The Bengals have already spent the offseason dreaming about bigger things: Joe Burrow lighting up scoreboards, the offense rolling, and a defense that looks far more dangerous with Dexter Lawrence and other key additions. But even in that kind of optimistic setup, one hole still sticks out.
Linebacker remains a problem in Cincinnati. Unless Oren Burks somehow returns to his Eagles Super Bowl run form, he is not likely to push Barrett Carter or Demetrius Knight Jr. out of the starting lineup. And after the way Carter and Knight played in 2025, that’s not a spot the Bengals can just ignore.
That’s why Devin White keeps coming up as the kind of low-cost swing the team should make. Cincinnati found a useful late bargain last offseason in Dalton Risner, and White could fit that same lane on the open market.
White’s résumé still has plenty of weight. He piled up 174 combined tackles in 2025 for a Raiders defense that didn’t have much help beyond Maxx Crosby.
He has also produced 25.5 career sacks, including 9 in one season and 5.5 in another, and he owns a 21.7% career pass rush pressure rate. Add in the fact that he was a top-five pick and a Super Bowl champion, and the profile is obvious.
There’s more to like than just the raw production. White also made a game-sealing playoff interception against Drew Brees, and his work in coverage has improved.
Since 2023, he has allowed an 88.9 passer rating. That matters for Cincinnati, because coverage was a major issue for both Carter and Knight last season.
White turned 28 in February, so this is not a case of chasing a name past its expiration date. He also brings versatility, with the ability to line up on the edge and actually do damage there. He had 2.5 sacks in 2025, too.
For a Bengals team with bigger ambitions, the ask here is simple: do the bare minimum and fix the weakest spot on the roster. Devin White looks like exactly the kind of bet that makes sense.
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With Trey Hendrickson gone to Baltimore, Cincinnati had a clear incentive to get aggressive about fixing a defense that had been its biggest weak spot. The club answered by swinging for Dexter Lawrence II, a move designed to add real force up front and keep Joe Burrows window from narrowing any further.
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