The Bengals spent the offseason trying to shore up their defense with proven names like Dexter Lawrence, Bryan Cook, Jonathan Allen and others, and they didn’t stop there once the 2026 NFL Draft arrived. Cincinnati also made a move that went against its usual tendencies, taking Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell in the second round despite the short arms that likely pushed him out of Day 1 range.
Howell’s 30 1/4-inch arms were a real sticking point, and he entered the draft with the same kind of length concerns that followed Bucs first-rounder Rueben Bain Jr. Still, the Bengals clearly saw more than the measurables. Howell was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and the way Cincinnati plans to use him suggests they believe he can be a lot more than a standard edge rusher.
Defensive coordinator Al Golden wants Howell in a hybrid role, splitting time between defensive end and off-ball linebacker. That’s a lot to ask of a rookie, but it also gives Cincinnati a chance to put one of its more dynamic defenders in multiple spots right away.
And honestly, the linebacker part may be the easiest sell of the whole thing. After what Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. showed last season, the bar there is not exactly sky-high.
Knight, in particular, was even lined up on the edge at times and the results were rough. The idea sounds neat in theory, but the execution never really came close to matching it. Asking him to develop a refined pass-rush plan or hold up on the edge when he was already struggling to handle the run from his natural spot feels like a losing proposition.
What makes Howell different, at least according to assistant GM Mike Potts as relayed by Bengals radio voice Dan Hoard, is that his game isn’t built on one trick. Hoard said:
"I think the quick wins he can give us as a rusher is really dynamic...His arsenal of rush tools and the moves that he has - I don’t wanna speak for anybody else - but I thought it was second-to-none in this draft class.”
That kind of evaluation matters because Howell doesn’t need to be a coverage player for Cincinnati to get value out of him. The more natural path is to unleash him as a pass rusher off the edge and as an inside blitzer, while only asking for the occasional spot drop when the Bengals run simulated pressures from the linebacker spot.
If that’s the plan, Howell has a real chance to beat his draft slot quickly. And with Texas A&M teammate Shemar Stewart still looking for a breakout after posting just 4.5 sacks in three seasons, Howell has a clear opening to carve out a bigger role in the defensive end rotation. He had 11.5 sacks last year alone, and that production gives Cincinnati every reason to believe he can force his way onto the field fast.
In Other News...
Bengals May Have Found A Defensive Wild Card They Desperately Need
The Bengals went looking for help in the kind of place teams often do when a defense needs more juice, and Antwaun Powell-Ryland is at least giving them a reason to pay attention. The former Eagles draft pick landed in Cincinnati on a reserve/futures deal after the 2024 season, and with the linebacker room still viewed as an area that needs reinforcement, he has a chance to work his way into the conversation as more than just a camp body.
Powell-Rylands appeal is tied to the pass rush he showed in college, where he piled up disruptive production and finished with a strong final season. Cincinnati is exploring him as a linebacker, which adds another layer to his path, and the question now is whether he can carve out a role in the rotation or follow a tougher road toward the roster. For a player trying to stick, the next stretch could decide whether this becomes a real opening or just another short stop. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Fans Can Only Smile At Clevelands Latest Camp Mess
With Joe Burrow healthy and the Bengals roster looking better around him, Cincinnati has every reason to feel good about where it stands heading toward 2026. The bigger picture for the division still includes a Browns team trying to sort out its own quarterback future, and from a Bengals perspective, that matters just as much as anything happening in their own building.
Clevelands camp has turned into another reminder of how unsettled that position remains, with the battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders still unresolved as practices move on. Reports have Sanders making real progress in pocket presence and reading the field, which only adds another layer to a situation that already feels fluid, and it leaves the Browns with more questions than answers at the spot that matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Already Face A Secondary Decision Fans Were Dreading
The Bengals offseason planning already has a familiar kind of tension attached to it, with executive vice president Katie Blackburn acknowledging the difficulty of keeping the roster intact while the salary cap keeps pushing every decision into sharper focus. In particular, Cincinnati is trying to navigate a secondary situation that has become one of the more delicate parts of the roster conversation, especially with the team needing to balance present value against future flexibility.
Daxton Hill and DJ Turner are both central to that conversation, and the timing only makes it trickier. Hill is tied to a fifth-year option, while Turner is entering the final year of his deal, leaving the Bengals with a decision that goes beyond simple talent evaluation and into the realities of how much they can commit without boxing themselves in elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]