Cincinnati Bengals

At $20.4M in current cap room (rank 20 of 32), the Bengals have enough to make moves now, and a projected $48.9M next season creates a meaningful spending window to fix the offensive line.

25 contracts expiring

Madden Tools Analysis

Six starting spots have weak depth behind the starter.

Seven picks in the upcoming draft, all concentrated in a single class, give the Bengals a rare opportunity to flood the roster with competition at their weakest positions in one cycle.

The roster's clear strength is the pass-catcher group headlined by a 99-overall Chase and 97-overall Burrow, while the weakest spot is an offensive line that lacks quality starters at left guard, right guard, and left tackle and ranks near or at the bottom of the league at each.

• LEDGEhigh

  Cashius Howell starts at left defensive end, but the position ranks 31st at the starter level, making a significant upgrade the single most urgent defensive priority.

• LGhigh

  Dylan Fairchild is the starter at 71 overall, with the unit ranking 29th among starters, leaving Joe Burrow dangerously exposed on the left interior.

• LThigh

  Orlando Brown Jr holds the starting spot but the position ranks 27th leaguewide at the starter level, and the backup depth behind him is thin.

• MIKEhigh

  Barrett Carter starts at middle linebacker with the position ranked dead last among starters, and the depth behind him offers little improvement.

• RGhigh

  Dalton Risner mans the right guard spot, but the group ranks 24th at the starter level and last in depth across the league, making the interior line a critical rebuild target.

• SAMhigh

  Oren Burks starts at SAM linebacker and the position ranks 11th of 13 tested, exposing a clear weak link in the linebacking corps.

• WILLhigh

  Demetrius Knight Jr starts at WILL linebacker but ranks 28th leaguewide at that spot, compounding a linebacker situation that is a concern at every level.

• SSlow

  Jordan Battle holds the starting strong safety role, though the position ranks 23rd, flagging a modest but real opportunity to upgrade the back end.

• TElow

  Mike Gesicki starts at tight end at 79 overall, but the depth behind him is ranked 26th in the league, leaving the position fragile beyond the starter.

• 70T.J. Slaton JrDTT.J. Slaton Jr. is a 70-overall backup with Dexter Lawrence II, Jonathan Allen, and B.J. Hill already ahead of him on the DT depth chart, and releasing him frees $5.7M against $3.4M in dead money.Frees $5.7M · $3.4M dead
• 68Drew SampleTEDrew Sample is a 68-overall fullback/TE hybrid who sits third on the TE depth chart and third on the FB chart, and a release frees $2.5M while carrying only $300K in dead money.Frees $2.5M · $300.0K dead
• 66Jalen DavisCBJalen Davis is a 70-overall cornerback at the back of the depth chart, and cutting him recovers $1.3M against just $180K in dead money.Frees $1.3M · $180.0K dead
• 73Joe FlaccoQBJoe Flacco is a 73-overall backup quarterback at 41 years old whose roster spot costs $1.3M to free but carries $2.0M in dead money, making the decision a cap-neutral question of depth preference.Frees $1.3M · $2.0M dead
• 68Tanner HudsonTETanner Hudson is a 68-overall tight end sitting second on the TE depth chart behind Gesicki, and releasing him frees $900K with zero dead money attached.Frees $900.0K · $0 dead

Cincinnati's franchise sits on a genuinely split identity: an offense anchored by one of the best quarterback-receiver combinations in the game in Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, yet consistently undermined by an offensive line that is among the worst in the league at multiple positions. Tee Higgins adds a second elite weapon, and Chase Brown provides a capable rushing attack, but the trenches must be fixed for the skill talent to reach its potential. Defensively, Dexter Lawrence II and Jonathan Allen form a formidable interior, though Jonathan is entering the later stage of his career and a succession plan will be necessary. The linebacker corps is a significant liability, with the MIKE ranking last in the league among starters and the SAM and WILL slots nearly as bad. The cap picture offers $20.4M in current room with $48.9M projected next season, creating a real window to invest, but the dead cap of $3.3M is among the lowest in the league, meaning prior commitments are manageable. With Joe Burrow in his prime and Ja'Marr Chase at peak production, the franchise's ceiling is high, but the floor depends entirely on whether the offensive line and linebacker needs are addressed before the window narrows.

The Bengals were founded in 1968 by legendary coach Paul Brown, who had been fired by the Cleveland Browns in 1963. Brown's ownership group received AFL approval on May 23, 1967, the team began play in 1968, and joined the NFL in the 1970 merger. Brown chose the same shade of orange as Cleveland and named the team 'Bengals' to link it to earlier Cincinnati pro teams of the 1930s-40s. The franchise's golden era came in the 1980s: after adopting the iconic orange tiger-striped helmets in 1981, the Bengals, led by QB Ken Anderson (1981 NFL MVP), reached Super Bowl XVI, losing 26-21 to the 49ers. Under QB Boomer Esiason (1988 NFL MVP) and coach Sam Wyche, they returned to Super Bowl XXIII after 1988, losing 20-16 to the 49ers on a late Joe Montana-to-John Taylor touchdown. After a 1990 playoff appearance, the team collapsed into 14 consecutive non-winning seasons, earning the nickname 'The Bungles.' A 2-14 finish in 2002 led to the hiring of Marvin Lewis in 2003, who restored respectability but never won a playoff game across 16 seasons. The drafting of Joe Burrow first overall in 2020 transformed the franchise: in 2021 the Bengals won their first playoff game since 1990 and reached Super Bowl LVI, losing 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams. They returned to the AFC Championship Game in 2022 but missed the playoffs in 2023, 2024, and 2025.