CINCINNATI – The decision to not use the franchise tag on defensive end Trey Hendrickson officially closes the Cincinnati Bengals career of the best free agent signing in franchise history.
The Cincinnati Bengals need to upgrade their defense ahead of the 2026 season if they want a chance to compete for a Super Bowl. Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow are in their respective primes, which makes this offseason the perfect time to rebuild their defense.
It's a foregone conclusion the Cincinnati Bengals will add players in free agency. They have the salary cap space, as always, and glaring needs on the defensive side of the ball to justify the incoming spending.
The Cincinnati Bengals need to aggressively upgrade their defense at all three levels this offseason. The NFL draft will almost certainly be used to upgrade the unit, as players like Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, and Rueben Bain Jr.
Free agency will be all about the defense for the Cincinnati Bengals, and until those signings become reality, that's what every NFL mock draft looks like for the Bengals as well.
Most of the NFL mock drafts focus on the early rounds, but there are still many prominent college players who will hear their names called later. These are just some of the big names that could hear their names in the later rounds.
It's no secret that the Bengals need to upgrade their roster in a significant way this offseason. Cincinnati posted a 6-11 record and missed the playoffs for a third-straight year in 2025.
ESPN's Jordan Reid dropped his latest two-round mock draft on Tuesday, and to no one's surprise, Cincinnati went with defense in both spots. Things started with LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane at Pick 10.
There were some high highs for the Bengals and DE Trey Hendrickson in the last five seasons. There were some lows, too, especially toward the end. The two sides are finally parting ways after an acrimonious 12-month stretch as Hendrickson sought a contract he thought was fair.
The Bengals could boost the defensive line with a low-cost veteran in free agency. The Vikings are moving on from star defensive tackle Jonathan Allen after paying him $16.2 million last season during his only season in Minnesota.
The Geno Stone era is over in Cincinnati. The Bengals' safety is about to be a free agent, and he commented on Instagram Wednesday night that he will not be coming back to play a third season for Cincinnati.
The Cincinnati Bengals made headlines around the NFL when they announced they would not be franchise-tagging Trey Hendrickson. With the news of Hendrickson's departure, the 2026 NFL Draft priorities have shifted gears for the Bengals.
NFL prospects from major programs get most of the attention, but there are numerous examples of players drafted from small schools who have become difference-makers.
Trey Hendrickson is headed towards free agency. Last season, the Cincinnati Bengals star pass-rusher did not hit the open market due to the franchise tag.
The Bengals are projected to land a star defensive tackle in next week's free agency frenzy. Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verdarame broke down the top 50 free agents and their potential landing spots this week.
CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals were no strangers to ranking last in the league defensively in 2025, at least during the first half of the season. But one area where they held on to their No.
After saying goodbye to the Bengals on Tuesday, four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson is expected to encounter a robust market in free agency.
During an appearance on Pardon My Take, Adam Schefter said that pass rusher Trey Hendrickson “would love to be in Tampa.” “He lives in Ponte Verde,” Schefter noted.
Bengals cornerback Dax Hill looks to have found a clear home on the outside of Cincinnati's secondary. Marcus Whitman broke down how well he played on the outside once getting moved there in Week 11 of last season.
The 2025 season was a complete disaster for the Cincinnati Bengals. It all started when QB Joe Burrow went down with a turf toe injury, sidelining him for months.
The Cincinnati Bengals have to spend in free agency. They have a little under $50 million in salary cap space available, and by not placing the franchise tag on defensive end Trey Hendrickson, they have so much flexibility to operate with next week.
The Cincinnati Bengals need to upgrade their defense this offseason, and they were recently forced to make one of the tougher decisions of the year. NFL insider Adam Schefter confirmed the expected news that the Bengals would not be using the franchise tag or transition tag on edge rusher Trey Hendrickson this year.
It sounds like Cincinnati was handed a harsh dose of reality regarding what may have been their preferred Hendrickson plan while speaking with other teams during last week's NFL Scouting Combine.
Dalton Risner‘s time in Cincinnati will continue in 2026. The veteran guard has been re-signed, the team announced on Monday. This is a one-year pact, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports it has a maximum value of $5MM.