Cincinnati has a real chance to walk into Week 1 with an edge that’s hard to miss, and it starts with how beat up Tampa Bay looks on offense.
That matters for Zac Taylor, who could use a clean opening to the season after last year’s 2-0 start turned into what the source calls a total mirage. It also matters for a Bengals defense that could be in position to cash in early, especially with DJ Turner and Dax Hill both in the final year of their contracts.
The biggest concern for the Buccaneers is the state of their receiving corps. Todd Bowles recently gave a cautious update on Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan, telling Fox Sports’ Greg Auman: "Headed in the right direction.
I don’t know how fast. I’ll have a better gauge next week.
They’re moving forward every day."
SI.com reported that Egbuka is dealing with a toe injury suffered during joint practice with the Jets, while McMillan is nursing a left knee injury he picked up in training camp. That’s a far cry from the situation Cincinnati is dealing with, where Ja’Marr Chase has a minor knee hyperextension and Tee Higgins is working through a heel bruise, but both should be ready for Week 1.
Egbuka’s 2025 start looked promising, with the rookie showing the kind of upside that made him look like another major Ohio State success story. But injuries piled up late, and his struggles - along with Baker Mayfield’s own physical issues - helped drag Tampa Bay into a collapse that kept it out of the playoffs. McMillan’s recent history is even more concerning; he played in only four games last season after a neck injury he said almost paralyzed him.
For Cincinnati, that creates a tempting matchup at Paycor Stadium. Mayfield may be trying to keep pace with Joe Burrow, but if Egbuka and McMillan aren’t close to full strength, the Bucs’ passing game could be short-handed from the start.
The Bengals’ defense may be built to make that problem worse. The line has been overhauled, with two-time All-Pro Dexter Lawrence front and center, and that should make life easier for Turner and Hill on the outside. If they can handle the load, the secondary has a chance to look sharp right away.
Tampa Bay’s protection also doesn’t inspire much confidence. Center Graham Barton hasn’t yet lived up to his first-round billing, and left guard Ben Bredeson is hardly a dominant force. That leaves the interior vulnerable to Lawrence and Jonathan Allen, even before Cincinnati starts mixing in stunts.
If the Bengals’ offense avoids the kind of flat start that has too often haunted Taylor’s team, this setup could give Cincinnati exactly what it wants in Week 1: a chance to strike early and make a statement in the Burrow-Taylor era.
In Other News...
Bengals Added A Tackle Orlando Brown Clearly Believes In
The Bengals added Myles Hinton, and Orlando Brown Jr. wasted little time making clear he likes what Cincinnati brought in. Brown pointed to Hintons talent, size and athleticism, a useful mix for a team that has spent plenty of time trying to keep the pocket cleaner and the offensive front sturdier around Joe Burrow. It is the kind of move that does not grab headlines the way a splashy signing does, but it still fits the broader push to keep building depth where it matters most.
The move also lands in a week where the Bengals have had plenty of other roster threads worth tracking, from Joe Giles-Harris finding his lane on special teams to Burrows measured optimism about where the team is headed. There is still the larger backdrop of Trey Hendricksons contract situation and how it could shape draft-pick decisions, plus the usual summer noise about whether Cincinnati belongs in the Super Bowl conversation. Hinton is not the center of all that, but he is part of the same bigger picture, and Browns endorsement suggests the Bengals see something worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Be Fast-Tracking Joe Burrows Next Big Protection Test
The Bengals have been leaning on one of the NFLs toughest interior defenders in practice to sharpen Connor Lew, a rookie center working his way back from a torn ACL. Dexter Lawrence, a two-time All-Pro, gives Cincinnati a problem that looks a lot like the ones Lew will face on Sundays, and that kind of daily stress is part of the plan as the team keeps developing him behind veteran Ted Karras.
For Cincinnati, the bigger picture is obvious: the center spot is one of the most important lines of protection for Joe Burrow, and the franchise is already thinking ahead to the eventual transition. Lew is viewed as a potential long-term answer there, so every rep against Lawrence serves both the present and the future, even if the real test of how ready he is still lies ahead. [Read more 🡒]
JaMarr Chase Just Gave Bengals Fans A New Off-Field Reason To Care
JaMarr Chase has turned another chapter of his partnership with Fabletics into something Bengals fans can actually shop, releasing a new collection that blends performance gear with casual looks. It is the third drop in the relationship, and this one comes with a fairly wide spread of options, from cargo pants and oversized tees to joggers, shorts and hoodies, giving Chase another way to stay visible beyond Sundays.
The collection features 25 styles and is available online and at Fabletics stores nationwide, with prices running from $14.95 to $159.95. For Cincinnati-area fans, there is also a local wrinkle: exclusive items are being sold at the Kenwood, Ohio location, adding a little hometown appeal to a rollout that keeps Chase in the conversation even when he is not making plays on the field. [Read more 🡒]