Former Bengals Linebacker Signs With New Team, Putting Brighter Spotlight On Big Need

CINCINNATI — The Bengals saw another linebacker go off the board Wednesday, and a familiar face at that. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported former Bengal Akeem Davis-Gaither is joining Cam Taylor-Britt in Indianapolis.

ADG played for the Bengals from 2020 to 2024 and spent the past season with the Arizona Cardinals. Now he reunites with Lou Anarumo, who coached him as the Bengals' defensive coordinator for his entire rookie contract.

He appeared in 17 games with 13 starts for the Cardinals last season, recording a career-high 117 total tackles, but struggled overall en route to a 49.9 Pro Football Focus grade (his lowest since his rookie season).

LB Options Running Out

Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither (27) against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Cincinnati is down to very few options to help round out what was the worst linebacker room in the NFL last season. A room that's had no additions so far in free agency.

They have a little over $22 million in cap space to add talent, but no movement has happened on that side of the ball for a few days. Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden discussed the whole defensive free agent class at the 2026 NFL Combine.

"It's a good group. It's a good group. Duke (Tobin) and his group have done a great job of identifying those players that match what we're looking for," Golden said. "And I think that's really important. The more congruence there is between them and us, the more conversation, the more communication, the more collaboration, the more you enhance your probability of success. And that's how we feel right now. That we're in a really good position going into this, in terms of cap space, in terms of clarity, and let's get some pieces in here that match what we're doing."

Golden and that side of the ball are working on their best identity this offseason.

"We'll continue to build it. But identity is more a function of what we do well," He noted. "The guys who are returning have a lot of confidence in terms of how we finished the year. You can't discard the rest of it, because it is, at the end of the day, that falls on me. But the guys that are coming back, they tell like there's unity, there's synergy. New leaders have emerged, and they were just excited as a group, and it starts with us as a staff, the ability to work together, to have a comfort level with each other, to understand exactly what everybody's role is. And then obviously that carries over to the players."

Linebacker may have to get new blood from the draft again this offseason.

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