Cincinnati stuck with six picks and is finalizing its UDFA group, as they look for another championship run in 2025. However, with new additions come both beneficiaries and those whose roster chances potentially dwindle.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ 2025 draft class has been met with a myriad of opinions, but it largely addressed predictable areas. Although a player on the interior of the defensive line wasn’t selected, Cincinnati devoted half of its draft capital to improving the defense.
It was mostly a “meat and potatoes” draft for Cincinnati, save for one skill-position pick. With the six selections in hand and the UDFA class rounding out, there are both players who benefit from the roster additions made over the past couple of months, and others whose spots are now in jeopardy.
For the record — and a sentiment I’ve personally shared often — I’m not a fan of the term “loser” in this context. It’s more about the questions raised regarding the status of certain players, based on looking into the crystal ball, so to speak.
Winners
Geno Stone and Tycen Anderson:
Many speculated that the Bengals would target safeties in the first three rounds of this year’s class in an effort to stabilize the back end of the defense. This theory especially gained traction given that the class featured Xavier Watts—one of Al Golden’s favorite players during their time together at Notre Dame.
Not only did the Bengals pass on Watts three times before he was drafted, but they declined to select a defensive back at all this year. Stone came on strong late last season, and Anderson has been a preseason standout for the past couple of years. It seems the team has faith in what it already has at the position.
Dax Hill, Cam Taylor-Britt, and DJ Turner:
Piggybacking on the previous point, the team appears to be all-in on the young, talented corners they’ve drafted over the past three classes. These three have each had their bumps in the road, but they’ve also flashed high-end ability thanks to strong athletic profiles.
Despite injuries and inconsistent play at times, it seems that the Bengals and Golden are committed to this group (and others) in the secondary and are counting on the new defensive coordinator to help them turn another corner—professionally speaking.
Jermaine Burton:
Few Bengals players had a rougher rookie season than Burton did in 2024. The sky remains the limit for the second-year wideout, but he absolutely needs to get his head on straight.
The Bengals’ only offensive skill-position selection this year was a running back with virtually no kick return history in five years at Texas Tech (just one career kickoff return). It would appear Cincinnati is committed to seeing what Burton can bring to the table after what was hopefully a learning experience last year.
Al Golden:
Though he may have taken some heat for the team’s first two picks, half of the Bengals’ entire draft class went to his side of the ball—rightfully so, as the defense needed major reworking.
While Shemar Stewart and Demetrius Knight II come with questions in terms of value, both possess elite athletic upside. Stewart is a wild card, but if he hits, it will be a massive win for Cincinnati. Knight should bring needed stability and physicality to the defense, while Barrett Carter profiles as a versatile “Swiss Army knife” player at the second level.
Scott Peters:
If Golden should be pleased with the defensive additions, then Peters has to be ecstatic. Regardless of concerns about value or potential reaches, Cincinnati clearly identified Dylan Fairchild and Jalen Rivers as “their guys” during the pre-draft process—and they landed them.
The Bengals face big questions at guard. Cordell Volson’s starting ability is under scrutiny, and their only free agency additions at the position have been re-signing Cody Ford and bringing in Lucas Patrick—both considered utility linemen.
Rivers offers similar versatility, with some touting his ability to play nearly every position on the line (he practiced at center during the Senior Bowl and played both guard and tackle at Miami). Fairchild has his critics, but he’s nasty, physical, a finisher, and a strong pass protector on a Georgia offensive line known for dominance.
B.J. Hill, Cam Sample, and Kris Jenkins Jr.:
If there was a breeze in the Queen City during the middle of the first round, it might’ve been the collective sigh of relief from Bengals interior defensive linemen. I kid, of course—but when Walter Nolen went to the Cardinals at No. 16, Cincinnati likely changed course.
So much so that they didn’t draft an interior pass-rushing lineman at all, despite a fairly deep class at the position. While Sample is technically listed as a defensive end, Golden specifically noted his ability to kick inside in certain packages—and the team is intrigued by the possibilities.
Trey Hendrickson, the presumed 2025 Bengals starting left defensive end:
In case you’ve been living under a rock, there’s been some drama between the Bengals and their star defensive end. Regardless of the contract dispute (more on that in a moment), Hendrickson received reinforcements in the form of Stewart and two linebackers behind him.
Mike Hodges:
Hodges joined the Bengals’ staff to lead the linebacker group with much less fanfare than Golden. Upon his arrival, the unit was in flux: Logan Wilson went to IR at the end of 2024, and the relationship between Germaine Pratt and the team appeared to be deteriorating.
While that situation likely coincided with Golden’s promotion to coordinator, both he and Hodges wasted no time in reshaping the position group. After signing Oren Burks in free agency to replace Akeem Davis-Gaither, they selected two more players—Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter—with above-average (albeit incomplete) athletic testing.
Though Knight drew “reach” criticism, PFF ranked him as the third-best off-ball linebacker in the class. He should be Pratt’s immediate replacement. Carter will likely begin as a utility player, capable of wearing the green dot if needed and rotating through snaps.
Joe Burrow:
Two more offensive linemen with pass-protection prowess and a thumper of a running back were added to the offense in this year’s class. While the draft leaned slightly toward defense (which still benefits Burrow after last season), some capital was clearly spent to help him directly. Oh—and the team re-signed its two star wide receivers this offseason, too.
Losers
Cordell Volson:
It’s no secret that the play of the Bengals’ offensive line has been a major talking point throughout the Joe Burrow era. The performance of the guards has been a particular focus, reaching a peak this offseason.
Volson has had a few good games, but he hasn’t elevated his play to the level the team had hoped for. When Fairchild was drafted, Peters noted that he could immediately compete for a starting role, making Volson’s future uncertain.
Gary Brightwell and Kendall Milton:
The Bengals like both of these players, but the retention (via restructuring) of Zack Moss and the selection of Tahj Brooks make the roster chances slimmer for Brightwell and Milton heading into the summer. They are both on the bigger side, but so is Brooks—who likely holds the advantage.
Germaine Pratt:
The veteran linebacker posted some vague expressions of discontent, but the team neither traded nor released him. Still, the writing on the wall became even clearer with the selections of Knight II and Carter. To make matters worse, Pratt wasn’t dealt over the weekend, suggesting that an eventual release may be inevitable.
Jaxson Kirkland:
Before free agency began, there were rumblings that the Bengals were high on Kirkland as a potential starting guard. However, with Fairchild now in the mix—alongside the versatile Rivers and the veteran Patrick—Kirkland may have lost some of the shine he once had in the eyes of the coaching staff.
The negotiating camp of Trey Hendrickson:
Hendrickson has made two things clear: he wants to be paid fair market value for his services, and he prefers to stay in Cincinnati. However, if the Bengals aren’t willing to meet his financial demands, he’s open — albeit reluctantly — to playing elsewhere for the right price.
The star edge defender should benefit from the added reinforcements on defense, but as the weekend passed with no trade, it’s evident that moving him wasn’t the team’s top priority. And yet, here we are entering May: Hendrickson doesn’t have a restructured contract, nor was he dealt during the draft — a likely last resort for teams willing to give up assets the Bengals could have used. He remains a Bengal for now, but who knows what kind of tension might carry into the summer.