The Bengals didn’t enter the 2026 draft with a first-round pick, but that hasn’t stopped their rookie group from looking like a real problem for the rest of the AFC North.
Cincinnati’s class is starting to gain traction the way these things often do: not on draft night, but once the players get into a real practice setting and the competition gets sharper. On that front, the early returns are strong.
The headliner on the defensive side is second-round edge rusher Cashius Howell, who came in after an 11.5-sack season that earned him SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors. For a Bengals front that needed more disruption, he already looks like a useful piece to develop.
There’s more to like beyond him, too. Third-round corner Tacario Davis is in the mix to be the first defensive back off the bench.
Fourth-round center Connor Lew is being talked about as the team’s future at the position. Tight end Jack Endries also has a lane to playing time as Cincinnati works with heavier looks and three-tight-end personnel.
The biggest buzz so far, though, belongs to fourth-round receiver Colbie Young.
Young has put himself into the WR3 discussion with a strong start, and his 6-foot-4 frame gives the Bengals a different kind of weapon behind Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Cincinnati doesn’t need him to be a star right away. It just needs him to make defenses pay for loading up on the two players ahead of him.
Of course, camp praise doesn’t mean much until the games start, and none of these rookies has taken a regular-season snap yet. Cleveland, Baltimore and Pittsburgh will all have their own rookie stories once the season begins.
Even so, Cincinnati’s group already has something that many draft classes never find: several clear routes to real playing time.
The Bengals may not have landed the division’s biggest name, but they may have ended up with its best rookie class.
In Other News...
Bengals Just Got A Break In A Season They Can't Waste
The Bengals have caught a small scheduling break, at least in the eyes of the betting market, and it comes at a time when every edge matters for a team trying to make the most of a difficult AFC North path. The 2026 slate is being viewed more favorably now because several opponents have drawn more pessimism from bettors, including the Browns, Dolphins and Buccaneers, which has nudged the overall projection in Cincinnatis direction.
It is not an official change to the schedule, of course, just a reflection of how the market sees those teams right now. Still, for a Bengals team that cannot afford wasted chances, the possibility of facing a softer list of opponents than expected could matter if those clubs fall short of current projections. [Read more 🡒]
Zac Taylor Sends Bengals Fans A Clear Message About 2026
Zac Taylor has spent this offseason sounding like a coach who understands both the promise and the pressure around the Bengals heading into 2026. He pointed to the work the organization has done to strengthen the roster, but he was just as quick to remind everyone that paper improvements do not win games in the AFC North.
The next step, Taylor said, comes in training camp, where talent has to be turned into consistent production by the coaches and players. Coming off last seasons disappointing record, Cincinnati has plenty of reason to believe better days are possible, but Taylors message was clear enough: the optimism only matters if the team does the work to back it up. [Read more 🡒]