Bengals Beat: Starting Point – As Preseason Opener Approaches, Defensive Line, Secondary Spots in Focus in First 2026 Camp 53-man Projection

CINCINNATI – Heading into the first preseason game and after two weeks of training camp, it’s time to take a look at how the roster is shaping up.

On Sunday, the Bengals started to gear up for Thursday at Paycor against the Detroit Lions. The starters will likely play the first quarter and then start coming out of the game. On Sunday, we started to see full rotations of personnel on the defensive line and in secondary, mimicking what game situations would look like.

The battles to start zeroing in on lie in the defensive line, receivers, tight ends and safety. How will the rookies respond to their first NFL action? Will the likes of Brian Parker II, Connor Lew, Cashius Howell, Bobo Davis, Landon Robinson and Jack Endries show their value as draft picks? Which undrafted free agents will shine?

While the passing game has been disrupted by the defensive line (a good thing), the run game has looked impressive with Chase Brown toting the rock. The run schemes have not come easy but they’ve been coming steadily.

“It’s been hard. Going against our defense, they make it really challenging,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “So you’re having to earn about everything you can do. Guys are having to be really disciplined with the technique and landmarks and aiming points and all that kind of stuff. So that’s been fun watching those guys take in those coaching points and really be dialed into it, walking on the perimeter, all the things that are going to make us successful, but nothing’s been easy. We’ve had to work for everything we’ve gotten, which is a good thing early in camp.”

Bengals Camp Day 9:
* No Dax Hill, Bryan Cook, Jalen Davis. Hill and Cook observed not in uniform. Davis was in uniform but DNP in practice.
* Joe Burrow leads offense to score on first drive in 11s. Full situations, including hurry-up, red zone, run, pass and real-time substitutions.
* Opening drive featured three completions on slants to Tee Higgins.
* Burrow finished with two touchdowns in five drives. One ended when Burrow found Andrei Iosivas on the 5 and Yoshi beat Bralyn Lux for the TD. The other was a perfect toss to Tee Higgins in the back right corner of the end zone. Three other drives finished with sacks, Lawrence, Knight Jr. and Allen.
* Higgins made a nice grab in corner of end zone for TD over DJ Ivey.
* Colbie Young with another high-point 50-50 ball from Flacco on sideline. Couldn’t complete another would-be great catch in the end zone from Flacco as Ceyair Wright broke it up as he fell to the ground.
* Bralyn Lux filled in for Jalen Davis in 1s. Kyle Dugger filled in for Cook. DJ Ivey in for Dax Hill on 1s. Lux got some run with 1s and 2s.
* Bengals DLine featured both 2-down linemen and three tackle fronts with Lawrence, Slaton and Allen in there with Murphy and Mafe on the edges.
* Oren Burks knocked out the ball from Gary Brightwell, and Daijahn Anthony recovered on Flacco’s first drive.
* BJ Hill worked out in football gear on rehab field with rehab trainer Nick Cosgray. No knee brace only sleeve on Shemar Stewart.
* Practice lasted 2 hours in humid 85 degree heat.
* Family and friends day on the field post practice.

• Key Additions:

Free agents: Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, Bryan Cook, Kyle Dugger, Ja’Sir Taylor, Swayze Bozeman, Dohnte Meyers, Josh Johnson

Trade: Dexter Lawrence II

Draft: Cashius Howell, Tacario ‘Bobo’ Davis, Colbie Young, Brian Parker II, Connor Lew, Landon Robinson, Jack Endries

Undrafted rookie and second-year free agents: Noah Thomas, Eric Gentry, Jack Dingle, Ceyair Wright, Jamal Haynes, Kentrel Bullock

• Second-year risers:

Shemar Stewart, Dylan Fairchild, Mitch Tinsley, Isaiah Foskey, Bralyn Lux, Barrett Carter, Demetrius Knight Jr., Jalen Rivers

• Key Losses:

Free agents: Trey Hendrickson (Baltimore), Joseph Ossai (New York Jets), Geno Stone (Buffalo), Jake Browning (Minnesota), Cam Sample (San Francisco), Noah Fant (New Orleans), Lucas Patrick (New York Giants), Cam Taylor-Britt (Indianapolis), Marco Wilson (Miami), Tycen Anderson (Denver), Cordell Volson (Tennessee)

Without further ado, we present the first 2026 Bengals 53-man roster projection:

OFFENSE (25):

• Quarterback (2):

Joe Burrow, Joe Flacco
Cuts: Josh Johnson, Sean Clifford

Trags take:
Joe Burrow is expected to start Thursday’s preseason opener against Detroit. He played through the first quarter last year in Philadelphia, leading a pair of touchdown drives on his only two series. Expect the same playing time again this season. The bigger question is how much backup Joe Flacco will play in the preseason and whether the coaching staff will want to expose him to injury. Sean Clifford is playing to try and seal a spot on the practice squad.

• Running back (3):

Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, Tahj Brooks
Cuts: Kendall Milton, Gary Brightwell, Jamal Haynes, Kentrel Bullock

Trags take:
Again, this room looks pretty straightforward. Adding a veteran tailback in the room at some time in camp isn’t out of the question but for now, the real battles are for the practice squad.

