veteran defensive tackle who would really help out in the run game. He’s already been a Bengal in the past and was on the team when they made it to the Super Bowl. Alijah Vera-Tucker and Cam Robinson would both be additions to the offensive line and would likely be starters by week 1. Nick Cross is a very athletic safety and would pair really well with Caleb Downs, creating a superstar safety duo for the future. Realistically, the Bengals have one of the cheapest owners in the league, so they probably won’t sign anyone big again, and just try to hope their draft picks pan out, but if they want to compete for a Super Bowl like they say they are, they should splurge this offseason.
