Bengals purposely ignored LB and CB in free agency…for now
New buzz around the Bengals says the NFL free agency performance is all part of the plan...for better or worse.
At this point, it should go without saying, but the Cincinnati Bengals made a list of needs before NFL free agency and shoved linebacker and cornerback to the bottom. The Bengals prioritized defensive line and safety instead, dramatically upgrading over Geno Stone with Bryan Cook. They took a Trey Hendrickson-like gamble on Boye Mafe’s upside on the edge and Jonathan Allen’s pass-rushing acumen in the middle.
As previously reported, the Bengals were never after Leo Chenal , not really, despite the obvious fit. Same for someone like Anfernee Jennings . In fact, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer recently confirmed that the Mafe deal “impacted the interest in Leo Chenal.
” Translated loosely: The Bengals had needs and budget in mind and stuck to the plan. Same deal at cornerback. The need for a starting slot corner is dramatic and the overall depth, even on the boundaries, is extremely suspect.
The Bengals know this, but didn’t want to commit to major cash deals at corner with DJ Turner and Dax Hill likely needing costly extensions this summer. Which, by the way, significantly boosts the likelihood the Bengals go cornerback in Round 1 . While there’s no major new information going around as Wave 2 of free agency technically gets started, the fallout continues: And all signs point to linebacker and cornerback now being the focus when those markets come down.