Best Available Free Agents the Cincinnati Bengals Can Sign Include Talented Former Teammate of Bryan Cook

CINCINNATI — After a frenetic opening day of the negotiating window that produced safety Bryan Cook and defensive end Boye Mafe, the Bengals returned to work Tuesday still hunting for help at linebacker, defensive tackle and along the edge. With Devin Lloyd off the board, attention has shifted to a familiar face who already has on-field chemistry with Cook: 25-year-old linebacker Leo Chenal.

Chenal, who lined up in front of Cook in Kansas City, fits the prototype Cincinnati outlined earlier this offseason—a young, downhill thumper capable of stabilizing the second level. League sources say the former Wisconsin standout is the most logical second-wave addition for a defense looking to add speed and physicality without breaking the bank.

Should talks stall, the Bengals have a proven fallback in Kaden Ellis. Four years Chenal’s senior, Ellis offers a comparable skill set but brings 80-plus games of experience and special-teams value that could prove critical in the stretch run.

On the interior, Cincinnati’s long-standing interest in Logan Hall has resurfaced. The club coveted the 2022 second-round pick before ultimately selecting Dax Hill, and the 25-year-old has since matured into a versatile rusher who wins at multiple alignments despite modest box-score numbers. Hall’s ability to kick inside on passing downs would deepen a rotation that still lacks proven depth behind B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankins.

An emotional reunion with DJ Reader also remains in play. The 30-year-old nose tackle anchored Cincinnati’s front from 2020-23, and while age has trimmed some of his snap-to-snap explosion, his leadership and gap-clogging presence would immediately upgrade the locker-room culture.

At edge defender, Arnold Ebiketie headlines the available options. The 27-year-old Falcon posted elite pass-rush grades from Pro Football Focus last fall, trailing only Trey Hendrickson among free-agent edge men in win rate. Ebiketie’s lean frame may cap his early-down usage, but as a designated quarterback hunter he would give defensive coordinator a dynamic third-down complement to Hendrickson and Mafe.

If Cincinnati prefers a short-term flier with local ties, former LSU Tiger K’Lavon Chaisson is expected to sign another one-year deal after notching a career-best sack total in New England. Chaisson’s familiarity with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase from their shared college days could ease his transition into a retooled rotation.

With the second day of the negotiating window underway, the Bengals hold the cap space and clear needs to strike quickly on one—or more—of these remaining defenders.