• Tight end (5):

Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, Erick All Jr., Jack Endries, Tanner Hudson
Cuts: Cam Grandy, Josh Kattus

Trags take:
Bengals liked Endries enough to draft him out of Texas. Does he have enough to make it in a very competitive and deep room? Tanner Hudson caught a nice touchdown pass from Joe Flacco in the red zone on Sunday.

• Wide Receiver (6):

Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Colbie Young, Charlie Jones, Dohnte Meyers
Cuts:Kendric Pryor, Jordan Moore, Noah Thomas, Xavier Johnson, Ke’Shawn Williams

Trags take:
An extremely competitive battle is unfolding on the back end of the depth chart as Dohnte Meyers and Noah Thomas have made plays. Of even more significant note, rookie Colbie Young has been getting time with the 1s and looks legitimately ready to challenge Andrei Iosivas throughout camp for playing time behind Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

• Offensive line (9):

Orlando Brown Jr., Amarius Mims, Ted Karras, Dylan Fairchild, Cody Ford, Dalton Risner, Jalen Rivers, Connor Lew, Brian Parker II
Cuts: Javon Foster, Liam Brown, Jacob Bayer, Corey Robinson II, Christian Jones, Andrew Coker

Trags take:
The starting five are entrenched, barring injury. The battle to watch here is for the third tackle spot, which is presumably Cody Ford right now as he’s been getting the majority of second team reps with Andrew Coker. Javon Foster, Corey Robinson II and Christian Jones will get a chance to push in preseason.

DEFENSE(25):

• Edge (5):

Boye Mafe, Cashius Howell, Shemar Stewart, Myles Murphy, Cedric Johnson
Cuts: Isaiah Foskey, Antwuan Powell-Ryland

Trags take: The room that had the greatest overhaul in the offseason, as Trey Hendrickson, Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample are gone. The five edges that seem to be locks should give the Bengals a different feel to their defense on obvious passing downs.

• IDL (6):

Dexter Lawrence II, Jonathan Allen, T.J. Slaton, BJ Hill, McKinnley Jackson, Kris Jenkins Jr.
Cuts: Landon Robinson, Howard Cross III, Jordan Jefferson

Trags take: The deepest room on defense when BJ Hill returns. With Dexter Lawrence II overpowering at times, he’s made TJ Slaton that much more effective. It’s also the unit that has shined early in camp with pass rush up the middle. With BJ Hill out, McKinnley Jackson has been getting more run with the 1s and a chance to prove himself. Kris Jenkins, likewise, got some run with the 1s. Other teams with needs could look at this roster as a place to fill a void like the Bengals did in acquiring BJ Hill in 2021 in a trade with the Giants for Billy Price. Jenkins and Jackson could certainly fall into that category, especially if Jackson shines in preseason and continues to show improvement in camp the way he has to this point. Landon Robinson certainly will have his chance to move up and push for that final spot in the room, as will last year’s similar story Howard Cross III.

• Linebackers (4):

Demetrius Knight Jr., Barrett Carter, Oren Burks, Joe Giles-Harris
Cuts: Shaka Heyward, Liam Anderson, Eric Gentry, Swayze Bozeman, Jack Dingle

Trags take:

Can Heyward beat out Joe Giles-Harris? Oren Burks forced a fumble during practice on Sunday. Knight, Carter and Burks should all be locks.

• Cornerbacks (6):

Dax Hill, DJ Turner II, DJ Ivey, Jalen Davis, Bralyn Lux, Bobo Davis
Cuts: Josh Newton, Ceyair Wright, Jalen Kimber, Ja’Sir Taylor

Trags take:

Josh Newton has the most to prove in this room, and he should get that chance in preseason. Watch for Ceyair Wright and free agent Ja’Sir Taylor, a former New York Jet, to get significant playing time in their push for a spot. Will Bralyn Lux continue his rise that has seen him get first-team reps with Jalen Davis sitting out the last couple of practices at slot? Dax Hill will almost certainly not play Thursday as he continues to manage his minor hamstring issue.

• Safeties (4):

Bryan Cook, Jordan Battle, Kyle Dugger, Daijahn Anthony
Cuts: PJ Jules, Russ Yeast

Trags take: Battle here is between PJ Jules and Daijahn Anthony for that final spot. Both need to impress in special teams to secure a spot. Jordan Battle continues to show growth and improvement playing next to Bryan Cook and veteran Kyle Dugger, when Cook is out.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3):

• Kicker (1):

Evan McPherson
Cuts: None

Trags take:
Has started off camp strong, including 6-for-6 in stadium practice before fans, with a 65-yard field goal with plenty to spare to cap it off. He looks ready to build on last year’s bounce-back season.

• Punter/Holder(1):

Ryan Rehkow
Cuts: None

Trags take: Rehkow has been booming punts in camp, looking strong and ready for his second full season in Cincinnati.

• Long snapper (1):

Williams Wagner
Cuts:

Trags take: Since winning the job last summer from Cal Adomitis, he’s been exactly what Darrin Simmons was hoping for – consistent. The whole unit returns with no competitions. If healthy, that should yield strong results.