![\"Mar](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_28628179-scaled.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMar 31, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
The Cincinnati Bengals had major issues at linebacker in 2025 and didn\u2019t sign a veteran at the position during the heart of free agency. Head coach Zac Taylor hints at the 2026 NFL Draft being the answer.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMar 31, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Linebacker is undeniably a need<\/a> for the Cincinnati Bengals. Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. are slated to be uncontested starters, and the depth behind both of them is lackluster. <\/p>\n No matter what the Bengals may say about Carter and Knight right now, the position group needs immediate help. Finding said help in the 2026 NFL Draft<\/a> could be tricky.<\/p>\n Cincinnati struggled at LB last year because Carter and Knight were two rookies starting next to each other for most of the season. Their shared inexperience was a problem defensive coordinator Al Golden and Co. couldn\u2019t solve on the fly. <\/p>\n Would adding a rookie to the mix truly give the Bengals the immediate assistance Carter and Knight need around them? The honest answer is no, but a draft pick being spent on the position sounds probable at this point.<\/p>\n The A to Z Sports NFL mock draft simulator offers a deeply customizable and data-driven experience with never-before-seen features.\u00a0Try the mock draft simulator today,<\/a>\u00a0before the 2026 NFL Draft arrives.<\/p>\n Zac Taylor sets the table for Bengals to draft another linebacker<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s mess at the position raise legitimate concerns regarding another first-year LB being ready to contribute immediately. There\u2019s an argument for the Bengals prioritizing other positions with their premium picks. Beyond that, the idea of an early pick shaking the confidence of both Carter and Knight is worth discussing.<\/p>\n Head coach Zac Taylor was specifically asked about that idea by The Athletic\u2019s Paul Dehner Jr. <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think so,\u201d Taylor said Tuesday at the Annual League Meeting<\/a>. \u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019d be harmful at all. I think that those guys are wired the right way. That\u2019s why we added them into the room. That\u2019s why we threw them in the fire so early, because we knew it wasn\u2019t going to break them. If a game went poorly or a series went poorly, that\u2019s not how they\u2019re wired.\u201d<\/p>\n In terms of coach speak, this translates to an expectation of a pick that matters being used at the position.<\/p>\n Drafting a LB is the easy part. Getting him to play well immediately is the challenging part. Knight was a second-round pick who took starter\u2019s reps throughout the entire offseason program and training camp. Carter was a fourth-rounder and was right behind Knight, often being rotated onto the field often leading up to the season. <\/p>\n Another Day 2 pick like Knight could produce better results as a rookie, but recent evidence shows it\u2019s a dangerous path to take for instant results.<\/p>\n Competency is what Cincy lacked in the second level of its defense, and whether newfound competency arrives via a rookie or a veteran, competency is the goal all the same. Taylor and the Bengals may believe the draft is the most likely source for an answer at this juncture.<\/p>\n It\u2019s as good of an argument as to why a veteran should\u2019ve been signed when the best options were available last month. Taylor alluded to LB being a priority during free agency, but plans had to change.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t mean that we don\u2019t prioritize it. It just means, at the moment, the fit has been somewhere else, and so we\u2019ve identified that and added to it,\u201d Taylor said<\/a>. \u201cWe are excited about our two young guys that played a lot of snaps for us last year, and the development they\u2019re going to continue to see.\u201d<\/p>\n Cincinnati has eight picks at its disposal. One of them is virtually guaranteed to be used on a LB, or else a veteran will get a call after the draft concludes. It\u2019s the bed the Bengals made for themselves.<\/p>\n
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