This steady linebacker could be a smart, cost-effective solution to solidify Cincinnati's defensive struggles.
The Cincinnati Bengals had a rough 2025 season, finishing with a 6-11 record and missing the playoffs for the third straight year.
The defense was a major problem, allowing the third-most points in the NFL.
As free agency approaches, Cincinnati is expected to be aggressive in addressing those defensive gaps.
Most of the attention has been on bigger names at edge rusher and safety, but there is another position that deserves a closer look.
That is why a recent piece from Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport caught some eyes.
In his breakdown of overlooked veterans every team should target in the 2026 offseason, Davenport flagged Carolina Panthers linebacker Christian Rozeboom as a strong fit for Cincinnati.
What Davenport Said
Davenport's case for Rozeboom is pretty simple. The linebacker is not a household name, but he has been a steady and productive player over the last two seasons.
With the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, he put up 135 total tackles in 17 games and 11 starts, which earned him a one-year deal with Carolina.
He made the most of it, wearing the green dot helmet communicator and leading the Panthers with 122 total stops during the 2025 season.
The Panthers finished 8-9 in 2025 and won the NFC South division title, though they fell to the Los Angeles Rams 34-31 in the Wild Card Round.
Rozeboom was one of the steadier pieces on a young and developing Carolina defense that allowed just 22.4 points per game during the regular season, per Pro Football Reference.
His role as the defense's play-caller on the field shows the kind of trust coaches put in him, even if the stats do not always make the headlines.
Davenport listed the Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings as the two most logical fits for Rozeboom heading into free agency.
Why It Makes Sense for Cincinnati
The Bengals have $53 million in available cap space this offseason, and while the expectation is that most of it will go toward improving the front seven and secondary, the linebacker room cannot be ignored.
Cincinnati's defense ranked 30th in the league with 28.9 points allowed per game in 2025 and has been a below-average unit for three consecutive seasons now.
Rozeboom would not be asked to fix all of that, but he would fill a real need.
The Bengals leaned on rookies Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter at linebacker last year, and both struggled at times with the jump to the NFL level.
A veteran like Rozeboom, who has led defenses from the inside and held down an every-down role, would give Cincinnati the experienced anchor it lacks at the position.
His projected market value sits around $3 million on a one-year deal, per Spotrac, which makes him exactly the kind of low-risk, high-value signing that teams point to at the end of a free agency class. The Bengals are not going to break the bank at linebacker, but they cannot afford to stand pat with what they have behind their young players, either.
The Bigger Picture
The Rozeboom conversation is part of a larger need for Cincinnati to shore up its defense in a meaningful way this spring.
The Bengals have several free agency options to consider across the defensive depth chart, and the linebacker position has been pointed to as one of the more pressing needs heading into 2026.
Our recent piece talked about Cincinnati's offseason priorities has also noted that the Bengals can no longer afford to waste the prime years of Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins with a defense this porous.
Rozeboom may not be the splashy move fans are looking for. He is not going to make the back page of any newspaper.
But for a team that spent most of 2025 watching opponents run right through the middle of its defense, a player who led the Panthers with 122 tackles and brings familiarity and communication skills to the position is exactly the kind of smart, practical addition that good front offices make.
The Bengals would be wise to make the call.