5 best free agency signings in Cincinnati Bengals’ history feat. Trey Hendrickson, Vonn Bell, and more

The Cincinnati Bengals are a great destination for free agents in 2025. The team is a perennial postseason contender and has one of the most stacked offenses in professional football.

However, it's not always been this way, as the Bengals have dealt with decades of rebuilding. One way they've stayed afloat for this long is their ability to find the perfect free agent signing.

With that in mind, let's look at five of the best free agency moves in Bengals history.

Five best free agency signings in Cincinnati Bengals’ history

5. Coy Bacon, Defensive Lineman - 1996

Coy Bacon spent just two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals but was selected to the team's 50th Anniversary Team. This just goes to show the level of impact that he made in his short stint in Cincinnati.

Bacon spent time with the Charleston Rockets, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams,and San Diego Chargers before arriving at Cincinnati. He spent two Pro Bowl caliber seasons with the Bengals before joining the Washington Redskins.

4. Vontaze Burfict, Linebacker - 2012

Vontaze Burfict was one of the most uncompromising hitters in the NFL. The Bengals brought in Burfict as an undrafted free agent in 2012.

He went on to play in seven seasons with the Bengals. He earned one Pro Bowl nod during that period, and was an effective tackler while on the roster.

3. D.J. Reader, Nose Tackle - 2020

D.J. Reader spent the first four seasons of his professional football career with the Detroit Lions. Reader joined the Bengals ahead of the 2020 regular season.

The veteran nose tackle grew in stature during his time in Cincinnati. He helped the team to two postseason berths before joining the Detroit Lions in 2024.

2. Vonn Bell, Safety - 2020

Vonn Bell's first stint with the Bengals was so good that the team had to run it back. The safety thrived in Cincinnati after spending the first four years of his career with the New Orleans Saints.

Bell was an undisputed starter during his first stint in Cincinnati. However, he's since adapted to a backup role in Zac Taylor's defense.

1. Trey Hendrickson, Defensive End - 2021

Trey Hendrickson spent his first four seasons as a pro with the New Orleans Saints. He started out as a backup with the Saints before he settled into a role as a starter.

Trey Hendrickson joined Cincinnati for the 2021 season, and quickly became a key part of the Bengals' pass rush. He's fresh off the best year of his career, and is due for a big pay day.