The Cincinnati Bengals tried and failed to add an edge rusher at the NFL trade deadline. Now that it is clear that the team is interested in adding an edge rusher, one name to keep an eye on is free agent Leonard Floyd, according to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report.
Knox notes that he is a rental who can help pressure the quarterback which is exactly what the Bengals need.
“At 34, Floyd may have lost a step that allows him to close on quarterbacks, but he can still move a signal-caller off his spot with pressure off the edge,” wrote Knox. “The 10-year pro is best suited as a stopgap defender. Floyd can fill a void on the edge for the Cincinnati Bengals, who placed rookie second-round edge-rusher Cashius Howell (wrist surgery) on injured reserve.”
The former first-round pick signed a one-year, $10M deal last season. He has made $87.9M in his NFL career.
Cincinnati Bengals Could Add Free Agent Edge Rusher Leonard Floyd
Floyd is a former top-10 pick, going 9th overall in the 2016 NFL draft. He hit the ground running with seven sacks in his rookie season.
However, the next season he had 4.5 sacks, and he continued his decline with four sacks in his third season. The Bears released him after his fourth season, and he only produced three sacks in his fourth NFL season.
That caused him to sign with the Los Angeles Rams in free agency. He looked like a hit with the Rams, putting up a 10.5-sack year. Then he hit 9.5 sacks and 9 sacks in his next two seasons. He helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 2021 with 2 sacks in the postseason run.
In 2023, he signed with the Buffalo Bills and recorded 10.5 sacks as well. Then in 2024, he joined the San Francisco 49ers and put up 8.5 sacks. In 2025, he started to see his career come down. He played for the Atlanta Falcons and produced just 3.5 sacks. At age 33 and coming off two straight seasons trending down, he is now a free agent.
Bengals Need Edge Rusher Help
Meanwhile, the Bengals edge-rusher room needs help. They have Myles Murphy, and they signed Boye Mafe in free agency. Those are their starters, but they do need depth.
They lost Cashius Howell to the IR. They do not trust Shamar Stewart, who has hardly played this season and was inactive two weeks ago. Cedric Johnson is a special teams option, and he is also banged up.
This is why the team went for Arnold Ebiketie at the trade deadline. They were just looking for depth and not a big name. They were not looking to lose a lot of value in the draft or against the cap. So, a cheap signing like Floyd fits. The Bengals play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10.
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