The Bengals are back in action this week, and training camp brings the first real football of the summer. Cincinnati’s first practice is set for Wednesday, 7/29, and with it comes the start of the long process of cutting the roster from about 90 players to the final 53.
There’s plenty to sort through as camp opens, and the defensive line is near the top of the list. The Bengals overhauled that group this offseason by bringing in Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen, then adding Landon Robinson and Cashius Howell in the draft.
Even with B.J. Hill expected to open camp on the PUP list, the depth chart still looks crowded enough that panic isn’t the word here.
The bigger issue may be finding room for everyone. With only so many spots available, at least one defensive lineman with real value is likely to end up on the outside looking in.
Another thing to watch is whether Cincinnati makes another late addition the way it did last August with Dalton Risner. That move came late in the preseason, but it ended up mattering a lot: Risner took over at right guard, landed a new contract and helped Joe Burrow have the same starting offensive line in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career.
The Bengals have been light at linebacker in both free agency and the draft, and there are still veterans available who could help. Cornerback also deserves attention after the team signed Ja’Sir Taylor and drafted Tacario Davis.
If another veteran comes in before Week 1, linebacker or cornerback feels like the most likely landing spot. Running back is in the mix too, though that looks more like a long shot.
Camp also gives Zac Taylor and his staff another chance to keep pushing against a familiar problem: slow starts. The Bengals have tried to change their training camp approach, including getting starters into preseason action, but the early-season results have still been uneven.
The only time they were better than 2-2 through the first four weeks came during the 2021 Super Bowl run. This roster has too much talent to spend another year clawing back from the wrong side of the standings, so the question is whether the coaching staff keeps adjusting its camp formula in search of a faster opening.
There’s also the contract picture to keep in mind. Several important players are heading into the final year of their deals in 2026, including Dax Hill, DJ Turner II, Andrei Iosivas, Jordan Battle and Chase Brown.
Some of them will get extensions. Not all of them will.
That makes camp and the season ahead part audition, part evaluation, part countdown.
On offense, the battle for the No. 3 receiver job is one of the most interesting competitions to follow. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have the top two spots locked up, but the next man up is still unsettled.
Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones have both gotten chances there, while Mike Gesicki has taken plenty of receiving work from the tight end spot. Nobody has separated from the pack yet, and training camp could finally sort that out.
The tight end room has its own intrigue because of Erick All Jr.’s return. He’s back after the knee injury that ended his 2024 season in Week 9, and his presence changes the conversation.
Gesicki brings the receiver-like element, Drew Sample offers blocking value, and All has the chance to give Cincinnati something that blends both. If he stays healthy, he could alter the shape of the offense.
More questions will surface once camp gets rolling, but these are the big ones right now.
In Other News...
Al Goldens Praise May Have Exposed A Bengals Secondary Shakeup
Al Goldens early praise of Cincinnatis new defensive additions offered a small window into how the Bengals may be sorting out their back end as camp approaches. Among the players drawing attention is Kyle Dugger, the hybrid safety brought in as a free agent from the Steelers, whose size and versatility give the defense another option as it pieces together roles in the secondary.
What makes Dugger interesting is not just the experience he brings, but the way he fits into a crowded competition for snaps. The Bengals have several capable defensive backs in the mix, and Goldens comments suggest the staff is still weighing how to use that group most effectively, whether in the slot, in dime looks or somewhere else that takes advantage of the rosters flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Week 1 Opponent Suddenly Has A Major Problem Up Front
The Bengals Week 1 trip to Tampa Bay just picked up an unexpected layer of intrigue up front. Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea is entering the final year of his deal, and after extension talks stalled, the situation around one of the leagues most imposing interior linemen has become a real storyline heading into training camp.
For Cincinnati, the timing is notable because the front office already addressed the position this offseason by adding Dexter Lawrence II, a move that gave the defense a bigger, more disruptive presence in the middle. Defensive coordinator Al Golden has spoken highly of Lawrences ability to win one-on-one matchups and hold his ground, which makes the Bengals feel set at the spot even as one of their first opponents deals with uncertainty there. [Read more 🡒]
Zac Taylor Just Sent A Different Message About Bengals Expectations
Zac Taylor is heading into the season with a different kind of energy around the Bengals, and he is not pretending otherwise. After Cincinnatis Super Bowl LVI run, the expectation has shifted from chasing a breakthrough to proving it was no one-year spike, and Taylor has acknowledged the pressure that comes with trying to get the team back to the playoffs.
What makes this worth watching is how that pressure may be shaping the way he leads. Taylor has suggested it is pushing him to be more demanding and more accountable with his coaching staff, a subtle but meaningful change for a team that has not yet played a regular-season or preseason game. The Bengals still have to show it on the field, but the tone around the building already sounds a little different. [Read more 🡒]