Much of the Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive attention has been spent on the front seven. They brought back defensive tackle B.J. Hill and signed T.J. Slaton Jr. Cincinnati also signed linebacker Oren Burks, and in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, edge rusher Shemar Stewart and linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. added to that pursuit.
The secondary behind one of the league’s worst defenses, though, hasn’t seen much improvement at all.
That doesn’t mean it is too late to make a move. Late in free agency, a handful of viable candidates remain available, including veterans with rather impressive resumes to their name.
The Bengals were encouraged to sign two-time All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore by NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadia.
“Cincinnati needs as much depth and experience as it can find in its secondary after fielding one of the league’s worst pass defenses last season,” Chadiha wrote. Even though he turns 35 in September, Gilmore could help with that cause.
“For one, he’s still proven to be a competent man-coverage cornerback, which is a skill set the Bengals will covet with new defensive coordinator Al Golden replacing Lou Anarumo (Golden relied heavily on man coverage as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator last season). Cincinnati also is hoping that Daxton Hill can rebound from a torn ACL that limited him to just five games in 2024. Gilmore can provide depth in case Hill is slow to return to form.”
The biggest culprit for Cincinnati’s problems was in the trenches, particularly stopping the run. The cornerback room is still questionable, headlined by Cam Taylor-Britt with less consistent play from DJ Turner II and Josh Newton on the boundary.
Another perimeter corner could be of use, especially one with big-game experience. Gilmore’s accomplishments might land him in the Hall of Fame one day. One final showing would certainly help.
“Gilmore also has done everything a cornerback can do in this league — a list that includes winning a Super Bowl in New England and being named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 — so his leadership would be invaluable for a team with so many young players at that position,” he continued.
“Finally, Gilmore would be cheap. He played on a one-year deal valued at $10 million in Minnesota last season. For a team that just gave huge extensions to wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — and continues to not be on the same page with star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson — a bargain like this at cornerback would be ideal.”
Gilmore is relatively stable in coverage, even in his mid-30s, and a limited role might help mitigate concerns with an athletic decline. His consistency against the run certainly helps, too.
The Bengals won’t be expected to make any significant moves, at least not until the Hendrickson extension is figured out. Given the price tag and the limited market, Gilmore is a reasonable target this late in the offseason.
