Bengals Could Emulate Super Bowl Champs With Hope of Boosting Pass Rush

Last season, the Cincinnati Bengals finished the league with the 22nd-ranked sack defense in the league, averaging 2.1 per game, and a sack rate that finished one spot higher and a 6.15% rate.

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So far this offseason, the AFC North side has acquired the likes of edge Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook, and defensive tackle Johnathan Allen. Last season, Mafe and Allen combined for 5.5 sacks, which will be an added bonus for a team losing prized rusher Trey Hendrickson, who compiled four sacks in just seven games thanks to an injury-ridden 2025.

How Can The Bengals Combat The Loss Of Hendrickson?

On Dan Hoard’s “Bengals Booth Podcast,” Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr looked to the reigning Super Bowl champs as a potential blueprint for success.

“I think the way that they upgraded the pass rush is kind of where it's going. We watched Seattle last year win a Super Bowl, not with one elite pass rusher. It was, instead, four or five guys that are gonna get seven or eight sacks apiece,” quoted Orr.

Last season, the Seahawks saw four players notch six or more sacks in the regular season in Uchenna Nwosu (7), Leonard Williams (7), Byron Murphy II (7), and DeMarcus Lawrence, who finished with six sacks

“And I think that's where the game is going, so long as you can coach the players in that way and teach them to be a little bit unselfish.”

Look no further than the Super Bowl to see Seattle’s dominance as the Seahawks notched six sacks on Drake Maye, and finished the regular season with the league’s eighth-most sacks (2.8), and 11th-best sack rate (7.32%).

Who Could Step Into These Needed Roles?

Just two of Cincinnati’s four top sack leaders have returned as Hendrickson moved to Baltimore andJoseph Ossai sign with the New York Jets, leaving Myles Murphy (5.5 sacks) and veteran defensive tackle B.J. Hill (4 sacks) left.

Mafe and Allen can be counted on to replenish the losses of Ossai and parts of Hendrickson, but there will likely have to be either a massive hit in the draft or a free agent move to step up their pass defense.

While there are still big names left on the market like Joey Bosa, Cameron Jordan, Jadeveon Clowney, and Haason Reddick, there is one big common denominator amongst them all: age. The youngest from that list are Reddick and Bosa, but they both will be 31 by the time the season begins. Will Cincinnati be willing to fork up big bucks for an experienced rusher, or will they look to the draft to try and find their next Hendrickson?