The Bengals used free agency, trades and the draft to add to different areas of their defense this offseason, but there was one position group that has been left untouched.
Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter became the starting linebackers after being drafted last year and the Bengals did not add any competition for them over the last couple of months. On Monday, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said the team hasn’t ruled out making any moves before September but that they have “real belief” in the duo and he believes the addition of players like Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen to the defensive line is “going to elevate those guys” in their second season.
“We’ll always look at adding the right guy again. I am not down on my linebackers,” Tobin said, via the team’s website. “They individually will improve and collectively will improve by what we’ve done and the experience that they’ve gained. If there are people that we think can add to the group, we’ll add to the group. We’re not done roster building.”
The Bengals know their defense needs to be better in 2026 and their bet on their second-year linebackers will play a big role in whether that happens.
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