The Bengals’ defense just took another hit, and it comes at a time when Cincinnati can’t really afford one.
Per ESPN, the team is placing rookie defensive lineman Cashius Howell on injured reserve after a wrist injury that required surgery. Howell, a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, went 41st overall and had become a useful piece up front before the setback.
“Howell, a rookie out of Texas A&M University, has played all in seven games this season and totaled six tackles with two TFLs and one sack,” the team announced.
That loss lands on a defense that has already been under pressure. The Bengals are 5-2, have won three straight, and are trying to keep pace with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.
Offensively, they’ve been rolling, putting up 206 points. But the other side of the ball has been a different story, with Cincinnati allowing 158 points so far this season.
The timing is especially tricky after Sunday’s wild 43-36 overtime win over the Tennessee Titans. Cincinnati needed Joe Burrow’s five touchdown passes to escape, and the defense gave up 440 total yards in the process.
The Bengals are trying to push toward the NFL Playoffs after missing them last season and finishing 6-11 in 2025. They reached the Super Bowl in the 2021 season, but the road since then has been uneven.
Next up is Atlanta on Sunday, and Cincinnati will have to keep moving without Howell in the mix.
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