5 Players the Bengals Should Target When Free Agency Opens

CINCINNATI — The Bengals desperately need to address their defense in free agency. In an ideal world, they'd add multiple edge rushers, a defensive tackle, a linebacker and a safety.

If they signed five quality players in those spots, it would open up their plans for the 2026 NFL Draft, while also raising the floor of their defense.

Here are the five players they should target when free agency opens on Monday:

Odafe Oweh: Bolster the Pass Rush

I would go after Odafe Oweh. He went to the Chargers and had seven and a half sacks. He was productive. He had a 16% pass rush win rate, which ranked 11th in the league after joining the Chargers. Sign him to a 4-year, $80 million deal. He’s a really good pass rusher, and he can rotate with Myles Murphy. He can rotate with Shamar Stewart and give you that piece. He’s a 27-year-old ascending former first-round pick that can help stabilize a pass rush that just needs more juice. He’s different than what you have on the edge already.

Bryan Cook: Cincinnati Kid Comes Home

This Bengals team needs stability on the back end. They need a real dude on the back end. Bryan Cook could be that guy. He’s 27 years old. He’s got four years of experience. He’s played in huge games for the Chiefs. He’s won Super Bowls. He played in high leverage, high stakes games at the University of Cincinnati. His background photo on X is still the downtown Cincinnati skyline.

This is the hometown hero scenario: "Bryan Cook, we stink at safety. Come save us!"

Give him real money. It may take $15 million per year. He’s the type of guy you go after. He’s developed well, coming off a good season, and it makes a ton of sense for Cincinnati.

Leo Chenal: Versatile, High-Leverage Linebacker

Leo Chenal makes so much sense. He's omeone that can be that combo backer and give you versatility. Much like Cook, he’s played in high leverage games. He’s been around the block. He’s young, going into a second contract. He'll turn 26 years old during the season. The Bengals would be getting Chenal’s prime years. His contract should end up somewhere in the $7 to $10 million per year range. He’s a heck of a player, and if you can get him, he fits. He’s the linebacker the Bengals should target.

Jadeveon Clowney: One-Year Assassin at Edge

Going back to the defensive line, Jadeveon Clowney is an ideal fit for the Bengals. He’s not going to break the bank. He can be a one-year assassin for your pass rush. He’s good against the run. He’s a physical presence on the outside. Your defensive end rotation before the draft would already be solid: Clowney, Adafe Oweh, Shamar Stewart, Myles Murphy, and then a fifth guy like Cedric Johnson.

If Rueben Bain Jr. is available, you can take him. Clowney doesn't get in the way of draft plans, but raised the floor of your defensive end position and complements Oweh well. He’s exactly what you need if you're the Bengals: A hired assassin on a one-year deal that will bring juice and physicality to your pass rush.

Logan Hall: Interior Pass Rush and Versatility

Logan Hall is the final piece of the puzzle. He'll turn 26 next month. He has the physical traits to bring some juice to the Bengals' interior pass rush. He was the 33rd overall pick in 2022. He's a free agent after a four-year run in Tampa. He finished with 39 tackles last season. He has 16 quarterback hits and eight tackles for loss over the past two years. Give him a chance on the inside. He has the ability to flex out a little bit on the edge. Essentially replace Cam Sample with Hall.

Bottom Line

If the Bengals could sign Oweh, Cook, Chenal, Clowney, and Hall, it would completely transform a defense that desperately needs it. Add these pieces, and the 2026 NFL Draft becomes about picking the best player available, not filling holes. This is the dream scenario for a Bengals team that must be aggressive in free agency.