The Bengals may not be done looking for help on defense as the regular season gets closer, and a familiar name has surfaced in the chatter: Carrington Valentine.
According to Easton Butler, Cincinnati has reached out to the Packers about the cornerback. Butler tweeted, "Teams have been calling the Packers about the availability of CB Carrington Valentine.
The 3 teams that have called are the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, and Cincinnati Bengals. Valentine is on the last year of his rookie deal, where he is scheduled to make $3.7 million this year."
For the Bengals, the interest makes sense. D.J.
Turner and Dax Hill are the projected starters at both boundary corner spots in 2026, but the depth behind them looks thin enough to raise some concern. Right now, D.J.
Ivey and third-round rookie Tacario Davis are the only backup corners listed as boundary-specific options. Davis has already been dealing with an injury in training camp, while Ivey has shown some flashes but has mostly been a special teams contributor so far in his career.
That’s where Valentine would fit. He’d give Cincinnati a more proven option behind Turner and Hill, and his résumé is already stronger than what’s currently sitting behind them. In three NFL seasons, Valentine has posted 12 PBUs and three interceptions, carving out a role as a starter in Green Bay after arriving as a seventh-round pick out of Kentucky.
He also brings a built-in local connection. Valentine grew up in Cincinnati, went to Archbishop High School in Hamilton County, and then headed to Kentucky, where he recorded 15 PBUs and one interception in 35 games.
If the Bengals and Packers ever did work out a deal, names like Kris Jenkins Jr. or Andrei Iosivas could be part of the conversation for a player such as Valentine. That would line up with the way younger players have started making noise in camp, with Landon Robinson and Colbie Young drawing strong impressions at defensive tackle and wide receiver.
The Bengals are clearly looking for more established insurance in the cornerback room, and Valentine would bring a steady floor if Cincinnati decides to make a move.
He’s already shown he can handle the assignment, too. When the Packers faced the Bengals last season, Valentine broke up a pass against Ja’Marr Chase before Chase answered right back with a spectacular touchdown grab.
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