ClutchPoints
The Cincinnati Bengals head into the 2025 offseason at a pivotal juncture. Once a consistent AFC contender, they took a step backward in 2024, finishing with a 9-8 record and falling short of the playoffs. Sure, injuries played a role. However, inconsistencies on both offense and defense highlighted critical weaknesses that must be addressed. Joe Burrow remains one of the league’s premier quarterbacks, but Cincinnati cannot afford to waste another season of his prime. With a strong foundation already in place, the Bengals don’t need to chase big-name free agents. Instead, they should focus on under-the-radar signings that can provide immediate upgrades at key positions.
For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, missing the playoffs was a massive disappointment. Burrow played at an MVP-caliber level. That made Cincinnati’s failure to reach the postseason even more frustrating. Yet, a crumbling defense under coordinator Lou Anarumo proved to be the team’s Achilles’ heel.
Offensively, the Bengals have created a contract dilemma at wide receiver. They failed to lock up Ja’Marr Chase to an extension before last season. Now, re-signing him will come at an even steeper price. Meanwhile, Tee Higgins thrived under the franchise tag. Reports indicate that Cincinnati plans to tag him again with the non-exclusive designation. That decision carries major implications. Higgins could still sign a long-term deal with the Bengals, or another team could swoop in and offer him a lucrative contract. This would force Cincinnati to decide whether to match or accept two first-round draft picks in return. Losing Higgins would be a significant setback for the offense.
Simply put, the 2024 season was a wasted opportunity. The Bengals squandered another year of Burrow’s prime. The Bengals now face a critical offseason. They need reinforcements on all three levels of their defense while also resolving their receiver situation. If Higgins returns, Cincinnati’s offense will remain explosive, but addressing their defensive deficiencies is a must.
Here we’ll try to identify the three sneaky good NFL free agents whom the Cincinnati Bengals need to sign in the 2025 offseason.
Osa Odighizuwa is an underrated interior defensive lineman whose advanced metrics indicate significant upside. That’s even though his sack production hasn’t fully reflected his impact over nearly four seasons. Yes, the Dallas Cowboys struggled with injuries and inconsistency last season. Despite that, Odighizuwa remained a steady force and delivered some of his best performances down the stretch. A 2021 third-round pick, he has quietly become one of the more overlooked defensive tackles in the NFL.
Now at 26 years old, Odighizuwa is entering his prime. This makes him a great target for a team like the Bengals seeking disruptive play along the defensive front. Cincinnati could land him on a team-friendly contract, too. This could give them a much-needed interior presence to strengthen their defensive line and bolster their run defense. His ability to generate pressure from inside would be a valuable addition to a unit that struggled to control...
