The Bengals were one of the most active teams this offseason, and the NFL insider gave them their flowers for this specific move.
After three straight years of coming up short of the postseason, the Cincinnati Bengals have had an excellent 2026 NFL offseason thus far. General manager Duke Tobin made a statement early on that he is “all-in,” and he has proven that with the several moves he has made in free agency, the trade market, and contract extensions.
At this point, nearly everyone knows how important it was for the Bengals to improve the offensive line and rebuild the defense as a whole. Superstar quarterback Joe Burrow’s protectors weren’t up to par to begin the season, but with some increased continuity, chemistry, and experience, they were able to prove their worth to end the season. Tobin recognized this by re-signing Dalton Risner and extending Orlando Brown Jr.
Cincinnati Bengals general manager Duke Tobin | © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesAs for the defense, this group was statistically the worst in football last season. Adding in the subtractions of edge rushers Joseph Ossai and Trey Hendrickson this offseason, there was a lot of work to be done. Tobin was able to sign both edge rusher Boye Mafe and safety Bryan Cook to begin the legal tampering period. These agreements set a stamp on the NFL that the Bengals were no longer playing around, signing two of the best available players in their positions as soon as they were available. Tobin followed this notion by eventually trading the Bengals' No. 10 draft pick to the New York Giants for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
NFL Insider Jordan Schultz compiled a list of his top-10 free agent signings that flew under the radar, and the Bengals rounded out the list.
Taking the final spot on his list was Kyle Dugger, a safety who signed with the Bengals from AFC North rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not only could Dugger have a substantial role as the Bengals’ utility safety, but they were able to sign him for just over $1.4 million, a steal for a veteran of his quality. Schultz also included the signing of Ossai to the Jets on the list, so the Bengals get to experience both sides of the coin.
Not only was the defensive unit lackluster at best in 2025, but they also lacked real veteran leadership on the field. That is a problem that will immediately be erased in 2026. Adding Super Bowl experience in the two big free agent signings, along with veteran experience from former Pro Bowlers in Lawrence and Jonathan Allen, will allow for defensive coordinator Al Golden to have the line stunts and general versatility he had been looking for prior to the draft.
With so much improvement across the board, coupled with the third-easiest strength of schedule in the NFL, there is no excuse for the Bengals not to succeed this season. Success will be subjective, though, because although they would love to just end the playoff drought, that may not be enough to really capitalize on such an excellent offseason by the front office. Not to mention, if the Bengals don’t at least make some sort of run to the Super Bowl, it could be the final year for head coach Zac Taylor in Cincinnati.
