March 13, 2026, 4:00 p.m. ET
Before the Cincinnati Bengals signed Jonathan Allen in NFL free agency, much of the discourse focused on something else:
The free agents the Bengals targeted…and missed.
Unfortunately for the Bengals, that conversation is back on the menu just a day removed from the Allen news.
This time, it’s all about linebacker Anfernee Jennings. Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the Bengals “are not in the mix” for him right now.
Jennings was a major headline in the middle of the week when the New England Patriots cut the Super Bowl starter to save roughly $3.8 m million in cap space.
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A third-round pick in 2020, Jennings has appeared in 75 games since. He’s the prototypical veteran presence the Bengals appear to be seeking to add some serious leadership to the young spot on the depth chart.
Bengals brass have confirmed they want to add a veteran presence to the linebacker room, yet failed to do so despite droves of obvious names being signed by other teams so far.
The Bengals were reportedly never in the mix for Devin Lloyd at the very top of the market, so one can presume they might loop back to Jennings if he sticks around on the market for a while.