The Bengals haven’t exactly acted like a team in a hurry to fix linebacker, and that stance is starting to look even more interesting as roster math tightens around the league.
Cincinnati made no additions to the position group this offseason, which leaves Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. carrying a heavy load into Year 2. If either one stalls, the issue won’t be hard to spot, no matter how much help the new-look defensive front gets from Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, and Jonathan Allen.
That’s where the Browns come in. Cleveland’s linebacker room is crowded enough that Nathaniel Watson could end up squeezed out, and that may give the Bengals a chance to pounce once final cuts arrive.
Watson, a Mississippi State product, didn’t hear his name called until the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft even though he was the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year. As a rookie, he played just 55 defensive snaps, according to PFF, and spent most of his time on special teams. He finished with 14 total tackles and seemed like a player with some runway.
The problem for Watson is that Cleveland keeps adding bodies. The Browns took Carson Schwesinger in the second round, and he was just the Defensive Rookie of the Year. They also signed Quincy Williams in free agency and drafted Justin Jefferson, not the receiver, in the fifth round this year.
That leaves Watson, Winston Reid, and Easton Mascarenas-Arnold fighting for what may be limited space. Watson missed the entire 2025 season with a torn biceps. Reid has the edge in tenure, while Mascarenas-Arnold brings more explosion even if he’s undersized.
Watson’s case is built less on flash and more on football IQ. Browns area scout Matt Donahoe said what stood out most about LB Nathaniel Watson is his intelligence. Said he once had to learn a different linebacker position in the parking lot before a game because a teammate was ruled out last minute.
That kind of detail matters, especially for a player trying to survive a crowded room. Watson also brings a college résumé that jumps off the page: 250 combined tackles, 25 TFL, 16 sacks, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles over his last two years at Mississippi State.
For Cincinnati, the appeal is obvious. The Bengals are thin behind Carter and Knight, and Oren Burks not being able to start over either of them only sharpens the concern.
Watson’s production suggests more than a special teams body, and those sack numbers hint at some edge versatility too. His 6'9" wingspan would help there, and Knight’s 6'8.5" wingspan is a fun comparison, too.
Andrew Berry may not be eager to help the Bengals again after Joe Flacco’s success in Cincinnati last season, but Duke Tobin should still be making the call as camp moves along. Watson looks like the kind of deep sleeper who could at least give Cincinnati another answer at a spot that remains very much up for grabs.
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