Bengals Unlikely To Make LB Addition?

Cincinnati’s defense struggled during the 2025 season under new DC Al Golden, to say the least. The inconsistent play of both linebackers in particular was a talking point as the unit finished 30th in points allowed and 31st in total defense. Knight was a mainstay throughout the campaign, while Barrett took on a starting role in Week 6 and continued in that capacity the rest of the way.

The Bengals have been quiet on the linebacker front so far in free agency. Special teams contributors Shaka Heyward and Joe Giles-Harris have been retained, but no outside additions have been made. Cincinnati has eight selections in the upcoming draft, so the team could certainly bring in a rookie once again. Head coach Zac Taylor is open to taking that route, although in any event the Knight-Carter tandem is in position to remain intact for 2026.

“I don’t think that’d be harmful at all,” Taylor said (via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic) when asked about adding another rookie at the LB spot. “I think that those guys are wired the right way. That’s why we added them into the room. That’s why we threw him in the fire so early, because we knew it wasn’t going to break them… I could see the long-term value how this is going to play out for us. And so that’s still the vision we have for those guys.”

Taylor expressed optimism that Knight and Carter – both of whom topped 100 tackles as rookies – will be able to take a step forward during the second year in the NFL, citing their play during the second half of last season. He noted linebacker moves were discussed early in free agency, but other defensive priorities were of course present as well. The team sought multiple edge rush signings and moved quickly in adding defensive tackle Jonathan Allen shortly after his Vikings release. Signings in the secondary, including a deal for safety Kyle Dugger, have since followed.

With over $20MM in cap space, the Bengals could certainly afford a free agent deal at the linebacker position. Most veterans still on the market will no doubt wait until after the draft to sign, though, so it may not be for a few more weeks that Cincinnati’s depth chart sees any movement.