The Bengals look better on defense than they did a year ago, but that alone won’t silence the biggest question hanging over Cincinnati in 2026: will it actually hold up when the games start counting?
That’s the concern CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani raised while pointing to a defense that has dragged the Bengals down for the last several seasons. Cincinnati went out and attacked the problem in a major way this offseason, landing Dexter Lawrence in a big trade and adding Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, and others in free agency. On paper, the talent level is clearly up.
But as Dajani noted, the bar is a lot higher than simply looking improved in August.
"The Cincinnati Bengals defense is expected to be 'better' in 2026 given the additions of players like Dexter Lawrence II, Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook," Dajani wrote. "But how much better?
This unit ranked third-worst in scoring defense (28.9) and dead last in yards per play allowed (6.2) last year. The Bengals have now missed three straight postseasons after back-to-back AFC title game appearances, largely because of the defense (along with Joe Burrow's injuries).
"Can Cincinnati generate any pass rush with Mafe, Myles Murphy, Shemar Stewart and Cashius Howell? Will linebackers Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. perform better in Year 2?
The secondary looks solid on paper, but this group gave up 7.0 YAC per reception last season -- the most by any team in the last 20 years! The Bengals will have to prove their issues on defense are fixed."
That’s the whole story in Cincinnati right now. The offense, when healthy, gives the Bengals a real chance every week.
The defense is the part that has to stop leaking. Until it does, the ceiling stays stuck.
The encouraging part is that this unit should be the best the Bengals have had since their Super Bowl run a few years ago. If the new pieces click and the pass rush finally shows up, this group could change the conversation fast. If not, the same old problem could sink another season.
In Other News...
Former Bengals Are Suddenly Fighting For NFL Jobs Again
The first wave of NFL roster cuts put a few familiar former Bengals back in the churn, with teams across the league trimming down to their Week 1 group and several ex-Cincinnati players landing on the wrong side of the numbers game. Safety Geno Stone, guard Cordell Volson and defensive end Khalid Kareem were among the names released, while others with Bengals ties found at least a temporary landing spot as practice squads began to take shape.
Cameron Sample and Bobby Hart were among the former Cincinnati players who surfaced on practice squads, a reminder of how quickly the margins tighten once the league moves from training camp to the regular season. For players with roster experience already behind them, the challenge now is simple but unforgiving: stay ready, stay visible and wait for the next opening. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrows Bengals Just Got Hit With A Contender Reality Check
The Bengals still have the kind of skill-position talent that keeps them in the conversation every season, but a recent poll of NFL executives from The Athletic served as a reminder that reputation only goes so far. The roster is built around Joe Burrow and a passing game that can stress any defense, yet the same conversation keeps circling back to the trenches and whether Cincinnati can do enough up front to make the offense more balanced.
Even with the same starting offensive line back in place, league observers are still uneasy about the teams ability to run the ball and keep Burrow clean. There are also lingering questions about the defensive scheme, and in a recent AFC pecking order, Cincinnati landed seventh. For a team expecting to be treated like a contender, that is the sort of outside skepticism that tends to hang around until September starts answering it. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Enter 2026 With The Pressure Fans Can Feel
The Bengals are heading into the new NFL season with the kind of attention that comes from both expectation and unease. After a difficult previous season, Cincinnati still has the pieces to draw eyes, and ESPNs ranking of the team as the seventh most watchable and exciting in the league reflects how much interest remains around the franchise. A big part of that comes from the familiar triangle at the center of everything: Zac Taylor on the sideline, Joe Burrow under center and ownership watching it all unfold.
What keeps this from feeling like a simple bounce-back story is the pressure sitting on the roster around them, especially on defense, where improvement is still a clear need. ESPN pointed to Dexter Lawrence II as a key player to watch, another reminder that the Bengals path forward is about more than Burrows health or the offenses ceiling. The intrigue in Cincinnati is obvious, but so is the demand for answers once the season starts to test how much progress this group can really make. [Read more 🡒]