Cincinnati finished 2025 with enormous defensive struggles: 31st in total yardage allowed per game (380.9), 32nd in yards per play allowed (6.2), 29th in EPA per play (+0.07), 32nd in rushing yards allowed per game (147.1), and 30th in total touchdowns allowed (51). Those numbers underscore a unit that labored across the board.
Beyond the surface stats, the defense was outmatched in key situations and didn’t trend toward competence even when Burrow was sidelined for much of the season, underscoring a systemic issue in need of a long-term answer on that side of the ball.
The Bengals did try to inject help with first-round pick Shemar Stewart in the 2025 NFL Draft, but the former Texas A&M standout appeared in only eight games and recorded just one sack, highlighting how much work remains along the trenches.
There has also been talk of pursuing impact players in free agency, including a link to Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean, but the 2026 draft looms large for Cincinnati, which holds the 10th overall selection.
Pro Football Focus recently laid out a concrete path for how Cincinnati should address its primary need: upgrade the defensive line. PFF suggests the Bengals take Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods with the 10th overall pick, citing his potential to be a difference-maker from day one.
PFF notes Woods could impact both run defense and interior pass rush, a much-needed boost for a line that struggled to stop the ground game (near 150 rushing yards allowed per game, 30th in run-defense grade) and to pressure quarterbacks consistently. Woods’ earlier standout seasons (83.7 overall in 2024, 87.6 in 2023) are cited as indicators of his ceiling, even as his 2025 grade dipped to 72.2.
Taken together, Woods would be a strong starting point but not a cure-all; Cincinnati will likely need continued investments along the defensive front and in the overall defensive system to support a high-octane offense. The 2026 draft presents a critical opportunity for the Bengals to change the trajectory of their defense.
