Bleacher Report makes the case for Bengals to sign Leonard Williams in free agency

Cincinnati is expected to sign the defensive lineman this offseason

The Cincinnati Bengals have another massive offseason in front of them if the franchise hopes to make another Super Bowl run.

The Bengals have kicked off the offseason by officially giving Tee Higgins the franchise tag.

The current roster has many holes with positions like cornerback, tight end, defensive line, offensive line, and even punter.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport suggests the Bengals should sign Seattle Seahawks free agent defensive tackle Leonard Williams this offseason.

Davenport stated, “Leonard Williams isn’t the best defensive tackle hitting the market in 2024. He’s just the best interior lineman with a real shot at leaving—Chris Jones of the Chiefs, Justin Madubuike of the Ravens and Christian Wilkins of the Dolphins will probably be extended and/or tagged by their current teams. This isn’t to say that the Seattle Seahawks won’t make an effort to keep Leonard Williams in the fold after trading for the 29-year-old in-season last year. But the Seahawks are upside down against the cap. And the tag for defensive tackles is almost $21 million in 2024.”

Davenport believes the contract with Williams would be three years, $50.5 million, with $36.5 million guaranteed.

The Bengals will need to sign someone on the defensive line this offseason who can help generate a pass rush outside of only Trey Hendrickson.

Williams can bring that skill set to Cincinnati and help boost the trenches in a major way. He has 26 sacks and 72 QB hits since the 2020 season but does turn 30 on June 20th, so this will likely be his last major payday.

Should the Bengals take the gamble?