Bengals' Free Agency: Mixed Results, Linebacker Concerns

0:00On March 26th, the Cincinnati Bengals wrapped up NFL free agency with a mixed bag, landing at number 19 out of 32 teams in national. Rankings, they made a splash by signing Ed rusher boy Mafe, seen as a rising talent who fits their defensive scheme perfectly. Earlier this week, they also grabbed safety Brian Cook, a clear step up as they keep rebuilding the secondary after losing Jesse Bates a couple years. But replacing all pro-tray Hendrixen with Mafe is a tall order and questions linger about the front seven holding strong. Fans and analysts alike are scratching their heads over the linebacker position, which the Bengals completely skipped. Critics point out that relying on young draft picks from last year, like second year guys who struggled, feels like a huge risk without veteran help. Meanwhile, plenty of experienced linebackers remain on the market and passing them up echoes a similar misstep from last off season that hurt the team. The Bengals stuck to their plan of big spending on edge and safety while hunting bargains

1:02elsewhere. That approach might pay off down the line, but for now, it leaves Cincinnati with clear gaffes heading into the draft season, football news powered by AI. This is NFL News Today.