3 Free Agents the Bengals NEED to Sign Before Week 1

The Bengals released veteran lineman Cody Ford following a string of poor performances. Ford had been with the team for three seasons, serving as the primary swing tackle throughout that span.

Zac Taylor preached faith in the young players currently on the roster as possible replacements at swing tackle. However, Taylor also emphasized that all options are on the table at the position, including a potential free-agent addition.

"We're always open to everything." Taylor said when addressing the depth at offensive tackle.

While the tackle options on the free agent market are few and far between, there are plenty of options to come in and serve as a quality backup. Here are three veterans that the Bengals should consider signing to bolster their offensive tackle depth:

Jonah Williams

This is by far the most obvious option. Williams was the first pick made in the Zac Taylor era and went on to be an average-level starter at left tackle before Orlando Brown Jr. replaced him in 2023.

Williams swapped to right tackle at that point and remained there during his time with the Cardinals. He received his fair share of criticism during his time with the Bengals as a starter, but would be a well-above-average option as a swing tackle right now.

Williams could be open to returning to the team that drafted him, with the goal of finishing what he and the Bengals started when they reached the Super Bowl in 2021. As the first tackle off the bench, it would give him a great opportunity to re-establish his value across the league should an injury hit Brown or Amarius Mims.

Kelvin Beachum

Beachum is still playing well at 37 years old. While he finished with an overall grade of 51.6 on Pro Football Focus last season, he still stood tall with a pass-blocking grade of 78.3, doing so as a swing tackle.

Beachum is entering his 14th season in the NFL and has played at an average-to-above-average level throughout his career. Having never appeared in a Super Bowl, joining an offense with playmakers at every corner could sway Beachum to join Cincinnati and compete for his first Super Bowl.

He would bring more urgency to win a Super Bowl now to an offense already feeling pressure to win.

Cornelius Lucas

Another veteran who is likely to sign with a competitor this season.

Lucas had the worst season of his twelve-year career last season with the Browns, though it came in a limited role. The Browns' offense was also a mess last year, and the team turned over its entire offensive line this offseason.

Outside of last season, Lucas has shown quality play during his career as a backup tackle. He earned a 75.4 overall PFF grade in 2024 during his time with the Commanders, including a 79.1 grade as a pass blocker that season across 464 total snaps.

The Bottom Line

With Jalen Rivers inconsistent performance at left tackle this preseason, the best option at swing tackle for the Bengals could very well not be on the roster currently. Javon Foster has looked like the most capable swing tackle on the roster for the Bengals, and even he has not proven to be someone you can feel great about.

Considering the lack of any young player standing out, the team should absolutely be looking at free agent options on the tackle market. This could easily become a situation similar to Dalton Risner last year, when the Bengals signed him right after the preseason. Risner went on to become a key cog in the offensive line's improvement last season, and the team may look to test those waters once more a year later.

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