The Bengals reportedly reached a deal Wednesday night with one of the top defensive tackles remaining in free agency when outlets had them agreeing with Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins.
Rankins, the 12th pick in the 2016 draft for the Saints, is a proven and productive three-technique who has played in seven postseason games. The last two were starts last year in his only season with the Texans, when he had six sacks and 10 quarterback hits to go with the seventh-best pass rush win rate among interior players.
Three of those sacks came against the Bengals on a day he dominated with a forced fumble and four hits on Joe Burrow while playing 64% of the snaps. The Bengals have seen plenty of Rankins to give him a reported $26 million over two years. In four games against them he's got six sacks, eight hits on the quarterback and 17 tackles.
The impending move partners the 6-2, 305-pound Rankins, who turns 30 next month, with another productive three-technique in B.J. Hill. According to Pro Football Reference, Hill and Rankins are both in the NFL's top 20 for quarterback pressures by defensive tackles in the past eight seasons and gives defensive line coach Marion Hobby more opportunities to roll through his rotations.
It also conjures up memories of the 1-2 punch at the three-technique in 2021, when Hill (5.5) and Larry Ogunjobi split 13 sacks while right end Trey Hendrickson set a then Bengals record with 14 sacks and left end Sam Hubbard added 7.5. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo talked about that season last month at the NFL scouting combine and the importance of adding more consistent interior pressure to help the outside.
"That inside pressure is always going to force it back to those (ends) and make it even easier," Anarumo said. "Our division in particular, when you have a presence inside, when a lot of those quarterbacks like to scramble that can maybe make that a little bit tougher for them as well. We are always looking for them."
Adding depth to a defensive line where nose tackles DJ Reader and Josh Tupou remain unsigned is another offseason need the Bengals checked this week and indications are they're still looking for nose men. According to more reports on Wednesday night, Bengals right tackle Jonah Williams agreed in Arizona for two years. The Bengals figure to look at free-agent tackles, but it's also a draft rich at the position.
They're poised to check off a big chunk of their offseason wish list as early as Thursday, when they're reportedly expected to sign a ball-hawking, signal-calling safety (Geno Stone), one of the league's more reliable pass- catching tight ends (Mike Gesicki) and a veteran change-of-pace running back to complement sophomore Chase Brown as they morph into a back-by-committee (Zack Moss).
