The Bengals are staring at another August where the roster could get a real jolt.
Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes that Cincinnati has a strong track record of making meaningful additions late in the summer, whether through free agency or a trade, and he expects that pattern to hold again in 2026. The pressure points are clear: cornerback, swing tackle and linebacker remain areas that could use help for a team carrying high expectations.
How quickly the Bengals move may come down to what they see from a few camp battles. Dehner says the performances of linebacker Demetrius Knight, linebacker Barrett Carter and tackle Cody Ford will go a long way toward shaping how urgent the team feels about addressing those spots.
There’s also the matter of Chase Brown, who is entering the final year of his contract. Dehner expects Brown to be on the roster in 2027 in some form, pointing to the lack of a clear successor behind him and the fact that the franchise tag would be manageable.
An extension isn’t off the table, either. But Dehner says the Bengals are likely to have other priorities first, with cornerback DJ Turner, safety Daxton Hill and edge rusher Myles Murphy all in the mix. Turner sits at the top of that list, though Dehner adds that if talks drag, Cincinnati could pivot to lower offers for Hill and Murphy.
In Cleveland, Shedeur Sanders says the quarterback room has stayed steady and competitive, with no bad blood between him and Deshaun Watson.
“We’re both trying to be the best version of ourselves we could be,” Sanders said, via PFT. “So we’re not going to let anything get in between of that.
So it’s a level of respect that we all in the quarterback room have for each other. And we’re not really emotional when it comes to things that we can’t control.
We mainly focus on and thrive on getting better in the work every day. So if I like something he’s doing, I ask.
If he likes something I do, then [he] asks. It’s conversation, and that’s what’s most effective.”
Sanders said he and Watson have spent the offseason helping each other, keeping the focus on daily improvement rather than outside noise.
In Other News...
Bengals Just Got A Chance To Fix Their Biggest Linebacker Problem
The Bengals linebacker room has been a concern, and the issue is only getting more attention as Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. continue to draw questions about whether they can stabilize the middle of the defense. Cincinnati has been searching for more certainty at the position, and that makes veteran help worth monitoring if the right name becomes available.
One possible opening is developing in Miami, where a linebacker situation has shifted enough to put a proven depth option on the radar. For a Bengals defense that could use steadier play and a little more experience behind its young options, the chance to add a player with some NFL mileage and a contract situation that makes movement more realistic is the kind of roster fix teams keep an eye on as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Eric Gentry Faces A Bengals Reality Check This Summer
Eric Gentry arrives in Cincinnati as the kind of developmental linebacker teams stash with an eye on the future, not the immediate depth chart. The former USC defender brings rare height and athletic traits that make him easy to notice in camp, and that alone gives him a chance to stick around long enough for the Bengals to see what they have in a player who was not drafted but still drew enough interest to get a shot.
The summer challenge is more practical than flashy. Gentry has to prove he can hold up physically, play with more functional strength and show he can handle the dirty work that comes with life in an NFL front seven. If he can carve out a role on special teams and flash enough versatility in preseason work, the Bengals could keep him in the mix as a long-term project, with the door still open for a more creative defensive role down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Fans May Hate What Comes Next For Cameron Sample
Cameron Samples time in Cincinnati never really matched the hope that came with a 2021 draft pick, and his exit after the 2025 season fits a familiar frustration for Bengals fans who have watched too many defensive pieces stall out before becoming difference-makers. He spent four seasons with the team and never grew into the impact player the Bengals needed, adding another name to a list that has only sharpened the scrutiny on how this defense has been built and developed.
Now Sample is in San Francisco, where the next chapter comes with a different kind of buzz. Some around the league think the 49ers could get more out of him under defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, whose track record with linemen has made him one of the more respected fixers in football. For Cincinnati, that is the part that stings most: the possibility that a player it could not unlock may find the right fit somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]