DJ Turner II has become one of the new faces of the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense, and now he’s carrying a bigger voice in the locker room, too.
The cornerback was named one of Cincinnati’s seven team captains Monday, and he made it clear he’s not interested in selling anybody on what this defense might be. Turner wants the group to prove it once the season starts.
“The film will speak for itself,” Turner said Monday. “Like, it (doesn't) matter what I say right now. The film will speak for itself.”
That same approach came through when he was asked whether this defense gives him the same level of confidence as other teams he has played on. Turner didn’t lean into the hype. He pointed straight to the opener.
“Everybody can say this is the best group. It literally does not matter.
It means nothing at all,” Turner said. “First week we got to be 1-0.
Simple as that.”
Cincinnati gets that chance Sunday, Sept. 13, when it hosts the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium.
Turner’s mindset also shows up in how he talks about the younger players around him. For him, winning in the NFL takes more than one standout performance.
“Both sides of the ball have to play good, not just one side, not just one player,” Turner said. “So, like, you’re playing good, you got to bring people along with you so we can win.”
Turner entered the 2026 season as a team captain for the first time in his NFL career, and the recognition clearly matters to him. He was named one of Cincinnati’s defensive captains alongside Dexter Lawrence II and Bryan Cook.
“Being respected by your teammates is literally the only thing I care about,” Turner said. “So getting that really, really means a lot. I do not take it lightly.”
Zac Taylor has watched that leadership grow right alongside Turner’s play. The head coach said Turner earned his place after winning a starting job last season, taking on top receiver matchups and becoming more vocal during training camp.
“Really proud of him, and I think he’s absolutely earned the opportunity to be a captain,” Taylor said. “He’s one of the top corners in this game. He’s a leader on our team.”
Taylor also said he could hear Turner trying to lift the energy when camp practices started to drag. That’s the kind of presence Cincinnati is counting on from its newly named captain.
Turner, though, says the title won’t change who he is.
“You don’t have to be extra. You don’t have to do anything more,” Turner said. “Just be me every single day.”
In Other News...
Bengals Suddenly Have A Week 1 Reason For Real Optimism
A few days out from Week 1, the Bengals have started to look a lot more like the team they expected to be when camp opened. Shemar Stewart, JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins have all returned to practice, easing some of the early injury concern that had hung over Cincinnati and giving Zac Taylor a much better baseline as the season opener approaches.
There is still the usual early-season uncertainty that comes with getting a roster fully into game shape, but this is the kind of development the Bengals needed. Taylor has already been setting expectations for fans as the opener nears, and the team also put its 2026 leadership group in place this week, with Dexter Lawrence II joining the captaincy after his recent trade. For a team trying to get its footing right away, the timing could hardly be better. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Just Lost One Big Advantage Heading Into Week 1
The Bengals were already bracing for a tough road test in Week 1, and Tampa Bay has spent the week removing a few of the uncertainties that can make an opener messy. Vita Vea is now back in the fold on a one-year extension, Baker Mayfield has settled into a three-year extension, and the Buccaneers have a little more stability on both sides of the ball than they did when the week began.
Cincinnati also appears headed for a more complete version of Tampa Bay than the Bengals may have hoped for. Wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan have both practiced this week and are expected to be available, which only adds to the sense that the Buccaneers are close to full strength entering Sunday. For a Bengals team trying to open the season with a clean start, the margin for error just got a little smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Have A Surprise New Receiver Fans Should Be Watching
Dohnte Meyers has already packed a lot into his path to the Bengals 53-man roster, and now the former CFL standout is suddenly in the mix as a receiver worth monitoring. After recovering from shoulder surgery and helping win the Grey Cup in Canada, Meyers fought his way onto Cincinnatis roster and gives the team another fresh look at a position where every spot has to be earned.
For Bengals fans, the appeal is obvious: Meyers brings a different backstory and a late-blooming resume into a receiver room that always seems to be one injury or one hot streak away from reshaping itself. His arrival comes amid plenty of AFC North movement elsewhere, but Cincinnatis interest is in whether he can turn a surprising roster spot into something more when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]