At long last, the NFL's free agency frenzy has slowed down somewhat. After an insane two or three days of big deals, teams are starting to settle down. With most of the big names now off the board, everyone now has time to assess their situation. That includes the Cincinnati Bengals, the former division winners of the AFC North.
The Bengals have quietly underwent a major change in their roster this offseason. From key players leaving to new players filling in holes, this year's Cincinnati team will be much different than last season. Let's take a look at everything that the Bengals did in free agency and assess it.
Geno Stone, S
The departures of Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell (more on him later) had more impact than the Bengals anticipated last season. After a year of being tagged, Cincinnati refused to give Bates a new deal. As a result, he and Bell bolted for the NFC South. It resulted in a void in the secondary that Daxton Hill and Nick Scott couldn't quite fill,
Geno Stone isn't perfect: he can be hit-or-miss in the run game. However, he fills the Bengals' desperate need for a cover safety. Snagging him from their rival Ravens is just a nice little bonus.
Grade: A-
Sheldon Rankins, DT
For all of the hype surrounding Lou Anarumo, the Bengals' defense was a major area of concern last season. One of the areas that needed help was the defensive line. Trey Hendrickson was a beast, but DJ Reader's injury left a gaping hole in the middle that no one quite could fill.
With Reader departing in free agency, the Bengals needed to find a replacement. Sheldon Rankins isn't a run-stopping tackle, but he's a ferocious presence in the interior that can help Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard out.
Grade: B+
Mike Gesicki, TE
The Bengals are the kings of getting “just fine” tight ends. Between Irv Smith Jr, Hayden Hurts, and CJ Uzomah, Cincinnati has had solid guys at tight end.
Mike Gesicki isn't a needle-mover by any means (then again, very few TEs are). But he gives Joe Burrow another reliable tight end to throw to. That's some value, at least.
Grade: B-
Bengals' re-signings
The Bengals kept some of their depth pieces on one-year deals. These players are Akeem Davis-Gaither, Drew Sample, Cody Ford, Trayveon Williams, and Tanner Hudson.
Nothing spectacular to see here, for the most part. These are just fine moves that give the Bengals more depth, but don't catapult them to the top of the league or drag them down lower.
Grade: C
Trenton Irwin, WR
This particular re-signing, though, could end up being impactful for the Bengals. With Tee Higgins potentially on his way out, Cincinnati badly needs help at wide receiver. Unless Higgins is convinced to stay in Ohio, they'll have trouble.
With that in mind, keeping Irwin is a solid move for the Bengals. Irwin showed flashes of good play during the few snaps he took when either Higgins or Ja'Marr Chase was out. He might never be on the level as Tee, but he'll be solid for them.
Grade: B-
Vonn Bell, S
Rectifying their mistake from a year ago, the Bengals decided to bring back Vonn Bell on a one-year deal. While Bell wasn't as well-regarded as Bates, he was still a key contributor to their run to the Super Bowl a few years ago.
With Bell and Stone on the roster, the hope is that Hill finds a spot in the secondary as a slot cornerback. He found a lot of success last season as an explosive threat on the blitz, and he made some great plays as well. It's a win-win for the Bengals, who aren't also eating up Bell's contract from Carolina.
Grade: B+
Zack Moss, RB
This one move could end up being the most pivotal signing for the Bengals in free agency. Only one thing has held back Cincinnati's offense in the past: their run game. Joe Mixon had his moments, but towards the end of his tenure, Mixon started to lose a lot of steam.
The Bengals badly needed an explosive, speedy threat out of the backfield. In addition, they needed a running back that could pass protect decently (Mixon graded poorly as a pass blocker). As a result, they decided to trade Mixon to the Houston Texans to seek a new running back.
While they weren't able to hit on the Derrick Henrys or the Saquon Barkleys, the Bengals got a stud running back for cheap in Zack Moss. Moss, who was excellent in Indianapolis when Jonathan Taylor was out with an injury, will be the team's featured back. Time will tell if this ends up paying off, but right now, this signing is pretty good, but not great.
Grade: B
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