Anyone who’s watched the Cincinnati Bengals over the last three years knows that their defense has been a main culprit behind their slump. They’ve been below-average in scoring defense in each of those campaigns, and it’s no coincidence that they haven’t made the playoffs since 2022.
It also hasn’t helped that franchise quarterback Joe Burrow had injury-shortened seasons in 2023 and 2025. On the other hand, the two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year led the league in passing yards and touchdowns in 2024, but Cincinnati still missed the playoffs at 9-8. It was tied for 25th with 25.5 points allowed per game that year.
The Bengals can’t keep wasting the prime years of Burrow, superstar wideout Ja’Marr Chase, and star wideout Tee Higgins. They finished 13th with 21.8 points allowed per game when they made the Super Bowl in 2021, so getting the unit to be slightly above-average is crucial.
Here are free agents who could help Cincinnati moving forward:
DE Haason Reddick
Free-agent defensive end Haason Reddick. © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Reddick is an ideal target if star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson walks in free agency this offseason. The 31-year-old has just 3.5 sacks over his last 23 games, but he had 10-plus in each of the previous four seasons.
Reddick has a market value of one year, $4.9 million, per Spotrac. The 6-foot-1, 240-pounder would be a low-risk investment, as it would be a cheap flier to see if he can return to his prime form.
DT D.J. Reader
Reader has spent the last two years with the Detroit Lions, but he spent the previous four with the Bengals. The 31-year-old would not only be another cheap investment, but he already knows the environment in Cincinnati.
Reader was a productive presence in the middle of the defensive line during the Bengals’ 2021 Super Bowl run and 2022 AFC Championship run. The 6-foot-3, 330-pounder had 43 tackles in 2021 and 27 in 2022.
DE Khalil Mack
Mack is the big-ticket option of this group. The five-time All-Pro is one of the best pass-rushers of today’s era, as he has 113 sacks in 179 career games.
Mack’s production has waned over the last couple seasons, as he has 11.5 sacks over 28 games. However, the 34-year-old notched 17 sacks over 17 games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023.
Mack is old and expensive, but having Burrow in the building means that the Bengals should always be a “win-now” team. The 6-foot-3, 269-pounder has a market value of one year, $18.4 million, per Spotrac.
