The Cincinnati Bengals must revamp their defense this offseason, but they must make sure the offensive line is competent as well. The Las Vegas Raiders agreed to trade star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens on Friday, adding another elite player at the position to the AFC North.

The Cleveland Browns have Myles Garrett, who broke the NFL single-season sack record in 2025, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have six-time All-Pro T.J. Watt. The Bengals have had 2024 sacks leader Trey Hendrickson since 2021, but he posted a goodbye message to the fanbase and organization on Tuesday after the front office didn't franchise tag him. The 31-year-old will hit the open market when free agency officially begins on Wednesday.

That means that Cincinnati star quarterback Joe Burrow will have to face Crosby, Garrett, and Watt twice a year each, and his defense is about to lose Hendrickson after finishing 30th in points allowed per game. That's not ideal for a quarterback who has had three injury-shortened seasons since getting drafted in 2020 and two in the last three. Plus, the Bengals haven't made the playoffs since 2022.

However, there's hope for them if they protect Burrow and fix the defense moving forward.

Cincinnati started on the right foot with its offensive line this offseason by re-signing veteran guard Dalton Risner for 2026. The 30-year-old was a part of a unit that allowed 36 sacks the entire 2025 season, which was the 19th-most in football. 

On the other hand, the Bengals can't stop there now that Crosby is in the division. They must acquire offensive line depth through free agency and/or the NFL Draft, as they can't afford for one or two injuries to ruin the unit. Specifically, fortifying the tackle position would make sense given the star edge rushers in the AFC North.

Several tackles could be had at modest prices in free agency this year, such as Alijah Vera-Tucker, Josh Jones, or James Hudson. Vera-Tucker is especially a good option, as he's only 26 and can play at guard or tackle. The 2021 first-round pick has been plagued by injuries over his career, but was elite as both a pass and run blocker when he did play in 2024, per PFF. He has a market value of four years, $51.3 million ($12.8 million AAV), per Spotrac.

Regardless, the Bengals must do all they can to protect Burrow after he missed nine games with turf toe in 2025. If they do that and fix the other side of the ball sans Hendrickson, they could finally return to glory.