The Cincinnati Bengals have been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, engaged in contract disputes with multiple edge rushers who should be critical to the team’s defensive success this season. Whether it’s veteran star Trey Hendrickson or rookie first-round pick Shemar Turner, the Bengals need to get the contract situations sorted out, but in the meantime, they could look at the free agency market ahead of training camp.
While it is somewhat ironic to speculate about new contracts the team could sign, here’s a look at three available edge rushers who the Bengals could sign as they prepare for training camp. With Hendrickson and Turner’s return to the team unknown, these three veterans could provide a boost leading up to the regular season.
Za’Darius Smith
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A longtime member of the AFC North as both a former Baltimore Raven and Cleveland Brown, Smith would be a great veteran addition for Cincinnati. Last season as he split time between the Browns and Detroit Lions, Smith played in 17 games and totaled 9 sacks, coming into Detroit as a replacement after they lost Aidan Hutchinson for the season due to injury.
Smith can still produce at a high level and will be 33-years old when the season begins, making him a much needed veteran addition. Smith would not only bring instant production but will also serve as a great mentor for Turner in his rookie season. Even when Cincinnati comes to terms with their two edge rushers, the team would benefit in a major way from having Smith on the roster.
Jadeveon Clowney
The former No. 1 overall pick back in the 2014 NFL draft can still play, and he’s shown that on the one-year deals he’s played over the last two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers. Over the past two years, Clowney has combined for 15 sacks and in each year he has had at least 40 tackles.
Very similar to Smith, Clowney would come in and bring a veteran presence that could help Shemar Turner but still produce in a limited role. The depth behind Hendrickson and Turner is very shallow, and although Clowney is not the player he once was, he can still get the job done at the edge rush position.
Matthew Judon
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One of the most productive available free agents on the defensive side, Matthew Judon can still be a force. The longtime Raven and New England Patriot played for the Atlanta Falcons last season, where he totaled 41 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and one interception. Giving the Falcons exactly what they were missing from an edge rushing standpoint, Judon proved he could still be a team’s top edge defender if given the chance.
Cincinnati won’t ask Judon to play the same role that he did in Atlanta last season, but just as the other two aforementioned veterans, he could still be very important to the Bengals defense.
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