With Shemar Stewart sidelined for several weeks, the Bengals have a real opening in the pass-rush room, and Isaiah Foskey is one of the names positioned to take advantage.
The team can always explore a veteran free agent, but there’s also a clear internal path if Cincinnati wants to keep the answer in-house. Foskey is on the roster already, and his familiarity with Al Golden gives him a leg up in the fight for a bigger role.
That connection matters. Foskey played for Golden at Notre Dame, where he put together a 12-sack season and earned his way into the 2023 draft as the 41st overall pick by the Saints. Things didn’t go nearly as smoothly in New Orleans, though, and the Saints moved on from him during final roster cuts last year.
Cincinnati brought Foskey in early last season, and even though he logged just 34 snaps, he flashed enough to keep the door open. His best stretch came against the Cardinals in Week 17, when he consistently caused problems for Jacoby Brissett and Arizona’s offensive line.
Now the chance is bigger. Stewart’s absence puts Foskey in the mix for more work, and his athleticism stood out last season when Golden used him on the outside of the defensive line. That usage helped him produce more positive plays than he managed across his two seasons in New Orleans.
Foskey isn’t the only one in the conversation. Cedric Johnson and Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. are also competing for the roster spot left open by Stewart’s injury.
Still, Foskey has a path here. His experience in Golden’s defense and at the "Viper" position in the NFL could give him the kind of opportunity he needs to show why he was a second-round pick out of Notre Dame.
In Other News...
Noah Thomas Is Giving Bengals Fans A New Camp Receiver To Watch
Training camp always creates a few new names for fans to track, and Noah Thomas has already worked his way into that conversation. During a Bengals practice, the rookie wide receiver made a notable contested catch that turned heads, then added another grab on a shorter pass from Joe Flacco. It was the kind of early-camp sequence that can matter for an undrafted or late-round player trying to show he belongs in a crowded receiver room.
Ja'Marr Chase noticed, too, and his praise carried some weight. Chase pointed to Thomass ability in jump-ball situations and even drew a comparison to Tee Higgins, which is the sort of endorsement that can get attention quickly around camp. For a Bengals offense built around proven pass catchers, Thomas is still very much in the proving stage, but he has at least given fans a reason to keep watching every rep. [Read more 🡒]
Zac Taylor Sent Bengals Camp A Message Fans Wont Ignore
Training camp has given Zac Taylor a chance to reset the tone after a 6-11 season that left plenty of unfinished business in Cincinnati. The Bengals coach, along with newcomers and returning players, has been framing last year less as a weight to carry and more as fuel to push the group forward, with Dalton Risner and DJ Turner also addressing how the team has handled the disappointment.
Taylor said the record from last season is motivation, not baggage, and he has described the upcoming chase as something that brings excitement rather than pressure. Turner, meanwhile, made it clear he is tired of the team being defined by what happened a year ago and wants the focus on what comes next, which is exactly the kind of mindset Cincinnati needs as camp ramps up and expectations follow it every day. [Read more 🡒]