Cincinnati has already begun the defensive rebuild with the hiring of new defensive coordinator Al Golden and several new assistants, but the staff, front office and scouting department still have plenty of work to do to sort out the best way to address those areas of weakness on the defensive line. Free agency and the draft are fast approaching over the next two months.
“We had some injuries early that hurt our defensive line,” Tobin told reporters at the NFL Combine on Tuesday. “You are always looking for depth there. As the year played on, we were thin on the defensive line. We didn’t have a group that stopped the run effectively enough to get us into the passing downs that we wanted to be in. D-line is always on my mind. … You want to build the defensive line. You want to have enough options when you have injuries – because you will – to fill in. I did wish maybe we had a little more depth in that area and maybe stopped the run a little better. … We play in a division that we got to stop the run. D-line is always going to be a focus of ours.”
The Bengals last year were counting on free agent addition Sheldon Rankins to help fill the void in the interior left by D.J. Reader’s departure, and 2024 draft picks Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson were supposed to add to the rotation as they developed throughout the season.
Rankins ended up playing just seven games due to injury and illness, and Jenkins and Jackson were thrust into bigger roles than probably anticipated. Cincinnati released Rankins on Feb. 21, and while Jenkins and Jackson still are expected to play roles moving forward, the Bengals have two starting jobs likely open inside with B.J. Hill also set to hit free agency.
The Bengals used the NFL Combine this week to dive further into the draft prospects but will explore options in free agency before determining what needs can be filled by the incoming rookie class. Tobin said the approach with the draft leans more toward “best player available” and picking players with the most traits that could be useful to the team, but he expects the Bengals will be able to adequately address the defensive line needs one way or another this offseason.
“I think this draft offers a lot of D-linemen,” Tobin said. “I think this is one the better D-line groups. Again, we will have to decide what we are willing to accept and not having in a guy. But there are a lot of guys. They are very different. They all have really great strengths. Their strengths that they have are excellent. We will have to decide what we are willing to accept not having in that player. I am excited about the draft for D-line. And we will see what free agency has to offer.”
Meanwhile, the Bengals also have some things to sort out with Hendrickson, as he enters the last year of his contract and seeks an extension and a deserved raise. Tobin did not wish to discuss whether the organization is open to trading Hendrickson, but Cincinnati will be trying to appease Hendrickson while also working on long-term deals with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Tobin said the priority is on Chase, and although the Bengals plan to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, there’s still room to do more. Whether they can come to terms with Higgins and Hendrickson on new deals is another question.
“Our preference with Trey is to have him on our football team, because we want him, you know, so I never really talked about open preferences for trading guys, because all that does is take on a life of its own,” Tobin said. “And that’s not something I want to do, because I want Trey on our football team. He’s under contract. We’re looking to pay him for what we believe will be really good future years and we see him as not falling off in his career. And, you know, so that’s why we’re actively trying.”
The Bengals might not be looking to trade Hendrickson, but there is one player on the defense asking for a trade. Germaine Pratt reportedly requested a trade less than two weeks after Cincinnati hired Golden as Lou Anarumo’s replacement.
Pratt has one more year left on his contract and is due $5.25 million in base salary, with a cap hit of $8,183,334. The Bengals would take on $2.3 million in dead money but save $5.85 million in cap space by cutting him, according to OverTheCap.com. A trade could better suit all parties, and at age 28, Pratt should still have a market.
Cincinnati does have some work to do in other areas of the defense besides that front four. The Bengals have invested in the secondary heavily the past few years through free agency and draft picks and still have needs there, but the linebacker group has perhaps been in need of a revamp and now needs addressed. Pratt saw a dip in production last year, and while Logan Wilson missed the final five games due to injury, consistency was lacking at that position.
Tobin said it’s something that will be addressed this offseason.
“I think we need some linebacker unit help to be honest with you,” Tobin said. “... I don’t think that we got everything we wanted. The tackling in that group wasn’t what it needed to be at times. Other times they were really good. So what’s the truth, and we’ll get to the bottom of it and decide what the best way going forward is.”
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