Bengals Beat: 10 Critical Questions To Be Answered As Training Camp Opens

CINCINNATI — It’s time for results to meet expectations.

No team had a more productive offseason of re-tooling its defense and tweaking a roster that underperformed badly in 2025, leading to a 6-11 record and a third straight season out of the playoffs in the Joe Burrow era. Then again, one could argue that a roster bereft of talent isn’t underperforming, it’s simply not capable of winning.

The Bengals’ front office knew it had its work cut out after the final seconds ticked off the 20-18 loss to the Browns on Jan. 4. They entered the offseason at a critical crossroads. Following a campaign that saw their star quarterback miss nine games following turf toe surgery and a defense that ranked in the bottom five of several significant categories, the organization faced intense media scrutiny and fan pessimism. Were the Bengals ever going to build a winner around Joe Burrow?

Bengals ownership, led by Mike Brown and daughter Katie, have traditionally chosen conservative, baseline adjustments to tweak the roster. That was definitely not the case starting with free agency in March and continuing through the draft.

They started by signing veteran impact free agents like Cincinnati native and Super Bowl champion safety Bryan Cook, defensive edge Boye Mafe, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and safety Kyle Dugger. They then stunned the NFL by trading away their first-round draft pick (No. 10 overall) for defensive tackle anchor Dexter Lawrence II, and extending him another year at $28 million for 2028. Then they did something they almost never do – they restructured quarterback Joe Burrow’s contract to free up approximately $10 million in critical cap space.

All of these moves signal those inside the organization understand that the championship window is wide open. This influx of high-tier talent has fundamentally altered the external narrative and internal expectations in Cincinnati as training camp approaches.

“A lot of urgency this year,” Burrow noted in May. “We have everything we need. We’re deep at just about every position on the team.”

Following the departure of longtime star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson to division rival Baltimore for four years and $112 million in free agency, the Bengals adjusted from relying on a singular dominant edge rusher to utilizing a committee of quick-pressure and flexible edge defenders.

Boye Mafe brings immediate speed off the edge from the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahwaks. Defensive coordinator Al Golden is counting on him being and every down edge. The Bengals added to their pass rush options by taking Texas A&M edge and SEC Defensive Player of the Year Cashius Howell in the second round (No. 41 overall). Howell adds a highly athletic edge threat to the rotational mix. Mafe and Howell join a group that also features 2023 first round edge Myles Murphy and 2025 first rounder Shemar Stewart.

For Burrow, the overhauled roster brings back a familiar feeling – the pressure and expectation to win, and win big.

“Put pressure on guys. I love it. I thrive in it,” Burrow said. “We’ll find out who else does. I know we have the kind of people who want to be in that spot. I want everybody talking about the Bengals. You go back and watch what I said before the 2019 (national championship) season at LSU. I feel very similarly about this team. I’m so excited to get started and get moving.”

Burrow’s confidence is fueled by a completely revitalized supporting cast on both sides of the ball. Burrow acknowledges that the increased financial commitment from ownership eliminates excuses, placing the responsibility on leadership to execute.

With a bolstered roster, expectations have risen to a championship standard, the standard by both Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor repeated often following their Super Bowl run in 2021 and their run to a second straight AFC title game appearance in 2022. Taylor has echoed this optimism, successfully accomplished its objectives regarding scheme implementation and personnel preparation during the offseason workout and practice program.

“We accomplished everything we set out to accomplish,” Taylor said at the end of mandatory minicamp in June.

The 2026 season is viewed as a critical juncture for the Bengals to capitalize on its heavy roster investments and win the first Super Bowl title in the franchise’s 59th season.

With all that said, here are 10 questions that need answering between Wednesday (when training camp 2026 opens) and Sept. 13 when the season begins against Tampa Bay at Paycor Stadium:

1. Is Joe Burrow truly back to 100% health?
Everything in Cincinnati rides or dies on the right arm of Joe Burrow. After another injury disrupted his 2025 season and left the Bengals sitting out January football, Burrow enters camp with no medical limitations. Burrow himself has expressed massive optimism, noting that this is arguably the most talented collective roster he has played with. However, the primary focus during these training camp weeks will be his movement, his comfort in the pocket, and his timing with receivers. If No. 9 remains on the field for all 17 games, the Bengals are immediate championship contenders; if his health wavers, the season is a coin flip.

