{"id":43820,"date":"2026-02-25T00:28:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T00:28:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=43820"},"modified":"2026-02-25T00:28:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T00:28:30","slug":"duke-tobin-zac-taylor-trying-to-beef-up-bengals-pass-rush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=43820","title":{"rendered":"Duke Tobin, Zac Taylor Trying To Beef Up Bengals Pass Rush"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CINCINNATI \u2014\u00a0<\/strong>The Bengals are entering a hazy era with their pass rush, especially if Trey Hendrickson ends up leaving in free agency. Head\u00a0coach Zac Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin addressed their standings on the pass rush assets\u00a0out there, whether\u00a0it be\u00a0in free agency or the draft.<\/p>\n

Outside of Hendrickson, names like Odafe Oweh\u00a0(Chargers),\u00a0Jaelan Phillips\u00a0(Eagles),\u00a0Khalil Mack\u00a0(Chargers),\u00a0Boye Mafe (Seahawks), Jadeveon Clowney\u00a0(Cowboys), and K’Lavon Chaisson\u00a0(Patriots) are all candidates for the open market.<\/p>\n

There are also four edge rushers in the consensus top 15 draftable players if Arvelle Reese ends up lining up on the ball.<\/p>\n

“There is. 31 other teams are hunting,” Tobin said ther ebing good options out there. “But there are guys that we like that we can envision in our scheme elevating our team, and we’ll see. They have to be interested in us. They’ve got to make it to free agency.\u00a0It’s\u00a0got\u00a0to fit within the context of what we’re\u00a0talking about\u00a0and all those things.\u00a0It’s also a good rush draft. There are a lot of guys in the draft that we have high regard for.\u00a0So it’s exciting for us\u00a0when we look at\u00a0how this guy would fit.\u00a0Each guy has a slightly different analysis.<\/p>\n

“This\u00a0guy\u00a0is\u00a0probably going\u00a0to be at this range.\u00a0How would he fit? Would he elevate us enough? How would this guy fit? What does it do with our current team? How do we deploy the\u00a0guys that we have\u00a0on our roster?\u00a0I think that the guys\u00a0that\u00a0we have on our roster can elevate our pass rush because I\u00a0think\u00a0we have\u00a0a lot of guys that are\u00a0young in their careers that\u00a0can\u00a0elevate\u00a0our pass rush.\u00a0You’ve got to get to third down to get that pass rush. And so it’s a two-pronged approach.\u00a0You want to be\u00a0good\u00a0on first and second down\u00a0as well.\u00a0And it’s not just who’s doing it but what they’re doing, and we’re working on all those areas to get it fixed.”<\/p>\n

Taylor echoed Tobin’s stance.<\/p>\n

“There’s a good group of guys, you know, and so we’ll see how it fits for us and see where it goes,” Taylor said about the free agent market. “But you’re right in that it does matter.\u00a0You\u00a0just\u00a0watch the playoffs.”<\/p>\n

Cincinnati pressured the quarterback at a 20.9% rate last season, 23rd in the NFL, after being at\u00a023.2% in 2024. Hendrickson’s injury was obviously a big factor, but that mark has to creep back up toward the elite 30% level.<\/p>\n

“You watch the teams get after the passer, and it’s a big part of having success. You’re looking for force multipliers,” Taylor concluded.<\/p>\n

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