Bengals named a top destination for free agent DL Christian Wilkins

The Cincinnati Bengals don’t have a choice but to address the defensive interior multiple times this offseason.

Depth was a serious problem for that spot on the roster last season well before DJ Reader went down with a season-ending injury.

Now, tack on that Reader is a free agent this month, too.

Those are a few of the reasons the Bengals are often mentioned alongside Miami Dolphins star Christian Wilkins, including now as one of the best fits for him on the market, per Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox:

The Cincinnati Bengals, though, could provide an enticing home for Wilkins. The Bengals should be an AFC contender again in 2023, assuming quarterback Joe Burrow returns to pre-injury form. Cincinnati could also support Wilkins with premium defensive players like Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, B.J. Hill and Logan Wilson.

The problem for the Bengals is the likelihood Wilkins lands a massive top-of-market deal on the market. They’re not opposed to spending big money lately, but his pricetag might be a bit rich when they need to make multiple additions at the same spot.

On paper, the Bengals figure to bring back Reader — especially after sounding interested in doing so. Taking a prospect as high as the first round is on the table, too.

That’s not to completely rule out the Bengals making such a great fit happen (Orlando Brown only happened last year because his reps reached out to the team, after all), especially because it make so much sense on the field. But it’s more of a cautious-optimism situation.