Bengals Could Target Rising Free Agent Linebacker After Al Golden’s Recent Comments

The Bengals were forced to use rookie linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. as a blitzer at times last season, and defensive coordinator Al Golden made it clear at the NFL combine that he wants to add a player better suited for that role than Knight in 2026.

"We’ve gotta get better. We’ve gotta get deeper. Obviously having somebody with a combo presence," Golden said. "I would prefer not to ask Demetrius to play on the line of scrimmage as much as we did. There will be times when he does do that. But I would prefer to add another piece and have that veteran wisdom and all those things. Again, we’re looking for formidable position groups, which combined will make us better as a unit. We’re trying to improve a lot of different positions right now. And that’s one of them."

This begs the question, which player should Golden be looking to bring in through free agency or the draft? The answer is a simple one.

Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Leo Chenal

Since being drafted in the third round back in 2022, Chenal has been a vital chess piece at the linebacker position for Chiefs' defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, showing quality ability to rush the passer by coming down from his linebacker spot and lining up outside of opposing tackle, and even the interior of the d-line.

Chenal should not be doubted when it comes to stopping the run or dropping back in coverage either, as he has had at least 22 stops and 58 tackles through the last three years with only an 8.2% missed tackle percentage throughout his career.

Adding Chenal would not only give Golden a clear chess piece that he can put almost anywhere on the defense, but it would give him someone capable of being a difference maker by forcing timely turnovers, while moving Demetrius Knight Jr. back to his proper position as an off-ball linebacker.

Over his career, Chenal has 4 forced fumbles (including the playoffs), 1 interception, 8 sacks, and is a two-time Super Bowl Champion.

Duke Tobin, Zac Taylor, and Al Golden want more leaders to emerge on defense for the Bengals, and adding someone who has been part of championship teams is the first step toward instilling that leadership pedigree in a room full of young players.

Good Fit, But at What Cost?

Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal (54) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Signing Chenal would be eerily similar to the kind of players that the Bengals signed in 2020 and 2021 when they added ascending young defenders in free agency, including DJ Reader and Trey Hendrickson.

It is critical to note, however, that Chenal would not cost nearly as much as Reader and Hendrickson did back then. While Reader and Hendrickson both cost over $10 million annually and commanded four-year contracts, Chenal is estimated to garner $7 million annually according to free agent projections from PFF and The Athletic. That means they could add Chenal and still address other areas of their defense.

That is well within the Bengals wheel house of spending and is absolutely something they should seriously entertain. Chenal is entering only his age 26 season and has all the makings of a big-time contributor for any defense in the NFL.

If the Bengals want to enter back into contending position in 2026, then this is the kind of move that they should be eyeballing as soon as they possibly can when free agency opens in just one week.

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