Cincinnati Bengals Should Bolster Defense By Signing Former Top Free Agent

CINCINNATI ---- The Bengals have an entourage of weak spots that all became quite clear during Monday night's 28 - 3 beatdown from the Denver Broncos, and while the defense has so far looked slightly improved from last year, there are still multiple key weaknesses of the unit that continue to hold it back significantly, the most of which being the interior of the defensive line.

The offense undoubtedly stinks, and quarterback Jake Browning looks like a shell of the version of him we saw back in 2023. He has led the offense to a mere 13 points combined compared to their opponents' 76 the last two weeks. Plenty of blame rightfully falls on the offense. While Zac Taylor and company should be frantically looking to make a trade for someone like Russell Wilson from the Giants at quarterback, they must also address an interior defensive line that has consistently failed to put any pressure at all on opposing quarterbacks, and has been atrocious at stopping the run.

Luckily for the Bengals there is a defensive tackle still available on the free agent market that would provide a big boost for the trenches: former Dolphin and Raider, Christian Wilkins.

The first thing people will point to with Wilkins was how ugly his departure from the Raiders was earlier this year. Wilkins was released by Las Vegas this past offseason after reports surfaced that he allegedly did not approach rehab from a jones fracture suffered last season appropriately. There was also an accusation where he allegedly attempted to kiss a teammate on the head.

However, if you ask Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald, who covered the Miami Dolphins during Wilkins tenure with the team, something seems off about the report of Wilkins not attacking his rehab properly.

"Knowing who Christian Wilkins is after having covered him for 5 years in Miami, I can say none of this adds up," Kelly wrote.

Regardless of any of this information, though, this is a move that the Bengals have to make. Through the first four weeks of the season, the defense ranks 26th against the run, 27th in scoring, and 30th both against the pass and as a total.

#Bengals rankings through Week 4

Total O: 32
Rush O: 32
Pass O: 30
Scoring O: 30

Total D: 30
Rush D: 26
Pass D: 30
Scoring D: 27

Turnover margin: 26t
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) September 30, 2025

There is an argument to be made that every position of the defense has struggled. But when you are failing to generate any shred of movement on the interior of the defensive line, every other unit of the defense struggles. When you look at the production (or lack thereof) at the defensive tackle spot, and nobody can generate a 9% pass rush win rate or even slow down running backs, it is hard to argue that this is the weakest group on defense.

That is precisely where Wilkins himself can come in and provide a substantial boost to a room that is severely lacking. Before getting injured last season, Wilkins was on his way to potentially one of his best seasons with PFF grades of 80.2 in run-defense and 74.7 as a pass-rusher, including nine pressures, two sacks, and 11 solo tackles. At only 29 years old, he could very well capture that form once more on a bargain type deal due to coming off injury and still accumulating guaranteed money from the Raiders.

The issues currently plaguing the Bengals go far beyond the quarterback position, and if this team is to have any chance at salvaging this season, as well as make life easier for Browning or whoever ends up under center until Joe Burrow comes back, then it starts with establishing a solid floor on a defense that continues to struggle. Bringing in Wilkins would do just that and go a long way in showing fans that this organization is serious about capitalizing on its Super Bowl window.

They cannot afford to be picky with who they bring in at this point when the season is hanging by a thread.

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