Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

CBS Sports Gives Bengals Middling Grade For 2025 Free Agency Haul So Far

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bengals on SI
By Russell Heltman | Last updated Mar 21, 2025 12:21 PM ET

CBS Sports dropped free-agency grades for all 32 teams this week and Cincinnati checked in with a "C" from Jordan Dajani.

Cincinnati's biggest free agency moves have been retaining their own stars on longer deals.

"The Bengals are riding high after signing Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to lucrative multiyear extensions, but then there's the issue of Trey Hendrickson," Dajani wrote. "Chase and Higgins are great pass catchers, but this defense was the reason Joe Burrow missed the playoffs last year. Re-signing B.J. Hill was important and then the addition of Oren Burks is interesting, but this unit isn't improved just yet."

Cincinnati has locked in the likes of DT T.J. Slaton, LB Oren Burks, DT B.J. Hill, TE Mike Gesicki, Higgins, and DE Joseph Ossai for this coming season and beyond, but the middling grade is understandable for a team that claimed it wouldn't just be paying more for the same players.

So far, Slaton is really the only outside boost added to the roster so far. Lucas Patrick could change that if Cincinnati ends up signing the versatile interior offensive lineman.