The Bengals did a lot to reshape their defense this offseason, but one spot still looks unfinished: linebacker.
Cincinnati upgraded the defensive line from top to bottom and brought in safety Bryan Cook, yet the linebacker room was left mostly untouched. With roster cuts now opening the door around the league, the Bengals still have a real chance to add depth - and maybe even a safety net - behind a rookie group that hasn’t proven it can carry the load.
That matters because the current setup is fragile. Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. were rookies who started most of last season after Logan Wilson’s body simply couldn’t allow him to play at the level we are all used to.
The results weren’t good, though the defense as a whole struggled too. And by Pro Football Focus, the rookie duo finished dead last among qualifying linebackers last season.
Those grades aren’t the final word, but being at the bottom of the league at the same time is hard to ignore. Cincinnati is clearly hoping those two are better now that the talent around them has improved. The problem is simple: hope is not the same thing as insurance.
There are names out there who could make sense if the Bengals want more stability. Tyler Dodson is one of the bigger ones after the Miami Dolphins released him a year after re-signing him to a two-year deal.
He posted 129 tackles last season and has playoff experience from his time with the Buffalo Bills. He’d at least bring a chance to compete for snaps with the current group.
Another veteran option is Elandon Roberts, who the Pittsburgh Steelers cut. He’s entering Year 11 and has started 121 games, with a track record of being an on-and-off contributor. He doesn’t look like the kind of player who would walk in and automatically take a job, but he is the sort of experienced presence that could matter if one of the current spots opens up.
Beyond that, Cincinnati could also look at a wave of younger linebackers who didn’t quite meet expectations elsewhere. The Bengals sometimes lean on their draft scouting when making those calls, but bringing in another young player this late in the process wouldn’t really scream insurance policy.
That’s the issue here. The Bengals have built a stronger defensive front, but at linebacker they are still asking a lot from two rookies who already struggled. Without another move, they’re betting heavily on internal improvement and very little else.
In Other News...
Bengals Practice Squad Decisions Just Put New Pressure On Roster Depth
After the waiver wire deadline passed, Cincinnati settled its 16-man practice squad and gave a clearer picture of how it wants to protect its depth heading into the season. The group includes Sean Clifford, Myles Hinton, Bralyn Lux, Kendall Milton and Russ Yeast, and it also reflects a front office still trying to build enough insurance around the roster for the long haul.
Hinton is the most notable addition from a depth standpoint after the Bengals claimed the second-year offensive tackle from Michigan off waivers to help shore up the tackle room. Beyond him, the practice squad is also a holding area for a few players who were part of the late-roster conversation, with some in line to help on special teams and others needing more time to develop before they can push for active-roster work. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Practice Squad Could Bring Back Familiar Faces And A Few Surprises
The Bengals have trimmed to their 53-man roster, and now the attention shifts to how Cincinnati fills out its practice squad. With a projected 16 spots available, the setup opens the door for some familiar faces to circle back if they clear waivers, along with a few names the staff could decide are worth keeping close as the season approaches.
The next day or so will sort out whether those released players can return, and whether the Bengals make any outside additions before the waiver deadline passes. It is the kind of roster shuffle that can quietly matter later in the year, especially for a team trying to preserve continuity while also leaving room for a surprise or two. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Just Took Another Painful Hit From The Jessie Bates Fallout
The Bengals roster shuffle took another sharp turn this week when McKinnley Jackson, a third-round compensatory pick in 2024, was waived after failing to crack the initial 53-man group. His path was already narrowing before the cut, with the trade for Dexter Lawrence and the signing of T.J. Slaton squeezing the room in the defensive interior and making every rep even more important.
Jacksons exit adds to the uneasy early return on Cincinnatis 2024 draft class, which has already seen several picks waived or fighting just to stay in the picture. For a team trying to stabilize its trenches and build around a few core veterans, the bigger concern is how quickly a young class can go from hope to uncertainty when the roster starts turning over this fast. [Read more 🡒]