2026 Bengals Mock Offseason: Let’s Fix This Team

To start, let’s extend both D.J. Turner and Dax Hill. The corner position is set for 2026 and beyond with those two moves alone. Turner had a breakout season in 2026, and Hill finally looks comfortable as the CB2.

Let’s start up front. You can’t have too many pass rushers, so adding Arnold Ebiketie and K’Lavon Chaisson for less than the top free agents (and the same as Joey Bosa) is a win. Myles Murphy has started to look like a viable EDGE, but Shemar Stewart has not. Of course, this gives them plenty of flexibility to kick Stewart inside on obvious passing downs. On the interior, you have to replace Slaton, so go get D.J. Reeder back. Pairing him up with Lee Hunter would shore up the rushing defense overnight.

Linebacker was a massive concern last year. The Bengals had to play two rookies because none of the veterans at the position stepped up, and it showed. While Knight and Carter showed some promise, you have to improve the room. While getting Devin Lloyd would be fantastic, let’s get Lavonte David (and maybe draft a guy like Red Murdock on Day 3?).

In the secondary, with the two extensions, bring back Jalen Davis. He showed he deserves a shot, and he and Josh Newton can be the CB3s, with a cheap veteran to round it out. Now, let’s have fun. Caleb Downs manages to fall to 10 due to positional value. Pair him up with Jaquan Brisker. The Bengals have scrambled to replace the Jessie Bates-Von Bell tandem for years. This would fix the back-end. Jordan Battle is still there and would be a fine third safety with Daijahn Anthony rounding out the room.

Add to the Offense

The Burrow-led offense has a ceiling of “best in the NFL,” but there are still a few holes. Who can step up if Tee Higgins or Ja’Marr Chase misses time? Is Chase Brown the future at running back? Who will be the starting right guard?

Burrow is QB1. Joe Flacco is currently a free agent, so what if he wants to start somewhere? Go get Jimmy Garoppolo. We flip-flopped on the Brown extension, but for this, let’s say no. He’s outplayed his fifth-round draft capital, so that probably emboldens the front office to think they can do it again. Let’s keep Samaje Perine around so that Tahj Brooks (or another late-round pick) can learn behind him for another year.

Chase. Higgins. Then what? Nobody has stepped up, even if Burrow trusts Andrei Iosivas. Why not add a dynamic playmaker in the draft? Tight end is weird with Erick All still rehabbing from his ACL tear, but with Sample being let go, we will draft a replacement.

On the offensive line, roles are pretty defined for the first time in what feels like a decade. Orlando Brown, Dylan Fairchild, Ted Karras, and Amarius Mims are set. Go get Dalton Risner back. Then, add a swing tackle in the draft and sign Dillon Radunz for interior depth because you never know what happens with injuries.

Overall, the offense is mostly set, but it can be improved upon.

Nail the Draft

The Bengals love to go into the draft with obvious needs. As a result, they reach and get guys like Cedric Ogbuehi, Billy Price, Shemar Stewart, etc. In this exercise, the Bengals manage to complete a tag-and-trade with Trey Hendrickson to net a third-round pick.

So, this is about as best-case scenario as can be. The Bengals can get four instant-impact and one depth piece in this sort of mock.

Downs is a wild card because he could go third overall just as easily as he could go 15th because of positional value. Hunter has been hot on everyone’s boards, so we will have to see if he’s even there. Branch has a track record of being a dynamic receiver, plus he can add to the special teams. Raridon is Sample, just younger.

Of course, this is just assuming the Bengals stick at 10. If Downs, Reuben Bain Jr., David Bailey, and Arvell Reese are all gone, trading back should be the move, especially if the Bengals are active in free agency. That way, they can stock up on talent.

Super Bowl or Bust?

Would this make the Bengals a Super Bowl contender? It’s likely, but the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” league, and the Bengals, led by Taylor, haven’t done much to warrant that hype.

With Burrow, all things are possible…except overcoming a historically bad defense.

This is a pivotal offseason, just as the last few have been.

At the end of it all, the Bengals end up with $2.5 million in cap space…plus the $20ish million from the new cap. This exercise just goes to show that fixing the Bengals is absolutely doable. Sure, other teams are also trying to sign these free agents, but it’s possible.

We know the Bengals won’t use every last bit of the cap, but if they go into the season with more than, say, $15 million in space, it would have been a missed opportunity.

The Bengals have an opportunity to get back to where they think they should be. It will be up to the front office to step up to the moment.