Bengals feel like obvious fit for suggested free-agent help

The Cincinnati Bengals made a few cap-saving moves while asking players to take pay cuts recently, but it remains to be seen if that actually turns into the team making outside additions in free agency.

If the Bengals do look toward the open market for help this summer, though, they could find some pretty interesting names.

One common suggestion by fans is offensive lineman Brandon Scherff. But for Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated, the obvious fit for the Bengals is defensive back Julian Blackmon:

“The Bengals need all the help they can get after their defense endured a dreadful 2024 season. Blackmon can improve the Bengals’ secondary after establishing himself as a quality playmaker in five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Blackmon is coming off a down season and probably didn’t fit the scheme of new Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, the former Bengals’ defensive play-caller. Perhaps new Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden sees Blackmon as a team fit.”

As always when looking at suggested signings for the Bengals, it’s important to point out that the team is undergoing a youth movement around coordinator Al Golden. In the secondary, they have hope for Dax Hill, DJ Turner and Cam Taylor-Britt at corner, while being content to run out Jordan Battle and Geno Stone at safety.

Blackmon is only 26 years old, though, and adding another guy who can join the rotation at safety while someone like Tycen Anderson focuses on special teams could be a smart move.

Whether the Bengals go after a bigger name like this remains to be seen, but one has to think free agents would have an interest at this stage of the offseason.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals feel like obvious fit for suggested free-agent help

Bengals feel like obvious fit for suggested free-agent help

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