Bengals Still Have Work to Do After Exciting 2026 Offseason, NFL Draft

The Cincinnati Bengals have had a very productive offseason after struggling to win games last season. With Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase in their respective primes, it's important the Bengals aim for the Super Bowl as aggressively as possible right now.

Over the offseason, they added players like Dexter Lawrence, Bryan Cook, Cashius Howell, Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, and plenty of others to bolster the defense. The unit still needs to come together in the coming months, but on paper, they look better than last season.

NFL.com's Kevin Patra recently praised the Bengals' offseason, but suggested they needed to continue bulking up the secondary, potentially add a swing tackle, and continue coaching up their young linebackers after not adding one in the NFL draft. Seeing some improvements from Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter should be the big thing to watch in Cincinnati.

Bengals Need Development From Linebackers

Dec 21, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) and Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) enter the field before the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

"The Bengals checked most of their boxes with their draft assets. Say what you’d like about the Dexter Lawrence trade, but he looks a lot better in the middle of the defense than anyone they’d have taken at No. 10," Patra wrote. "The second-round addition of Cashius Howell improves depth on the edge and third-round pick Tacario Davis boosts the corner crew. I also thought it was smart to add a couple of Day 3 interior offensive linemen, with center Ted Karras and guard Dalton Risner each entering a contract season.

"The big question for me is whether Cincy adds a veteran linebacker. Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter struggled last year. If they stick with the youngsters, it’s on the coaching staff to get more out of them. Adding a nickel corner and a veteran swing tackle could also be options in the coming months."

The Bengals' linebacker room struggled as much as any linebacker room in football last season. They were bad across the board. But they were also young. And the defense around them wasn't great, which put more pressure on the linebackers.

With the addition of Lawrence and Allen in the middle of the defensive line, the Bengals should see a lot more stability from the linebackers. But they still need to be coached up. They still need to develop if the Bengals are going to win some meaningful games.

The front office has committed to Knight and Carter. They need to see some development this year or the defense could struggle again.

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Amazon. Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more! We're a one-stop shop for all things Cincinnati Bengals! Join the 65,000+ Bengals fans who subscribe to us on YouTube.

Add us as a preferred source on Google