Three Free Agents the Bengals Should Target in Free Agency This Week

Jay Morrison | Mar 10, 2025

Dec 29, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) watches as Miami Dolphins linebacker Tyrel Dodson (11) intercepts the pass during the first half at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – After signing four of their own free agents the last few days, the Cincinnati Bengals can enter into agreements with players from other teams when the legal tampering window opens at noon today.

The signings of tight ends Mike Gesicki on Saturday and Tanner Hudson on Friday likely will keep the Bengals from targeting the position in free agency.

But the deals reached with guards Jaxson Kirkland on Wednesday and Cody Ford on Sunday should have no impact on how the front office targets its acquisitions this week.

The plan is not to insert Ford or Kirkland as starters. Yes, they’ll be given every chance to win the job in training camp, but the Bengals are still going to be looking for an experienced starter in free agency.

You can expect them to draft a guard next month as well.

So what will free agency look like this week?

You can never rule out a splashy, big-name player. No one saw the Orlando Brown Jr. deal coming.

But most of the available cap space the Bengals have is going to be used on extensions for Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.

Working from that framework, here are three players the Bengals should target this week in free agency.

Levi Onwuzurike, DT

The Bengals cut Sheldon Rankins, who signed with the Texans today, and there is a chance B.J. Hill could sign elsewhere also.

They can’t have a repeat of last year where they let DJ Reader walk, whiffed on Rankins and failed to add any other help, painting themselves into a position of need in the draft.

Onwuzurike, who turned 27 last week, was a first-year starter in 2024, and Pro Football Focus ranked him in the top 10 among defensive tackles in pass-rush win percentage and pressure percentage.

Philadelphia’s Milton Williams is going to be the high-priced target every runs toward first, but Onwuzurike offers a lot of upside and a much lower cost due in part to the fact that all of his winning at the point of attack only resulted in 1.5 sacks last season.

Young pass rushers sometimes struggle to finish. The Bengals have lived that life with Joseph Ossai, but he had five sacks in the final seven games last year.

They are hoping Myles Murphy makes that leap in 2025, and Onzuwurike could pair with Kris Jenkins to give the Bengals a young defensive tackle duo coming into their own.

Patrick Mekari, G

An undrafted college free agent in 2019, Mekari has appeared in 88 games while starting at all five positions along the offensive line.

His natural position is guard, which is where the Ravens had him start 17 games in 2024.

Mekari will turn 28 in August, and he hits the sweet spot for the Bengals, who cut Alex Cappa last week.

PFF ranked Mekari as the No. 18 pass-blocking guard last season, his first as a full-time starter. After 53 starts in six seasons with the Ravens, he knows the AFC North well.

His new contract should look a lot like what the Bengals gave Alex Cappa three years ago, averaging $8-9 million per season.

Tyrel Dodson, LB

Before this week, Jamien Sherwood would have been the pick here, but a lot of teams – including the Jets – made sure they didn’t let their free agent linebackers get away.

And the Bengals likely wouldn’t have been competitive against the Jets, who gave Sherwood a three-year, $45 deal to return.

Zack Baun is staying in Philadelphia, Nick Bolton in Kansas City and Ernest Jones in Seattle.

Dre Greenlaw’s injury status is concerning, as is Bobby Wagner’s age.

Dodson has played 76 games with Buffalo, Seattle and Miami. While starting the first nine games for the Seahawks last year, Dodson ranked in the top 15 in defensive stops and had two sacks.

At 27, he’s another young player who has a lot of experience and is looking to jump into a bigger role.

The Bengals could sign him for around half of what of Germaine Pratt’s $8.2 million cap hit would be this year – if the Bengals don’t, as expected, cut or trade him – while also upgrading the position.  

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