Why the Bengals Are Right to Stay Patient in Free Agency

The Bengals haven't made big splashes in free agency beacuse big splashes don't make sense with the way this team is constructed.

Once the news broke that the Bengals had signed defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, the exhale from Cincinnati could probably be heard all the way up on the International Space Station.

The Bengals jumped into the free agency period with gusto, signing two of the top available defenders in Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook. After that, though… it was radio silence. That is, of course, until the Allen signing broke the lull.

But “lull” isn’t quite the right word. Aside from signing Mafe and Cook, the Bengals were, by and large, finished. Finished with large guarantees, finished with long-term contracts, and finished making splashes—big or small—in free agency. And honestly, it’s the right move.

The Allen signing is a solid one, but nothing more. The 31-year-old lineman has enjoyed plenty of success rushing the passer from the interior throughout his career, but those days appear to be behind him. Allen used to be a safe bet for five-plus sacks a season, crossing that threshold in five of his first seven years in the league.

However, he hasn’t really been a force in the passing game for some time. He recorded just 3.5 sacks last year, and it took all 17 games to get there. Can he get back to his Pro Bowl–caliber days? Probably not—but the Bengals don’t need him to. What they need is competence across the board, not the occasional star.

Yes, the linebacker position is still a work in progress. A player like Leo Chenal—who was signed yesterday by the Washington Commanders to a three-year, $24.7 million contract with $12.4 million guaranteed—might have sped that timeline up a bit. But the Bengals would be tying themselves to a promising yet unproductive 25-year-old linebacker who was never more than a part-time player, and is now one of the 30 highest-paid linebackers in football.

Considering the Bengals already have a couple of promising but very unproductive linebackers on their roster, how does that really move the needle long-term?

Even in the short term, what does Chenal really do for the Bengals? He’s just as lost in coverage as Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter have been. He can’t match up against tight ends either. He might have helped their pass rush and run defense a little, but for a team that needs help everywhere, Chenal’s skill set is simply too specific.

My pick, from the beginning, has been Bobby Wagner.

He’s one of the greatest inside linebackers of all time, and his wealth of experience would do wonders for second-year linebackers like Knight and Carter. At the very least, he’d command far more respect than someone like Chenal or Kaden Ellis, who recently secured a healthy long-term contract of his own with the New Orleans Saints.

Can the 14-year NFL veteran still move the way he did a decade ago? Of course not. But his intelligence has always done most of the work anyway. The 35-year-old Wagner led the entire NFL in linebacker snaps last season. It might take him a moment to get there, but he almost always finds the right spot.

Wagner signed a one-year, $9 million contract last year—much more in line with what the Bengals should want and need. His experience may be even more valuable than his play on the field. As a leader and mentor for Knight and Carter, both on and off the field, Wagner could be the “force multiplier” that Al Golden and Zac Taylor keep saying they’re looking for.

Most importantly, Wagner wouldn’t break the bank or require a long-term commitment. He’s likely looking for a chance to add a second Super Bowl ring, and the Bengals have as good a shot as any—so long as Wagner does his part to help turn the defense around.

And that’s the key: Wagner would be part of the turnaround, not the quick fix. For that matter, neither are Mafe nor Cook. Trey Hendrickson is one of the best defenders in the league, and the Bengals have had him for three straight years while still fielding a poor defense.

It’s going to take more than individual effort to get this unit back to even average. Signing Chenal wouldn’t have done it. Heck, signing Chenal and Ellis wouldn’t have done it. Even adding Chenal, Ellis, and free-agency prize Devin Lloyd might not have been enough.

For one thing, linebacker simply isn’t that important a position in today’s NFL (stand-up edge rushers being a notable exception). And for another, the Bengals already have massive contracts tied up in their three best players—Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins—all of whom play on offense.

That’s how the Bengals will win. Their offense has to lead the way, while the defense focuses on staying cheap and efficient.

Big long-term deals like the ones the Panthers gave Lloyd (three years, $45 million), the Commanders gave Chenal, or the Saints gave Ellis would only burden the Bengals’ flexibility moving forward, weighing them down with flawed players on bloated contracts.

Mafe and Cook aren’t flawless, but their youth and versatility are major strengths. Allen isn’t perfect either, but even at 31 he still offers value against both the run and the pass on a short-term deal. Wagner would fill a similar role, even as his athleticism declines.

Besides, the draft is still coming in April.

Many Bengals fans may be tired of Duke Tobin and the team’s scouting department, but they’ve found defensive talent in the past. Just because the recent results haven’t been great doesn’t mean that success won’t return. And they certainly can’t abandon the draft as a solution.

The Bengals haven’t been a good defensive team in years, and trying to fix that by paying market value for mid-tier free agents—while already carrying elite offensive contracts—is no way to build a sustainable defense. Even Hendrickson, as great as he’s been, hasn’t been able to drag the unit above 21st in points or yards allowed since 2023.

Mafe and Cook received longer-term deals, but they’re young, versatile, and experienced. Allen’s deal might not look like great value at first glance, but it’s relatively short. Wagner, if the Bengals can lure him, would almost certainly be on a one-year contract.

The draft also offers the chance to add dynamic new talent. Elite prospects like Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, or even Rueben Bain could still be there at No. 10. The second round could offer run defenders like Kayden McDonald or Lee Hunter, or even a projectable edge defender like Zion Williamson. The third could be the perfect place to grab a slot corner such as D’Angelo Ponds, Keith Abney II, or Keionte Scott.

Heck, why not scoop up local standout Dontay Corleone somewhere in the middle rounds—if scooping up a 6-foot, 340-pound man is even possible?

The depth is still there to be found. Adding the biggest names at the top of free agency isn’t the only way to improve. In fact, I’m not sure many people even realized Jonathan Allen was available—he was only released yesterday.

The Bengals waited, and they landed a very competent interior defender. They’ll likely wait again and add a few more competent pieces in the coming months.

Sometimes, patience really does pay off.