The Bengals have spent the Zac Taylor era swinging between the highs and lows that come with any long run in the NFL, but one thing has quietly held up: the draft. Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins in 2020, Ja’Marr Chase the next year - those are the obvious headliners. But Cincinnati has also found real value beyond the marquee names.
That’s why the 2023 class keeps coming back into focus. It may end up being the strongest group Taylor and the front office have assembled, but that label only sticks if the key pieces keep delivering in 2026. Myles Murphy, DJ Turner, Jordan Battle, Chase Brown and Andrei Iosivas are all entering contract years, and that makes this season a major test for a class that already looks loaded with contributors.
Murphy is already starting on the defensive line. Battle and Turner are expected to keep developing into difference-makers in the secondary.
Brown is in the mix to be a legitimate RB1 contender this year. And Iosivas has already shown he can be a dependable target for Burrow.
Put it all together, and the 2023 group has a strong case as the deepest and best-value draft class of the Taylor era. At minimum, Murphy, Battle, Turner and Brown are all important pieces right now, while Iosivas has been steady whenever his number has been called.
Cincinnati’s hope now is straightforward: if the 2026 rookies can make the same kind of early jump that Turner, Battle and Brown did, the Bengals may have another strong draft class on their hands.
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Robinson has offered the Bengals some intrigue as a defensive tackle who can also line up at fullback, while Meyers brings value with his ability to help as both a receiver and a returner. Young, meanwhile, is in a crowded wideout race and needs to keep showing he can carve out playing time. In a preseason where opportunities will be limited for many, these three have a chance to turn a routine August game into something much more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Still Have One Threat To Their Super Bowl Hopes
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The Bengals did cut down on sacks allowed in 2025, yet Burrow still took 17 in eight games, a number that helped cut short his season and limited what the offense could become. Cincinnati has not made major changes up front, choosing instead to trust the lines cohesion, but until that unit proves it can keep Burrow clean, the teams Super Bowl hopes will keep feeling fragile. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Defense Is Showing A Toughness Fans Have Been Waiting For
Cashius Howell has been one of the quieter stories of Bengals training camp, but the rookie defensive end is starting to make his presence felt. His growth showed up in a joint practice against the Bears, where Cincinnatis defense put together one of its sharper stretches and Howell was part of the pressure that helped set up an interception by Dexter Lawrence.
For a defense that spent last season trying to find more consistency, those late-practice sequences matter. The Bengals were working with better chemistry and a more decisive finish, and Howell pointed to that as the kind of standard that needs to carry over once the games count. [Read more 🡒]