NFL free agency tracker 2026: News, rumors for Bengals on Wednesday
The Cincinnati Bengals had a quiet Day 2 of the NFL legal tampering period on Tuesday, March 10. Now, the focus is Day 3 of legal tampering , which concludes at 4 p.m. when the new league year begins and teams can officially execute trades and sign free agents.
The Bengals reportedly agreed to terms with two starters on Day 1 of legal tampering with deals for former Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bearcats safety Bryan Cook as well as former Seattle Seahawks defensive end Boye Mafe .
Cincinnati's needs in free agency or the draft remain unchanged from Tuesday as they still need linebacker and interior defensive line help as well as depth in the secondary and on the offensive line.
Follow along to see what happens before the new league year begins at 4 p.m.:
QB Jake Browning to sign with Tampa Bay
Free-agent Jake Browning, who has been a Bengals backup quarterback the past three seasons, will sign a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported. Browning, 29, will back up Baker Mayfield .
Former Bengal Chidobe Awuzie stays with Ravens
Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie has agreed to terms with the Baltimore Ravens, with whom he played last season, according to Mike Garafolo from the NFL Network. Awuzie, 30, played for the Bengals from 2021-23. He has also played for Tennessee (2024) and Dallas (2017-2020).
Edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson to sign with Washington
Washington has agreed to a one-year deal with edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson, the NFL Network reported. Chaisson played for the New England Patriots last season in his sixth year in the league. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said the deal is for $11 million and could reach $12 million with incentives.
LB Josh Uche to sign with Miami Dolphins
The 27-year-old outside linebacker who's a pass rush specialist is headed to the Dolphins on a one-year deal, according to multiple reports. Uche had 11 1/2 sacks as a rookie and most recently played for the Philadelphia Eagles .
Bengals moves so far in 2026 NFL free agency
The Bengals re-signed guard Dalton Risner and cornerback Jalen Davis . When the legal tampering period opened on Monday, March 9, Cincinnati agreed to terms with safety Bryan Cook and defensive end Boye Mafe. Cook, a former standout player for the Cincinnati Bearcats, played his first four NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs after being a second-round pick in 2022. Mafe has played all four of his NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and also was a second-round pick in 2022.
Daniel Jones reaches contract extension with Colts
Quarterback Daniel Jones agreed to a two-year, $88 million extension with the Colts ahead of the new league year beginning on Wednesday. The Colts initially placed the transition tag on Jones, meaning they would have the opportunity to match any offers he would receive from other teams in free agency, but that is voided by the extension.
The Colts also signed Cincinnati Bearcats product Alec Pierce to a four-year, $116 million extension before free agency.
Trey Hendrickson to sign with Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to terms with free-agent edge rusher Trey Hendrickson on a four-year deal worth up to $112 million, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported March 11. Hendrickson was with the Bengals for the past five seasons and led the NFL in sacks in 2024. The Ravens made the move for Hendrickson less than a day after backing out of a trade with the Raiders for Maxx Crosby . Crosby reportedly failed a physical with the Ravens.
When is the official start of free agency?
NFL free agency officially begins at 4 p.m. Teams are allowed to agree to trades and terms with free agents during the legal tampering period, but nothing is official until the new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET.
Who are the best free agents available for the Bengals?
The Bengals have needs at several spots on the defense and could you use depth on the offensive line. Here are the best options for the Bengals before the new league year begins.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals NFL free agency tracker 2026 news, updates, trades
