Bengals urged to sign 10-time Pro Bowler, future Hall of Famer to bolster defense originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cincinnati Bengals knew they had to get better on defense this offseason.

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The team was hurt by its defense, and the injury to Joe Burrow in 2025, so if those issues are fixed, it seems like this team could be a real contender in 2026. As a result, impressive defenders like Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, and Bryan Cook were all added over the offseason.

However, there’s even more the team could do if they really want to compete in 2026. And, fortunately, there’s a future Hall of Fame defender available on the market.

Bengals urged to add Bobby Wagner to middle of defense

Bobby Wagner is still a free agent despite having another productive season in 2025 for the Washington Commanders. Wagner played in all 17 games and racked up 162 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and two interceptions.

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Sure, Wagner is 35 and definitely not the player he once was, but he is clearly still a productive player. Gilberto Manzano of SI thinks Wagner’s best landing spot is Cincinnati, and offered the following analysis:

The back end of the defense still needs plenty of help, but all these holes likely won’t be fixed in one year. However, it would go a long way if Cincinnati added Wagner to patrol the middle of the field to make sure everything goes smoothly for this new-look front. Yes, Wagner was an issue in coverage for the Commanders last year, but he’s still a quality sideline-to-sideline playmaker and his high football IQ would benefit any team.

As Manzano mentioned, even if Wagner isn’t as fast and reliable as he once was, he’s still a future Hall of Famer with an elite football IQ. At the very least, Wagner would be a positive locker room presence and a solid rotational piece.

Currently, the Bengals have Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter penciled in to start at the middle linebacker spots. Both players were drafted in 2025 and started as a rookies, while delivering mixed results.

Knight really struggled in coverage. As a rookie, Knight earned a 40.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 83rd out of 88 qualified linebackers. Carter was even worse, earning a 39.5 overall grade, which ranked 85th out of 88.

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The Bengals haven’t added to the linebacker room this offseason, save for a couple of undrafted free agents. As a result, it would make perfect sense for the team to add a player like Wagner.

Wagner is going to go down as one of the best linebackers of all time. The linebacker has earned 10 Pro Bowl selections, has been a six-time First-team All-Pro, and has a Super Bowl ring. Wagner led the entire NFL in total tackles in three different seasons of his career.

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