The Bengals got back on track in Week 5, but their rookie class is still waiting for a chance to truly move the needle.
Cincinnati entered its bye week sitting at 3-2 after a 31-24 win over the Miami Dolphins, a result that came after the team had stumbled through a 2-0 start with back-to-back losses. It was enough to restore a winning record, even if the performance itself wasn’t exactly clean.
That pause also opened the door to a broader look at how the Bengals’ 2026 draft class has fared through five weeks, and the early returns aren’t exactly eye-catching. NFL Draft On SI recently ranked each team’s class, and Justin Melo slotted Cincinnati at No. 20 overall with a C+.
Melo pointed to one rookie in particular who has already started to stand out.
"Cashius Howell has been among the top-performing rookie pass rushers. No other members of this seven-prospect class are really playing meaningful snaps yet, but it remains early, and Howell looks like a real find," wrote Melo.
Howell backed up that praise with one of his better outings so far, according to Pro Football Focus. The rookie defensive end posted a 67.8 run grade, his best mark of the season.
Beyond Howell, the issue is opportunity as much as production. The Bengals’ rookies haven’t had much room to carve out roles, and that’s partly because the veterans in front of them are simply better players right now.
Colbie Young fits that theme. There was a legitimate chance coming into the Dolphins game that Cincinnati might be without Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but both were active and both contributed. That left Young, who turned heads in training camp, still waiting for the chance to make his mark.
For now, Howell is the rookie most clearly pushing toward a bigger role. The rest of the class may just need more time, and more snaps, before anyone can judge it with any real certainty.
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Bengals Bye Week Just Put One Defensive Need Front And Center
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With the Week 6 bye in front of them, the Bengals have a rare chance to address that issue before the schedule stiffens again. The ideal move would be one that adds both experience and size to the defensive backfield, and Tampa Bay has a corner who checks those boxes while having started every game so far this season. For a team trying to keep pace in a crowded AFC race, this is the sort of window front offices are built to use. [Read more 🡒]