The Cincinnati Bengals are still a couple of weeks away from the start of training camp, but the offseason picture is already taking shape. After a disappointing 2025 season, the roster has been reshaped with several notable additions, and that means the next few weeks should bring plenty of competition for jobs and snaps.
One of the clearest offseason winners is Dexter Lawrence, who arrived in Cincinnati looking for a fresh start. If the three-time Pro Bowler is going to get back to that level, the Bengals are giving him the chance to do it in a defense that badly needed help against the run.
That need was obvious last season, when Cincinnati allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL. The front office responded by making one of its biggest moves of the offseason, and Lawrence is the centerpiece of that effort.
His arrival also creates a ripple effect elsewhere on the defensive line. T.J.
Slaton Jr. looks like the player most likely to lose ground, even though he was a major part of the Bengals’ run defense a year ago. Lawrence is expected to absorb a large share of those snaps.
Another veteran on the defensive side trying to carve out a role is Russ Yeast. He is looking for a place to stick this season, but the path is not easy.
With Bryan Cook now in the mix, the Bengals already have their starting free safety, and Yeast’s best shot may be at the second spot. Even then, it is a tough climb for a player who has not appeared in a regular-season game since 2024.
The Bengals also added another proven name to help address the run game in Jonathan Allen. The longtime Washington Commanders defensive tackle gives Cincinnati yet another experienced option, and the team is clearly betting on veteran production from a player with 10 years in the league. It is a gamble, but one the Bengals are willing to make.
On the offensive side, Colbie Young is a rookie generating plenty of buzz. The 2026 fourth-round pick, a former Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver, has a real chance to make an early impression once camp opens. There is at least a path for him to show he can be a Day 1 impact player.
Tight end is another spot worth watching closely. Drew Sample, Mike Gesicki and Erick All could be the top options in the room, which leaves Tanner Hudson in a tricky position.
The Bengals’ draft pick of Jack Endries only adds more pressure, and Hudson may be staring at a fight to keep his place. Still, the eight-year veteran is not likely to hand that job away without a battle.
Depth at tight end should be one of the more interesting camp storylines for Cincinnati.
In Other News...
Bengals May Have A Cheap Answer To A Familiar Backfield Fear
The Bengals have spent enough time worrying about backfield depth to know when a cheap insurance policy is worth exploring, and a trade idea floating around this week fits that mold. With the Chargers adding more bodies to their running back room, Cincinnati could potentially find a usable reserve without paying much more than a late-round draft pick.
For a team that wants steadiness behind Chase Brown and Samaje Perine, the appeal is obvious: a young runner who already showed he can handle a meaningful workload and chip in as a receiver, too. The question is whether the asking price stays low enough to make sense for Cincinnati, because the whole point of a move like this is avoiding a bigger problem later. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Finally Have Their Answer Protecting Joe Burrow
Amarius Mims arrived in Cincinnati with the kind of expectations that come with protecting Joe Burrow, and after getting thrown into the lineup early in his rookie season, he has settled in with the sort of steady progress the Bengals were hoping to see. The most encouraging part for Cincinnati is that the 2025 starting offensive line is set to return intact, giving the team continuity up front and a cleaner path for Mims to keep building on what he showed in his first year or so.
Mims has also had a helpful partner on the right side in Dalton Risner, and he has publicly credited Risner with helping his development. If that pairing keeps growing together, the Bengals could be looking at a much more stable answer on the edge than they have had in recent seasons, with Mims emerging as a breakout name to watch as the next chapter unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
One Bengals Starter Feels Especially Vulnerable With Camp Almost Here
With Bengals camp drawing near, a few projected starters are suddenly looking less secure than they did a few months ago. The conversation starts on the second level, where Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter are both under scrutiny after rocky rookie seasons, but it does not stop there. Jordan Battle also enters the summer with questions hanging over his spot after an erratic year, and the defensive front has its own pressure points with Myles Murphy trying to hold off younger competition.
The bigger issue for Cincinnati is that this is not just one position group feeling the heat. Bryan Cook and Dexter Lawrence give the safety room a different look, while Shemar Stewart and rookie Cashius Howell add more urgency on the edge. So the real camp storyline may be less about who is locked in and more about which projected starter is most vulnerable when the pads finally come on. [Read more 🡒]