The Cincinnati Bengals went through the 2025 season with very little hope, thanks to the early-season injury to Joe Burrow. Ending the year at 6-11, the Bengals need change.
While the head coach is staying, the Bengals are going to make some changes to the player personnel, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Trey Hendrickson is the top free agent the Bengals need to decide on this offseason.
As Ben Baby of ESPN noted, the Bengals could let him walk for a few different reasons. But one of the more interesting could be to re-sign a different veteran pass rusher who was also on a one-year prove-it deal like Hendrickson was this season.
Bengals could re-sign a pass rusher not named Trey Hendrickson
"Should Cincinnati move on from Hendrickson, as expected, the Bengals could chart a few paths," Baby writes. "One could include re-signing defensive end Joseph Ossai, who wrapped up his fifth year with the Bengals and is set to cash in after a one-year 'prove it' deal with the team that drafted him in 2021."
Joseph Ossai would be an interesting player to re-sign this offseason. While all of the attention will be on Hendrickson and the Bengals' decision with him, Ossai might be the more pressing free-agency to figure out.
He's 25 years old, considerably younger than Hendrickson, and is coming off a solid season for Cincinnati. He had five sacks and 21 tackles with two forced fumbles this season, and would be a priority free agent this offseason for any team.
Instead of being forced to spend a fortune on Hendrickson, they could bring back Ossai on a much more reasonable, but still strong contract for the 2026 season and beyond.
More: Bengals receive $33 million contract projection on Trey Hendrickson despite injury
His one-year prove-it deal worked, and Ossai is now one of the better pass rushers available on the free agent market this offseason.
While he's not going to fetch top-of-the-market money, Ossai is a quality lineman whom the Bengals would be better off extending than Hendrickson.
He's much cheaper, younger, and is also coming off back-to-back strong seasons. He's not going to be as good as Hendrickson will be, but with some younger linemen showing promise, committing to youth on defense might not be a bad idea.
Baby believes re-signing Ossai and letting Hendrickson walk is one outcome for the Bengals this offseason. Even though he's not better than Hendrickson, Ossai's age and price will make this offseason decision a realistic one for the Bengals front office.
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