After a disappointing regular season, the Cincinnati Bengals free agency period seems to be a pivotal part of their offseason plans to get back to the Super Bowl. The good news is that there is a corps to work around with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Sam Hubbard.
After looking like they were the top contending team to take down the Kansas City Chiefs, it seems that those tides have turned, due in part to injuries and defensive inconsistency. With the Bengals having a mid-first round pick, it seems that they can add a few playmakers to get back to the big game.
Cincinnati Bengals Team Needs | NFL Free Agency 2025
With all of the investment that they have in Burrow, keeping him healthy should be the top priority for the Bengals. With Tee Higgins recently being franchise-tagged, Burrow should have his top two offensive weapons and should be one of the better air attacks in the league this coming season. Looking at their games against the Baltimore Ravens last season, the obvious need for the Bengals is their passing defense.
- Cornerback
- Offensive Line
- Safety
- Tight End
- Edge Rusher
Cincinnati Bengals Free Agency Targets
Charvarius Ward, CB
The Cincinnati Bengals gave up 4,016 yards through the air to opposing quarterbacks last season. With Mike Hilton seemingly on his way out soon, finding a replacement on the outside should be a point of emphasis for the Bengals’ free agency plans. Even though he struggled at San Francisco last season, it feels like Charvarius Ward still has some good playing days ahead of him. Just a few seasons ago, Ward was being talked of as a premier corner in the league.
In 2023, Ward led the NFL with 23 pass deflections. On top of that, he added 72 tackles and five interceptions. The Bengals have to pay good money to get Ward in the doors, but with the team franchise tagging Higgins, it does give them a little wiggle room to add a premier player. Let’s cut to the chase though, if the Bengals want to compete with the Chiefs, Ravens and Bills, they need to stop the pass and Ward has shown that he can do that at a very high level.
Chase Young, DE
With the Cincinnati Bengals committing to working on a long-term deal with Tee Higgins, star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson could be the odd man out. Sam Hubbard also recently retired, creating a larger need. Given the talent of these two in the pass rush, the Bengals need to find a backup plan. With so much money locked up in Burrow, Chase and soon-to-be Higgins, that backup plan needs to be a relatively cheap price. Chase Young, who was once seen as the next premier pass rusher in the NFL, seems like he could fill that void.
While Young has certainly not lived up to his high expectations, he is still young and seems like there could be some untapped potential. Young will be only 26 years old when the new NFL season starts. He played well in his one-year prove-it deal at New Orleans last season, with 5.5 sacks. The Bengals may have to pay a little more than they want, but could be taking a chance on a former number two pick payoff for them?
Will Hernandez, G
As stated before, the number one priority for the Cincinnati Bengals for the entirety of his career is keeping Burrow healthy. Cody Ford is an unrestricted free agent, so getting an instant replacement at guard has to be in the Bengals’ free agency plans. One name that seems like it is worth a chance is Will Hernandez. The veteran guard suffered a knee injury last season with the Arizona Cardinals and his loss was felt. Coming off of an injury brings some risk, but it should make Hernandez affordable for the Bengals.
Bringing in Hernandez should provide an instant upgrade as a pass protector for Burrow as he works to find Chase and Higgins through the air. Before Hernandez suffered his knee injury last season, he was putting together one of the better years of his career. He had not given up a sack or a quarterback hit all season long. Bringing in Hernandez will probably cost the Bengals around $5-6 million, so it feels like the reward outweighs the risk in this instance.
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