CINCINNATI -- Amid a year full of unfavorable results, there was a small bit of solace for the Cincinnati Bengals defensive line as it prepared for its second game against the Baltimore Ravens.
As the unit prepped for the second matchup in three games against its AFC North rival, a key piece of inside information was shared -- even with All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson sidelined for the season, Baltimore was not looking past Cincinnati's front.
"They had some guys up there that they were worried about on the [defensive] line -- and that's good," Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai said. "That's huge. That's what we want every week."
Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowler, will be a free agent after a year filled with injuries and contract disputes. Ossai, who has a team-high five sacks, will also be a free agent. If Cincinnati wants to rebuild the roster around star quarterback Joe Burrow, finding key pass rushers for 2026 and beyond will be a major part of that conversation.
"Those are more offseason questions," coach Zac Taylor said. "Guys that can attack the quarterback, make it uncomfortable on every passing down, do a great job against the run. I mean, I'm describing Pro Bowl players."
Even if Taylor wanted to be vague in his description, it was a telling one. Hendrickson has been Cincinnati's lone defensive Pro Bowler since Geno Atkins earned the last of his eight nods in 2019.
Over the years, Cincinnati has attempted to add high-impact edge rushers. In 2021, the team used a third-round draft pick on Ossai. Two years later, Cincinnati used a first-round pick on Clemson's Myles Murphy, and in 2021 the Bengals got another first-rounder in Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart.
But over the years, the production hasn't matched the drafted value. Outside of Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024, the Bengals haven't had players who consistently affected opposing quarterbacks.
In the previous two seasons, no Bengal other than Hendrickson had more than 25 quarterback pressures in a single season, according to ESPN Research. The Ravens had four players cross that span.
Heading into this year, Cincinnati made changes to the defensive staff. The Bengals hired Al Golden as the defensive coordinator and Jerry Montgomery as the defensive line coach.
And from the outset, a new standard was established if players wanted to see the field.
"You're either going to do it the way it needs to be done to improve or you're not going to be out there," Montgomery said this week. "It's as simple as that. I think when guys are given free passes to play in ball games and they haven't deserved it, shame on us as coaches."
Murphy and Ossai have maximized their earned playing time. Both have career-high pressure rates with three games left in the season.
Montgomery's impact has been noted. Murphy recalled that before the Bengals even put on pads for training camp, the Cincinnati assistant coach said the defensive line didn't play with anywhere near the physicality needed to be a good unit.
And for Murphy, who came under fire after a zero-sack season in 2024, the new coach flipped his mindset. Murphy started watching more game film on his own time aside from what was given to him.
Perhaps most notably, Murphy said he "bought into the program," trusting the instruction he got on how to attack opposing players. When asked why that didn't happen earlier, Murphy said it came down to belief.
"Really it's a confidence thing, just knowing this is what I'm going to dictate to the old line, this is what I'm going to dictate to the offense," Murphy said. "I know it's going to work. Last year, I hoped it was going to work."
If Murphy or Stewart can develop into an imposing pass rusher, it will be big for a Bengals unit that ranks 29th in pass rush win rate, an ESPN metric powered by NFL Next Gen Stats. Ossai and Hendrickson's future will be determined as free agency evolves.
But the other question that will need to be answered will be the quality of the team's interior pass rushers. Having big men collapse the middle of the pocket is paramount in an era featuring the most athletic collection of starting quarterbacks to date, Montgomery said.
"You can have an awesome edge rusher, but if you don't have any inside push or any inside rush, then that guy can run off the edge all he wants or they can slide protect to him," Montgomery said.
Addressing that part of the roster could be a priority in the offseason as the Bengals look to end a three-year postseason drought, one that seemed unfathomable following back-to-back deep playoff runs in 2021 and 2022.
But the pass rush has delivered signs of progress in recent weeks. Ten of the team's 25 sacks have come in the past three games against MVP-winning quarterbacks (Buffalo's Josh Allen, Baltimore's Lamar Jackson).
Ossai didn't want to speak for the front office on how it will address the group in the offseason. But he knows the value of having a defensive front that other teams talk about while preparing to face the Bengals.
"Every defense needs that, and every defense wants that," Ossai said. "I always say a good defense and a good offense starts with a foundation. So if the whole defensive line is a force to be reckoned with, then that's a good thing."