This is going to be the last time I’m going to talk about this. I know I’m beating a dead horse, and there isn’t any point in discussing it any longer. But before I do, I need to say the fact that the Bengals haven’t, and seemingly aren’t, going to address the linebacker position before the draft is absolutely insane and borderline neglectful.
So let’s discuss what their plans (or lack thereof) could possibly be at the position.
Option 1: Stick with the guys they have
The Bengals typically run out of the nickel, with four defensive linemen, two linebackers, and a slot corner. The two linebackers currently on top of the depth chart were both rookies last season—Demetrius Knight Jr., who was selected in the second round, and Barrett Carter, who was selected in the fourth.
Out of the 59 linebackers who played at least 50% of the snaps in 2025, PFF ranked Knight at No. 56 and Carter at No. 57. They were ranked as the worst rookie linebackers in the league. Now, there’s a lot to unpack here. For one, they were rookies, and they were playing behind a subpar defensive line and in front of a subpar secondary. They also had a first-year defensive coordinator and a head coach who consistently forgets he’s in charge of both sides of the ball.
Is it possible that both Knight and Carter, or at least one of them, take a step in the right direction and turn out to be pretty decent linebackers as early as this year? Absolutely. Should Zac Taylor be willing to gamble his job on that happening? Absolutely not.
I say that knowing full well Taylor has taken the Bengals to the Super Bowl, so the earliest he’ll be eligible to be fired by the Browns/Blackburns is 2047.
Option 2: Use the No. 10 pick on the position
One good thing about being bad one year in the NFL is that you get a high draft pick. This would be a much bigger deal if the Bengals’ front office showed they were capable of selecting someone who can contribute right away on defense, but a top-10 pick in the league should land them an immediate impact player.
At 10, the Bengals could look at Ohio State’s Sonny Styles. He’s a freak of nature of an athlete, and he has the potential to be a sideline-to-sideline beast in the NFL. The issue with this option is that they’re once again relying on a rookie. There aren’t many positions where rookies don’t have some growing pains adjusting to the speed of the NFL, and linebacker is definitely not exempt from that rule.
Maybe Styles, or another rookie, comes in and really gets what Al Golding is putting down. It’s much more likely, though, that a 2026 rookie would play like a rookie.
Option 3: Scrape the bottom of the free agent barrel
There have been 38 linebackers signed in this free agency class period so far. With the draft just a couple of short weeks away, we’re probably not going to be seeing any major signings until it’s over. Teams are going to start focusing on their draft boards and possible draft-day maneuvering more than the guys looking for a new home.
Then, once the draft is over, there will be a flurry of free agent signings, and another small one after cut-down day. Could something fall into the Bengals’ laps? Yep. Should they rely on that? Absolutely not.
Option 4: Sign someone now
This is the only really acceptable option. They’ve already waited far too long and would have had a lot of options had they pounced even just a couple of weeks ago. Now, not so much. Most of the guys available now are on the wrong side of 30.
Here’s a short list of just some of the guys still around as the market is cooling:
- Bobby Okereke
- Bobby Wagner
- Lavonte David
- Kenneth Murray
- Matt Milano
- Devin Bush
- Elandon Roberts
- Chris Board
- Amen Ogbongbemiga
- Jerome Baker
By grabbing one of these guys as soon as possible, the Bengals would have addressed all three levels of their defense, and they would go into the upcoming draft without any glaring needs.
Of course, since this is the route they should take, it’s the one least likely to be taken.
I’m no fortune teller, and my football crystal ball is obviously broken. I hope I’m totally wrong about all this. Hopefully, Carter and Knight are studs, and they prove the front office right and me wrong. If that’s the case, I’ll gladly take the L.
However, conventional wisdom and some common sense would have you believe the best course of action to improve play at the linebacker position is something—anything—other than absolutely nothing. The longer they wait to make any sort of roster adjustment at the position, the fewer options they’ll have.
That’s it. I won’t say anything else about the Bengals not doing anything at the linebacker position heading into the 2026 season.
I’m off the soapbox and moving on.
“Fools” said I, “You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you”
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoes into the wells of silence
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