The Bengals are sitting at 5-2 for the first time since 2021, but Sunday’s win over the Titans may have come with a price. Cornerback DJ Turner went down with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter, and if he’s out for a while, Cincinnati may have to shop the free-agent market for help fast.
That’s a tricky spot for a team that already entered the 2026 season thin at corner. The Bengals chose to prioritize safety and the defensive line, so there may not be enough depth to simply plug in the next man and keep rolling. With a Week 9 trip to Spain to face the Falcons coming up, a workout or two could be on the table.
One name worth watching is Jeff Okudah. The former Buckeye and No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft has the size and speed to work on the outside, and he most recently appeared in six games for the Vikings in 2025 before multiple concussions sent him to injured reserve. At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, he still has the tools to make sense as an emergency addition if Cincinnati wants upside.
Adoree’ Jackson also fits as a realistic target. He spent the 2025 season with the Eagles, starting 10 games and posting 55 tackles, 11 passes defended and an interception. The 31-year-old has played outside corner for the Titans and Giants, and his athletic profile gives him a chance to match up with top receivers.
Marshon Lattimore brings a bigger name and a long résumé. The 11th-overall pick in the 2017 draft appeared in 11 games for Washington last season before tearing his ACL, and his 53.2 PFF grade was a career low even before the injury. He’s 30 now, and while he’s clearly not at his peak, his experience would still stand out among available corners.
Artie Burns is another veteran who could draw interest. The 31-year-old has played in 90 career games with 39 starts and has spent time with the Steelers, Bears and Seahawks before signing with the Dolphins in 2025. A torn ACL in training camp wiped out his season, so he hasn’t taken a snap since 2024, but he does have experience both inside and outside.
Mike Hilton would be the most familiar face of the bunch. The former Bengals corner spent the 2025 season on the Colts’ practice squad and remains unsigned. He’s 32 now, and there’s no guarantee he wants to keep playing, but Cincinnati knows exactly what it would be getting if he does.
Jalyn Armour-Davis is younger and has more recent starting experience. The 27-year-old former Alabama standout started 10 games for the Titans in 2025 before a torn Achilles ended his season in December. He reportedly is fully healthy and worked out for the Bills and Chargers in October, though neither team signed him.
Kyu Blu Kelly is another intriguing option if the Bengals want a younger corner with some production. The 25-year-old had his best season with the Raiders in 2025, finishing with 40 tackles, six passes defended and three interceptions in 13 games before suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in December. He worked out for the Falcons in September, which points to progress in his recovery, but he remains unsigned.
Trevon Diggs is the biggest swing on the list. The former Cowboys All-Pro is on the Seahawks’ practice squad and could be signed to the active roster if Cincinnati wants to go that route. Diggs led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 2021, and at 28 he still has the ball skills to help on the outside, even if the injury history and boom-or-bust style come with obvious risk.
Marco Wilson offers another possible reunion. He’s on the Panthers’ practice squad now after spending parts of the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Bengals. The 27-year-old has 37 career starts, and that familiarity with Cincinnati could matter if the team needs a quick solution.
Tre’Davious White is also sitting on a practice squad, currently with the Bills. The 31-year-old was once among the league’s best corners and led the NFL in interceptions in 2019.
Injuries have changed his career path, but he still started 16 games for Buffalo in 2025 and finished with 40 tackles, 10 passes defended and an interception. He may not be the same player he once was, but he’s still a veteran option with AFC experience.
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Demetrius Knight Jr Keeps Showing Up In Bengals' Biggest Moments
Demetrius Knight Jr. has become one of those Bengals defenders who seems to find himself in the middle of the games most consequential stretches, even when the day starts with a scare. In Sundays overtime win over the Titans, the rookie linebacker was shaken up in the first quarter and needed evaluation before getting back on the field, another reminder that his first NFL season has already included more than its share of bumps and bruises.
Knights latest return mattered almost immediately, because Cincinnati kept leaning on him in a game that stayed tight deep into the second half. He answered with one of the biggest defensive plays of the afternoon, a stop that flipped the momentum and fit the pattern he has been building all season: when the Bengals need a jolt, Knight keeps finding his way into the frame. [Read more 🡒]
Dexter Lawrence Is Giving Bengals Fans Another Reason To Love That Trade
Dexter Lawrence II keeps finding ways to matter for Cincinnati, and his latest contribution came in the Bengals overtime win against the Titans in Week 8. After recovering a fumble, Lawrence helped swing the field position in a game that needed every break it could get, adding another timely moment to a stretch that has already made his arrival from the Giants look like a smart move for Cincinnati.
Zac Taylor has taken notice, praising Lawrences impact and pointing to the key plays he has made in recent games. The Bengals also locked him in with a one-year contract extension recently, a sign they see him as more than a short-term fix. For a team that has spent plenty of time searching for difference-makers, Lawrence is giving fans another reason to like the trade that brought him in. [Read more 🡒]
JaMarr Chases Sideline Frustration Says Plenty About Bengals Offense
JaMarr Chase did plenty of damage against the Titans, hauling in 11 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown, but the bigger takeaway for the Bengals may have been the edge he showed when things bogged down on the sideline. Cincinnatis offense has been searching for a cleaner rhythm early in games, and Chases body language offered another glimpse of how much that has been bothering one of its top playmakers.
Joe Burrow brushed off the sideline frustration as a good sign, reading it as competitive fire rather than a problem. Chase also leaned into the conversation afterward by pointing back to head coach Zac Taylor when asked about the slow starts, a nod to a phrase Taylor has already made part of the teams vocabulary. For a Bengals offense built around high expectations, even the frustration says something about how much is still being left on the field. [Read more 🡒]