Wednesday, word broke the Cincinnati Bengals had a reported visit with free-agent defensive lineman Chris Smith.
That was an interesting nugget to come out of the blue given the team’s history with Smith. But if nothing else, it signaled the team was serious about upping depth along the defensive line early in the offseason process.
While details of the visit remain scarce, ESPN’s Adam Schefter later reported Smith decided to sign a deal with the Carolina Panthers.
Whether the Bengals were merely leverage here is hard to say. But Smith might serve as a good sign of what the team wants on the open market right now — potential quality depth willing to fight for a roster spot over the summer.
Besides obvious needs like linebacker and corner, depth on the edge is something the Bengals will clearly keep an eye on now and over the course of the next two critical months.
