It was a brutal season for the Cincinnati Bengals. Even with Joe Burrow arguably playing the best football of his career — and staying healthy the entire year—the team missed the playoffs for a second straight season. A major shakeup seemed necessary, but the Bengals didn’t go that route.
Instead, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are back on record-breaking deals, and barely any help has been added to the defense. Upgrades are needed after the unit was one of the worst in the league last year. One analyst has floated the idea of a veteran addition who could help Cincinnati in the short term.
Cincinnati Bengals Could Add Free Agent CB Stephon Gilmore to Roster
Last year, Joe Burrow finished with career highs in passer rating, total yards, completion percentage, yards per game, touchdowns, and touchdown-to-interception ratio. And yet, the Bengals won just nine games.
The main culprit? A defense that ranked in the bottom five of PFSN’s Defense+ metric, turning almost every matchup into a shootout. Fixing the defense had to be a priority, but the Bengals still haven’t extended Defensive Player of the Year candidate Trey Hendrickson.
So far, the only additions to free agency on that side of the ball have been Tedarrell Slaton and Oren Burks. A change at defensive coordinator might help — Lou Anarumo was fired and replaced by Al Golden — but they still need more. Bleacher Report laid out a possible path.
“After ranking 21st in passing yards allowed, 25th in total yards allowed, and 25th in points allowed, the Cincinnati Bengals decided to shake things up defensively this offseason. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was fired and replaced by Al Golden. Cincinnati also added defensive lineman T.J. Slaton and linebacker Oren Burks.”
But more help is needed, and Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggested longtime New England Patriots star Stephon Gilmore.
“However, the Bengals have done nothing to improve their cornerback room. Stephon Gilmore will turn 35 in September but could help with the Bengals’ defensive transition this season. He started 15 games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024 and would, presumably, prefer to land with another playoff-caliber team this year.”
Gilmore has seen it all in his NFL career. He won Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 while leading the Patriots’ defense to a win in Super Bowl 53. Though he’s not the player he once was, the five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro still brings plenty of experience.
And frankly, even now, he’d be a valuable addition to the Bengals, given how rough things looked on defense last year. Cincinnati is already tight on cap space, and finding a reliable veteran contributor at a bargain price is rare. With his track record, Gilmore might be their best — and maybe only — real option.