In a surprising twist, this Bengals offseason hasn’t been that bad. In what might be the team\u2019s most critical offseason yet, the Bengals have actually been delivering better than expected so far.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From re-signings to new additions, moves are being made to hopefully turn around the team\u2019s luck this year. Here\u2019s why the Bengals are acing this offseason, so far anyway.<\/p>\n
Bengals retained multiple veterans on manageable contracts<\/p>\n
Dalton Risner\u2019s re-signing<\/a> was the news fans were most excited to hear. Risner has been a crucial piece of one of Burrow\u2019s better offensive lines, so it was key to keep him in place. Right guard had been a problem position for years until Risner’s arrival. <\/p>\n Hanging onto practice squad veteran Jalen Davis was a massive bargain, too. Davis flourished as the starting nickelback during the second half of the 2025 campaign. He’s an excellent veteran presence in the locker room, and his steadiness in the slot freed up Dax Hill to play at his best-suited position as a boundary cornerback.<\/p>\n And we can’t forget about Joe Flacco. Granted, staying in Cincinnati may not have been what he wanted<\/a>, but it’s nice to have such a quality QB2. With Jake Browning\u2019s departure<\/a>, keeping Flacco became an even smarter choice. Flacco is a fan favorite, who played well in Burrow\u2019s absence. Flacco has a 61.7% completion percentage at 41 years old, so this is an A+ signing.<\/p>\n Most needs on defense were addressed swiftly in free agency<\/p>\n The team has been actively participating in free agency. While the defensive line got better with Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen, we’ll focus on a few other strong mentions in particular.\u00a0<\/p>\n