The Bengals spent the offseason trying to reshape a defense that carried plenty of the blame for back-to-back trips outside the postseason. Even with Trey Hendrickson now with the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati attacked the unit from multiple angles, and the pass rush was supposed to be part of that reset.
Boye Mafe is the big name in that mix. Cincinnati brought him in as the closest thing to a Hendrickson replacement, though the expectation is obvious: he brings upside, not a one-for-one answer.
The Bengals also expect to get 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart back after the hyperextended knee he suffered early in training camp. Myles Murphy, a 2023 first-round pick, returns as well after the team declined his fifth-year option, and rookie Cashius Howell - the former SEC Defensive Player of the Year - is now in the rotation too.
That group, at least in CBS Sports’ view, still has a long way to go. Carter Bahns ranked all 32 pass rush units and placed Cincinnati 29th, near the bottom of the league.
“While the rest of the Bengals’ defense improved on paper this offseason, the edge rusher group said farewell to its leader, Trey Hendrickson. Mafe is an upside-oriented addition who will not fully replace Hendrickson’s pass-rushing prowess, but who displayed flashes of greatness as a young starter for the Seattle Seahawks.
The rest of the crew, plus second-round pick Cashius Howell, is extremely young. Cincinnati is banking on its last few drafts starting to pay off.
It just might pay dividends, but it is impossible to know for sure until it actually happens,“ Bahn wrote.
There’s no question the front still comes with plenty of unknowns, especially on the edge. But 29th feels steep when you look at the Bengals’ interior defensive line upgrades and the way Dexter Lawrence II should command extra attention and create openings for others.
For now, though, it’s all theory. Preseason rankings are preseason rankings, and Cincinnati will get its first real shot to change the conversation once the games start in a little over a month.
In Other News...
Landon Robinson Is Giving Bengals Fans A Reason To Watch Camp Closely
The Bengals used a late draft pick on Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson, but he has quickly become one of the more intriguing names to surface during offseason work. His arrival brought a different kind of profile to Cincinnatis defensive line room, blending the kind of discipline and toughness associated with the Naval Academy with the athletic traits that helped make him a seventh-round selection.
Robinson has already turned enough heads that he is being viewed as a candidate for a rotational role up front, which gives camp a little extra edge for Bengals fans tracking the defensive line battle. The early buzz has also invited some familiar comparisons to a former Cincinnati standout, adding to the sense that this rookie could be more than a quiet depth addition if he keeps building on the attention he has earned. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals WR3 Battle Is Suddenly Putting Real Pressure On Someone
The Bengals are getting close to their first preseason game, and the practice field has already started sorting out a few of the roster questions that matter most. Among them is the WR3 job, where young receiver Colbie Young has been turning heads while Andrei Iosivas has been trying to steady himself after a stretch of drops. It has become one of those camp battles that feels less like depth-chart fine print and more like an early test of who can be trusted when the games start counting.
Cincinnati is also watching other young players push for notice, including pass rusher Cashius Howell, who has flashed against the first team and looked the part in a crowded evaluation period. The Bengals are still in the stage where practice reps can move a player up or down in a hurry, and that makes these next few weeks especially important for anyone sitting on the edge of a role. For Iosivas, the margin is shrinking, and the preseason will give the coaching staff its clearest look yet at whether he can hold it. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Just Got A Fresh Reminder How Smart Their WR Deals Look
The Bengals got another timely reminder in March why locking up Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins was such a smart piece of business. Cincinnati secured both wideouts on long-term contracts, keeping the core of its passing game intact and avoiding the kind of escalating market pressure that always follows a big-name receiver deal elsewhere in the AFC.
Baltimore only added to that sense with its new four-year, $140 million commitment to Zay Flowers, a price tag that pushes the market higher and makes Cincinnati's numbers look even more manageable by comparison. For the Bengals, the bigger value may not be in any one contract headline, but in the way those two deals now sit against a receiver market that keeps getting louder and more expensive. [Read more 🡒]