The Cincinnati Bengals will retool their defense next offseason, perhaps with a new coaching staff leading the way, too.
How the Bengals might go about that is much more interesting at this point.
One suggested move? Bleacher Report likes the idea of re-doing the linebacker spot with projected Philadelphia Eagles free agent Zack Baun:
Zack Baun is experiencing an incredible career turnaround with the Philadelphia Eagles, so it would be kind of surprising to see him leave Philly. Then again, the Eagles haven’t always valued the linebacker position, so it isn’t impossible. If he does wind up hitting the open market, the Bengals should be looking into him.
Baun, a third-round pick in 2020, is a strong run defender in the middle who has posted an 89.6 PFF grade this season.
While the defensive line in front of the linebackers has been a huge problem, this season hasn’t exactly been stellar for Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson, either.
Wilson is under contract through 2027, but Pratt only has one year left on his current deal and would be a pretty sizeable cap hit if released.
That said, the Bengals could use some more speed and dynamic play from the linebacker spot regardless of what happens in the trenches. Baun might be out of their price range, but he’s a good example of the type of guy they could look for next offseason.
