"The Bengals have three players we like," FS1's Nick Wright said. "We just keep treating the Bengals like they're someone they're not."

The Cincinnati Bengals had a disappointing 2025 season, which was partly due to injuries. After missing the postseason for the third consecutive season, head coach Zac Taylor said, “I think what you were missing was your highest paid player on offense and defense,

Cincinnati has missed the playoffs in three straight seasons despite having one of the NFL's best quarterbacks

The New Orleans Saints will play in Paris next season, the NFL announced in early February. The Saints are among the Bengals’ home opponents for 2026. Unlike the Commanders’ scenario, the Bengals would have to be the designated home team for the Paris game to make the matchup work.

According to The Athletic's Bengals beat writer Paul Dehner Jr, it very much is. The Athletic recently held its first beat-writer mock draft and Dehner, for the Bengals, selected Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the 10th pick.

If Hendrickson is not tagged and becomes a free agent, that would provide the Bengals with considerable cap space to go add defensive help. The Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers are two teams projected to be potential landing spots if Cincinnati chooses to go that route.

The Bengals will be looking for impact players at every level of the defense, including pass rush help, a veteran presence at linebacker, a starting slot corner and a starting free safety. The Bengals’ bad defense from 2025 will need some outside help, and Duke Tobin stressed that the Bengals have the resources that they need to make those moves.

The Cincinnati Bengals are desperate to add to their defense, and they could look to do so with the 10th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.