The Cincinnati Bengals already have the offense. Now they need defensive backbone. For the better part of the last half-decade, Cincinnati has operated under a simple premise. As long as Joe Burrow is upright, they have a chance. That premise still holds true. What no longer holds true is the belief that offense alone can keep their championship window open.
The Bengals enter 2026 staring at a crossroads. Their offense remains explosive, capable of trading haymakers with anyone in the AFC. Their defense, though, has slipped into liability territory. If Cincinnati wants to reassert itself as a legitimate contender rather than a cautionary tale of wasted prime years, one free agent move stands above the rest. They need a defensive tone-setter in the middle of the field.
Defensive collapse
The Bengals’ 2025 campaign was a frustrating exercise in “what if.” They finished 6-11 and missed the postseason for the second consecutive year. Burrow remained a high-caliber pilot. He navigated injuries and inconsistencies while keeping the offense competitive. However, the defense never found its footing.
Cincinnati regressed into one of the league’s most porous units. The secondary struggled to stabilize after key departures. The pass rush lacked consistent depth beyond its top edge threats. Too often, the Bengals found themselves in shootouts where the margin for error was razor thin-and too often, the defense blinked first.
By season’s end, it became painfully clear that the “Super Bowl window” was being propped open almost exclusively by the offense. That’s not sustainable in an AFC loaded with balanced rosters.
Biggest flaw
Heading into 2026, Cincinnati’s most glaring issue resides in its defensive front seven, particularly at linebacker. The Bengals ranked near the bottom of the league in defensive metrics in 2025. They struggled to stop the run and failing to generate consistent pressure without help.
Complicating matters is the uncertain future of Trey Hendrickson. If he departs, Cincinnati loses its most reliable edge presence. That leaves a defense already thin in impact talent facing even greater instability.
The linebacking unit has been described internally as dire. In 2025, the Bengals leaned heavily on youth and inexperience, and the results were predictably uneven. The unit posted the lowest collective performance grade in the league. They frequently missed tackles and miscommunicated in coverage.
Making a statement
Unlike many franchises facing defensive overhauls, the Bengals possess something rare: flexibility. With the NFL salary cap projected to reach $301-$305 million, Cincinnati sits seventh in the league with approximately $53.4 million in available space. Potential extensions form the foundation of the payroll. However, the front office has managed the books carefully enough to remain aggressive. That war chest is earmarked for change.
If Hendrickson departs, his financial slot can be redirected toward stabilizing the front seven. Cincinnati doesn’t need multiple mid-tier additions. It needs one blue-chip defender who recalibrates the unit’s identity.
The fix: Devin Lloyd
Devin Lloyd is precisely that player. Entering free agency at 27 years old, Lloyd is in the sweet spot of his career. He is experienced enough to command respect and young enough to anchor a defense for years. He also comes off a breakout campaign in Jacksonville, where he was the only linebacker to post 80.0-plus performance marks in run defense, coverage, and pass rushing. That versatility is exactly what Cincinnati lacks.
The Bengals need someone who can align in multiple fronts, blitz effectively, and diagnose zone concepts before they develop. Lloyd checks all those boxes. His ability to affect the pocket as a blitzer adds a layer of juice that can partially offset the loss of Hendrickson’s edge production. Of course, the fit goes deeper than metrics.
Cincinnati’s 2025 defense was plagued by missed tackles and poor communication. Lloyd’s film shows discipline and controlled aggression. He rarely overruns plays. In a young locker room searching for defensive leadership, that matters.
There’s also schematic alignment to consider. The Bengals’ defensive system demands linebackers who can operate in space. Lloyd has demonstrated comfort in both man and zone assignments. He can function as the green-dot communicator, which Cincinnati sorely lacked in 2025.
Reopen the window
The AFC is unforgiving. Kansas City will make a comeback. Baltimore remains physical. Buffalo reloads annually. The Patriots will continue ascending. Cincinnati cannot afford another season where Burrow throws for 300 yards only to watch a fourth-quarter defensive breakdown undo the effort.
Devin Lloyd represents structural correction, not cosmetic change. He reinforces the run defense and reduces pressure on a secondary that struggled with coverage consistency. He provides durability in a unit that cycled through injuries. Most importantly, Lloyd brings balance back to a roster tilted too heavily toward offense.
The Bengals’ Super Bowl aspirations are just dormant, waiting for defensive reinforcement. With cap flexibility in hand, Cincinnati has an opportunity to send a message: the offense no longer stands alone. Devin Lloyd is the highlight of that message.
