The Cincinnati Bengals are staring down a pivotal offseason-one that could reshape the roster and redefine the trajectory of a team that, not long ago, was knocking on the door of a Super Bowl title. After three straight seasons without a playoff appearance, the pressure is on to “right the ship,” as Duke Tobin, the Bengals’ director of player personnel, put it.
Tobin made it clear last offseason that he wasn’t interested in simply running it back at a higher price. But despite that, the Bengals brought back several familiar faces and only added one new defender through free agency.
The rest of the holes were plugged through the draft. Now, with 15 players from the 2025 roster headed for free agency in March, Cincinnati faces another critical decision-making stretch-one where the margin for error is razor-thin.
Let’s start with the defense, because that’s where the biggest questions-and arguably the biggest needs-exist. Among the free agents are edge rushers Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai, free safety Geno Stone, and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt.
Hendrickson’s future is especially murky. He missed the final nine games of the season with a hip and pelvis injury, eventually undergoing surgery.
He wasn’t seen on the practice field or in the locker room after the bye week, and it’s unclear what role, if any, he played behind the scenes during his rehab.
While head coach Zac Taylor didn’t close the door on Hendrickson returning, the situation feels tenuous at best. The Bengals already gave him a raise in 2025 rather than the extension or trade he was reportedly seeking. A franchise tag would cost nearly $35 million-an eye-watering number for a player coming off a major injury.
That puts even more emphasis on the need to bolster the pass rush, and Tobin didn’t shy away from that reality.
“Pass rush is king,” he said. “You always need to be layering in pass rushers.” He acknowledged that some internal development has started to take shape, and that’s where Joseph Ossai enters the conversation.
Ossai quietly put together a strong finish to the 2025 season, stepping in for Hendrickson and showing he can hold his own off the edge. He earned a one-year deal last March after flashing potential, and now he might have built enough of a case to earn a longer-term commitment. The Bengals need more than 5.0 sacks out of their starters next season, and while Ossai isn’t a one-man solution, he’s shown he can be part of the answer.
Versatile lineman Cam Sample is also a free agent, and the Bengals will need to decide how much of their defensive identity they want to retain-and how much they want to reinvent.
In the secondary, Geno Stone and Cam Taylor-Britt headline the group of potential departures. Tycen Anderson, who carved out a role on special teams, could also hit the market, along with corners Marco Wilson and Jalen Davis. This is a unit that struggled with consistency throughout the year, and while there’s talent, it’s clear the Bengals need to raise the floor-and the ceiling-on defense.
On the offensive side, right guard Dalton Risner is one to watch. He’s made it known he wants to stay in Cincinnati and hopes to get a deal done before free agency begins.
After bouncing around the last few years, he’s looking for stability-and he might have earned it. His presence on the line has been steady, and continuity up front is something the Bengals could use more of.
Tight end Noah Fant is another name on the list, but his future with the team is far less certain. Fant struggled with ball security in 2025, losing three fumbles that directly led to defensive touchdowns.
That’s the kind of stat that sticks in a front office’s mind when weighing value. The Bengals do expect Erick All Jr. back in the mix, but his health remains a question mark.
If Fant walks, Cincinnati will likely need to dip into the draft or free agency to round out the tight end room.
Then there’s the quarterback situation behind Joe Burrow.
Veteran Joe Flacco, who was brought in midseason after Burrow’s turf toe surgery, has expressed a willingness to return in a backup role-but only if the opportunity to play isn’t better elsewhere. Taylor said he’d love to have Flacco back, but he understands the veteran’s desire to keep his options open.
Jake Browning, who got the first crack at starting in Burrow’s absence, seems unlikely to return. He started three games but was benched after the Bengals traded for Flacco, signaling a lack of long-term confidence from the coaching staff. That leaves the door open for Cincinnati to retool the QB room behind Burrow, whether through the draft or another veteran addition.
Beyond the high-profile names, there’s a wave of depth players also set to hit the market-linebacker Brian Asamoah, guard Lucas Patrick, and others. While not headline-grabbers, these are the types of players who fill out a roster and provide critical insurance when injuries hit.
Tobin knows the stakes. This isn’t a team in the middle of a full rebuild-it’s a roster that, with the right moves, could be back in the playoff mix as soon as next season. But the path forward requires precision.
“We’ve done it before,” Tobin said. “We’ve built high-level football teams with draft picks.
We’ve done it with free agents. We’ve gone to the Super Bowl with a mix of both.
The puzzle has to fit together-and that’s what we’re working on.”
The Bengals have the foundation. They have the quarterback.
They’ve got a front office that’s proven it can build a contender. Now, it’s about making the right calls-on defense, at key offensive positions, and in the locker room-to get back to where they know they can be.