Cincinnati Bengals
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The Bengals were linked to an experienced defensive end
The Cincinnati Bengals’ offseason has gone as expected. The team is not known for taking big swings, and despite reports revealing that the team had interest in Pro Bowl pass rusher Maxx Crosby, the Bengals have not made any shocking additions during free agency.
Perhaps the biggest news is something that Bengals fans had long expected, and that was the departure of All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, Hendrickson’s next destination turned out to be a near worst-case scenario as he signed with the division rival Baltimore Ravens, once their deal for the previously mentioned Crosby fell through.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati signed former Seattle Seahawks edge defenderBoye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million contractto replace some of Hendrickson’s production. Despite the large contract, expecting Mafe to single-handedly replace Hendrickson seems far-fetched, which is why Sports Illustrated’s Landon Belote has pitched the idea of Cincinnati adding another defensive end.
Cincinnati Bengals Pitched Signing A.J. Epenesa
Like Crosby, A.J. Epenesa appeared to join a different team this offseason as he agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract with the Cleveland Browns; however, he also failed his physical, which resulted in the veteran who has totaled over $20 million in career earnings, returning to the open market once again.
Landon Belote believes the Cincinnati Bengals should target Epenesa.Belote wrote:
“The Bengals should absolutely look to bring in Epenesa and bolster the depth of a defensive end room that is still severely lacking talent.
Signing Epenesa would instantly give the Bengals a proven player that has played in big games. While he is not a world beater by any stretch, Epenesa is the personification of consistency, as he is a reliable rotational piece. He had at least six sacks in three consecutive seasons (2022-24). He had 2.5 sacks in 2025, along with two interceptions.
Epenesa, who has started 19 games in his NFL career, has not been an above average defensive end,according to Pro Football Focus. During the 2025 season, he received a 58.8 overall grade, which ranked him 87th out of 115 qualified edge defenders. Additionally, he was ranked as a bottom-10 run defender in his position.
Bengals Defensive Ends
Aside from Hendrickson, the Bengals have invested heavily in the edge position, primarily with their draft capital. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, the results have not been there, which is why they went after a player like Mafe, and find themselves linked to a veteran like Epenesa.
Regarding the Bengals’ defensive end room, Belote wrote:
“As of now, the Bengals’ defensive end room consists of only Cedric Johnson and Isaiah Foskey behind Myles Murphy, Shemar Stewart, and the newly signed Mafe.
Banking on the hope that Murphy and Stewart continue to progress would be a fool’s errand to keep things realistic, and while the team did sign Mafe, they still lost two key pieces to the pass rush room with Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai both signing elsewhere.”
Additionally, Belote believes that signing Epenesa would allow Cincinnati to draft the best player available with the No. 10 selection in the upcoming NFL Draft.