After a 6-11 season, the Cincinnati Bengals began their offseason early for the third consecutive year after missing the postseason. The season went wrong early for the Bengals, as starting quarterback Joe Burrow suffered an injury during their Week 2 matchup that caused him to miss most of the year.
Despite Burrow’s absence, the team’s offense remained among the best in the NFL, thanks in large part to veteran Pro Bowl backup Joe Flacco. The Bengals defense, however, struggled throughout the season. To make matters worse for Cincinnati’s defense, All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson missed most of the season due to an injury. Now, Hendrickson is set to be a free agent and it seems the Bengals will have a tough time replacing him in the draft.
Cincinnati Bengals Predicted to Miss Out on Top Pass Rusher
During the 2025 college football season, Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. dominated opposing offensive lines as he totaled 9.5 sacks helping lead the Miami Hurricanes to a National Championship appearance.The Bengals currently possess the No. 10 overall selection, due to concerns about Bain’s size and arm length, he has become a popular player in mock drafts to land in Cincinnati.
However, CBS Sports NFL draft analyst Mike Renner does not see it that way. He believes Bain should be taken by the New York Jets with the second overall selection. Regarding Bain, Renner said, “I’ve compared him to Aiden Hutchinson a little in that Aiden Hutchinson got picked apart because the body type was weird. He’s not your traditional defensive end, but when you just watch his tape, you’re just like, ‘why is this guy so much better than everyone else?’
That’s how I feel about Bain. He’s gonna have shorter arms, [he] looks like a defensive tackle. Not your prototype. Not your Will Anderson, where you’re like, ‘yeah, that guy, you just can see it. But why is he so good?’ Every game you play, no one actually is able to block him consistently. So that’s how I feel about Bain. I just think you’re getting a very safe defensive end prospect in the NFL. So in a class that doesn’t have a lot of safe or a lot of top end talent. He is my top non-quarterback.”
If Bain were to fall to Cincinnati, Sports Illustrated’s James Rapien said, “If he somehow falls to No. 10, he’s looking more and more like a no-brainer pick for the Bengals.” Unfortunately for Bengals fans, it seems more and more like teams will trust Bain’s tape, which will make it difficult for him to land in Cincinnati.
Trey Hendrickson’s Free Agency
The Bengals could always opt to re-sign their own All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. Unfortunately, it seems that will not be the case as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said the relationship between Hendrickson and the Bengals has “run its course.” Fowler added that the Bengals using the franchise tag on Hendrickson would be a mild surprise.
Fowler listed the Colts, Cowboys and Buccaneers as potential landing spots. Joining the Colts would represent a reunion with former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. If Hendrickson lands a big contract elsewhere, Cincinnati could net a third-round compensatory pick.
