DJ Ivey is making it awfully hard for the Bengals to keep him in the background.
The Cincinnati cornerback is set to make the second start of his career against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium, and that comes with a homecoming twist. Ivey, a South Florida native, returns to a place where Bengals fans are expected to show up in force, with plenty of No. 38 jerseys in the building.
That’s the setup. And for Cincinnati, it comes at a time when the secondary could use every steady snap it can get.
Ivey made his first career start last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he had a moment that fit the kind of play the Bengals need from him. In the red zone, lined up one-on-one with Jakobi Meyers, he stayed with the route, got to the spot, and broke up a throw from Trevor Lawrence that could have been an interception. Instead, it helped force Jacksonville into a field goal.
“Good coverage from DJ Ivey to hold Jacksonville to a field goal. pic.twitter.com/Pu6YXPjlgl
- Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) October 5, 2026”
It was the kind of rep that hints at why Cincinnati is willing to keep leaning on him, especially with injuries thinning out the secondary. If Ivey keeps getting chances on the outside, the Bengals may learn a lot about what he can handle.
Head coach Zac Taylor has seen enough to sound optimistic. Of Ivey, Taylor said, “He’s gotten better every single year.
So I have a lot of confidence in him… he’s getting a lot of opportunities in these games. So I do have a lot of confidence in DJ Ivey.”
The numbers from 2026, in a small sample, support the idea that he’s held up so far. Ivey has a 52.1 passer rating when targeted, a 25% completion rate, and a 0.0% missed-tackle rate. That matters for a Bengals defense that has had its share of tackling issues this season.
There’s also a bigger picture here. Cincinnati’s corner group is banged up, and the team could use a spark from someone besides Dax Hill, who has put together a career-best season in passer rating and completion percentage allowed through four games.
And with DJ Turner, Hill, and Ivey all in contract years, the Bengals are staring at a stretch that can help clarify what they have in their defensive backs. For Ivey, that means an opportunity to show he can be a starting-caliber NFL corner before his final year of contract control runs out.
That’s a lot riding on a player the Bengals would probably prefer to let speak through his coverage. Good luck with that.
In Other News...
Bengals Get A Familiar Ref Crew For A Game That Could Turn Testy
Brad Rogers will be a familiar face for the Bengals when his crew handles their next game, adding another layer of intrigue to a matchup that already has the feel of one that could get chippy. Rogers is in his 10th season as an NFL referee and his eighth as a head referee, and Cincinnati has seen him plenty before, including his first game as a referee in 2019 and a meeting in Week 14 last season.
For the Bengals, the bigger issue is how this crew tends to operate. Rogers has built a reputation for letting more play go than some of his peers, which can shape the rhythm of a game as emotions rise and both sides push the line. He has not had a postseason assignment in the last two seasons, and his most recent playoff work came in an AFC Wild Card game in the 2023 season, leaving this crew with something to prove in a game that could demand tight control. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Face A Dangerous Early Test In Miami Despite Dolphins Record
The Bengals are heading into an early road test in Miami with the kind of record that can fool a casual glance. The Dolphins still have not won a game, but they have stayed competitive enough to make this one feel like more than a straightforward trip for Cincinnati, especially with both sides still sorting through the kind of early-season issues that can shape a September run.
For the Bengals, the attention is on how their offense and protection hold up against a Dolphins defense trying to find its footing under new coach Jeff Hafley, who is still chasing his first win. The matchup discussion also points to the individual battles up front, with Cincinnati measuring itself against a Miami group that has several players worth watching even without the benefit of a victory next to its name. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Be Getting A Timely Boost In Their Banged Up WR Room
The Bengals banged-up receiver room got a little encouraging news this week, as Colbie Young moved from a limited session on Wednesday to a full practice on Thursday. It was the latest sign that he is trending toward a return soon, and he even got work catching passes from Joe Burrow as he continued to progress.
Young said the injury looked worse at first than it ended up being after X-rays, a relief for a group that has needed bodies and options. He also said he tried to go back in against the Steelers before wide receivers coach Troy Walters kept him out, a small detail that underscored how close he may already be to rejoining the mix. [Read more 🡒]