2. How quickly will the blockbuster defensive line additions mesh?
The Bengals’ defense was historically porous last year, giving up 6,475 yards and 60 touchdowns. In response, director of player personnel Duke Tobin went all-in. The headliner of the offseason was a shocking trade with the New York Giants to acquire superstar defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, paired alongside veteran free-agent signing Jonathan Allen. Training camp will provide the first real look at how defensive coordinator Al Golden intends to utilize these elite interior disruptors. The battle between this newly minted interior wall and the Bengals’ own offensive line will dominate early practices.

3. Can the defense replace the production of Trey Hendrickson?
While the interior of the defensive line received a premium upgrade, the edge position underwent a massive shift. Star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson departed in the offseason to join the rival Baltimore Ravens. To fill the void, the front office signed Boye Mafe and drafted second-round edge rusher Cashius Howell. Replacing Hendrickson’s double-digit sack consistency cannot be done by a single player. Camp will determine whether Mafe can step into a true primary pass-rushing role and how sub-packages will feature Howell’s unique speed off the edge.

4. How hot is Zac Taylor’s seat entering Year 8?
Head coach Zac Taylor enters his eighth season at the helm with mounting pressure. While ownership issued a strong statement endorsing Taylor and the staff after the 2025 collapse, the standard in Cincinnati has changed. With a healthy quarterback and an aggressively overhauled defense, there are no remaining structural excuses. The camp atmosphere will offer a window into Taylor’s urgency and whether his leadership can lift this team out of its multi-year playoff drought.

5. Can the interior offensive line hold up?
While tackle positions are stabilized by veteran Orlando Brown Jr. and young tackle Amarius Mims, questions linger over the interior of the line. Ted Karras returns at center for his age-33 season, and the team is counting on guard Dylan Fairchild to build significantly upon his rookie campaign. Additionally, veteran Dalton Risner was brought in to shore up the right guard position. This trio faces a true trial by fire during camp as they go repetition-for-repetition against Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen.

6. Who emerges as the clear WR3 behind Chase and Higgins?
With Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins drawing defensive focus, the third wide receiver spot remains a vital piece of the offensive puzzle. Third-year wideout Andrei Iosivas is under intense scrutiny to elevate his production after catching just 33 passes last year. He faces stiff competition in camp from Charlie Jones, sophomore Mitch Tinsley, and an intriguing rookie target in Colbie Young, who brings size profiles similar to Higgins. Developing a rapid rapport with Burrow during team drills will decide who wins this role.

7. Will second-year EDGE Shemar Stewart unlock his potential?
Former first-round pick Shemar Stewart had a tumultuous rookie season. A lengthy contract holdout followed by a knee injury limited him to just one single sack, leading many to label his debut year a disappointment. Stewart enters camp fully healthy but deep down the depth chart behind Mafe and Myles Murphy. He has immense physical upside, but camp will be about whether he can show the technical discipline required to earn defensive snaps from Al Golden.

8. How will the new-look safety rotation shake out?
The secondary struggled deeply with communication and explosive plays in 2025. This summer, the front office transformed the room. While the coaching staff remains heavily invested in Jordan Battle, they signed former Chiefs safety Bryan Cook and added premier veteran depth in Kyle Dugger. Determining how these three safeties split snaps, communicate coverages, and coordinate with young cornerbacks like Dax Hill and Tacario Davis will be one of the most critical defensive objectives of camp.

9. Can the front office finalize a contract extension for DJ Turner II?
Away from the grass, contract logistics remain a major storyline. Cornerback DJ Turner II has played at an All-Pro caliber level, but extension talks were put on hold while the team spent heavily on free-agent defenders. Analysts emphasize that with the team’s salary cap clear for the coming years, getting Turner locked in before the regular season is paramount to avoid unnecessary locker room distractions. Whether a deal gets done during camp is a major point of focus for local insiders.

10. Can Zac Taylor fix the team’s goal-to-go efficiency?
Statistical breakdowns from analysts like Warren Sharp have exposed a glaring weakness in Taylor’s offensive approach: goal-to-go situations. Despite Burrow’s elite passing accuracy, the Bengals rank 26th in EPA per play in tight-zone situations over recent years, frequently stalling out and forcing third downs near the goal line. Training camp will test whether Taylor and the offensive staff have innovated their play-calling, particularly with new tight ends like Mike Gesicki and rookie Erick All Jr. available to stretch defense packages vertically.