Cincinnati Bengals Miss Out on Two Ideal Defenders in Free Agency
CINCINNATI — The Bengals need linebacker help this offseason, but the free agency options are starting to run thin.
FOX Sports insider Jordan Schultz reported Kaden Elliss signed a new deal with the Saints this evening, on top of reporting a new deal for the top linebacker left, Leo Chenal.
“The Saints are signing former Falcons LB Kaden Eliss to a three-year, $33M deal,” Schultz tweeted before dropping the Chenal news shortly after. “Eliss, who hasn’t missed a game since 2021, has recorded three straight 100-tackle seasons. He added 3.5 sacks and six passes defensed last season as well.
“Former Chiefs LB Leo Chenal is signing with the Commanders for three years, $24.75M. Chenal, just 25, won two Super Bowls in Kansas City and was a starter for 44 games. A strong addition.”
Dwindling Options
Cincinnati had arguably the worst LB play in the NFL last season and should continue to let young starters Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter grow, but needs a much better veteran around them than Oren Burks.
“We’ve gotta get deeper,” Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden said last month. “I would prefer not to ask Demetrius to play on the line of scrimmage as much as we did. There will be times when he does do that, but I would prefer to add another piece and have that veteran wisdom and all those things. We’re looking for formidable position groups, which combined will make us better as a unit.”
The Bengals were down to the Chiefs’ linebacker Chenal and a bunch of veterans down the line of most 2026 free agency rankings. Chenal would’ve been a massive addition at 25 years old. He posted 58 tackles, one interception, and two sacks last season as one of the best linebackers in the NFL.
His season amounted to a 75.1 Pro Football Focus grade on 440 snaps across 14 games. A late-season injury cut the 2025 campaign short.
Outside of Chenal, Cincinnati could opt for league staples like Matt Milano (31 years old), Lavonte David (36), and Bobby Wagner (35). They may provide great veteran experience, especially with Wagner, who hasn’t shown many aging signs like the former two.
He’s posted 79-plus PFF grades in each of the past four seasons and played over 1,100 snaps in every campaign since 2019. He has a one-year, $8 million projection from The Athletic. Wagner could be the perfect one-year stopgap to fill a few key roles: Sound play in the middle of the defense, mentorship for the young players, and a chance for the NFL legend to get one more shot at a Super Bowl.
Whatever player Cincinnati decides on, the position needs some boosting to give Joe Burrow and the offense their best chance to pair for a championship.
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