Potential Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent Target Signs New Deal

 The Bengals won't be able to sign Khalil Mack to help their pass rush next week. The Chargers re-signed the veteran star edge rusher this weekend.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the deal, as Cincinnati sees one more player return to their 2025 team before open free agency begins on Monday morning. He is getting a reported $18 million in guaranteed money.

"Nine-time Pro-Bowl edge Khalil Mack reached an agreement today with the Chargers on a one-year deal, and he now will be returning to Los Angeles for his 13th NFL season. Mack would have been a free agent this week, but no longer," Schefter posted on X. 

Cincinnati hasn't performed well attacking opposing passers recently and will surely look to add help there pretty early in the week. The 35-year-old was part of a strong group of free agents there after posting 79-plus Pro Football Focus grades in all seasons but two since entering the league in 2014.

The Bengals pressured the quarterback at a 20.9% rate last season, 23rd in the NFL, after being at 23.2% in 2024. Trey Hendrickson's injury was obviously a big factor, but that mark has to creep back up toward the elite 30% level.

"Yeah, I'm for pass rush. I'm for pass rush. I don't know what the future holds for Trey," Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin said in January. "Those are discussions that we're going to have to have ongoing. He's one of several free agents that we have that we'll have to decide how we're going to go forward with. But pass rush is king, and you always need to be layering in pass rushers. It can develop from within your team, and I think we've seen some of that start to develop from within our team. And then I think we need to find some from external sources, as well."

He is ready to attack the defensive issues soon.

"There is. 31 other teams are hunting," Tobin said at the NFL Combine about there are good options out there this offseason. "But there are guys that we like that we can envision in our scheme elevating our team, and we'll see. They have to be interested in us. They've got to make it to free agency. It's got to fit within the context of what we're talking about and all those things. It's also a good rush draft. There are a lot of guys in the draft that we have high regard for. It's exciting for us to consider how this individual would fit. Each guy has a slightly different analysis."

Cincinnati could heavily pursue a player like Odafe Oweh to start the week as a it looks like L.A. has prioritized Mack over the younger mauler.

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