Top 2 players the Bengals must target during 2026 NFL free agency

It’s that time of year for Cincinnati Bengals. For the past few years, the theme of the Bengals’ offseason has been one of two things: fixing the offensive line or finding a solution on defense. While the Bengals have never had a shutout defense in the Joe Barrow era, their defense has been passable enough before.

This has not been the case for the past few years. The departure of Jesse Bates in free agency was a turning point in the fortunes of this team. The Bengals went from being a good defensive team to one of the worst in league history.

It’s not like the Bengals haven’t tried to fix their defense: Every year, the Bengals take a shot in free agency and the draft to fill holes on their roster. However, these moves did nothing to improve their fortunes in that direction. In fact, it can be argued that the Bengals have gotten worse because of these moves.

Entering the 2026 season, the Bengals have an opportunity to address the defense once again. The offensive line has stabilized well enough under Buro that it doesn’t require much attention in the offseason. Let’s take a look at the free agents the Bengals should target this offseason.

Brian Cook, S

We mentioned Jesse Bates earlier and the impact his absence has had on the Bengals defense. Bates was arguably the heart of the defense during Cincinnati’s two deep playoff runs in 2021 and 2022. With a reliable safety in the secondary to plug holes and cover his teammates, the Bengals were able to limit opposing offenses.

After the Bengals declined to extend Bates’ contract, they went to the draft and free agency to try to find a new safety for the team. The problem is that these elections didn’t quite work out. Dak Hill was drafted as a safety prospect, but did not find success at the position and transitioned to a solid cornerback. The Bengals decided to sign former Baltimore Ravens safety Geno Stone in 2024, and that turned out to be an even bigger disaster.

This time, the Bengals should learn from their mistake with Jesse Bates and sign a top-flight guarantee. The best safety in the free agent class is Brian Cook. Cook, a Cincinnati native who also played for the Bearcats in college, will likely be a casualty for Kansas City. That’s not to say he’s a bad player: far from it, actually. He recorded 3 interceptions, 15 passes defensed, 2 fumble recoveries, a sack, 4 tackles for loss and 238 tackles. He’s also been an integral part of the Chiefs’ two Super Bowl victories.

The Bengals arguably had two strong safeties playing last season with Stone and Jordan Battle. With Cook on the team, Battle can move into his natural position at strong safety and thrive.

Jaelan Phillips, EDGE

The Bengals’ saga with Trey Hendrickson last offseason was frustrating to witness. While it ultimately ended with Hendrickson remaining with the team at the franchise tag, everyone knew the star rusher was gone after the 2025 season. An injury-riddled season and refusal to use the franchise tag on him signaled just that.

That could be a boon for the Bengals: Hendrickson is 31 and has dealt with injuries that sidelined him for the second half of the season. He was productive the year before, but betting on a 31-year-old pass rusher is a dangerous prospect. The Bengals can afford to get younger, but they’ll also have to be smart with their picks to replace Hendrickson.

Jaelan Phillips is an intriguing option and is arguably the best pass rusher in this year’s free agent class. He’s only 26 years old and has a few prime years left in him, and could be available at a reasonable price for the Bengals. While he hasn’t reached the heights of his rookie year (where he recorded 8.5 sacks for the Dolphins), he was solid for the Eagles after being traded to Philadelphia midseason. Phillips should add some much-needed juice to the defensive line, while the Bengals’ young pass rushers ease into their roles.