Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter are walking into game day with the noise turned all the way down.
The second-year Bengals linebackers know exactly what last season looked like. They were part of two of the worst linebacker seasons in the NFL, and the criticism came fast and loud. This year, though, Cincinnati stuck with them instead of chasing veteran help in free agency, and both players sound ready to reward that trust.
Knight and Carter are close, and they’ve leaned on that bond while handling the outside chatter. There’s still a veteran option sitting out there in All-Pro Bobby Wagner if things go sideways again, but training camp has pointed in a better direction. The Bengals also have more talent in front of them on the defensive line, which should help slow things down and make life easier behind it.
Knight didn’t dance around the subject when FOX19’s Joe Danneman asked about the criticism.
“Not really. If you're a fan of rat poison, you can go digest as much rat poison as you would like.
You're just gonna not end up the same afterwards," Knight said to FOX19's Joe Danneman this week. "We told each other, hey, get out of that app.
Don't look. It's not going to be good.
It's not going to edify you. It's not going to build you up.
It's not going to build your soul. Definitely not your spirit.
People can be anywhere in the world and say whatever they want. And you know what?
This is America. This is the U.S.
You can say what you want. You got the freedom of speech to say what you want.
"But it's another thing to be in the person's shoes. It's inevitable.
The second you make a bad play, you're gonna get blasted for it, and that just comes with the job. It comes with the job description.
So if you can't handle the bullets, then this might not be the job for you. So you gotta have that character, and that's what I'm trying to do and trying to be.
That's what we're trying to do together. Trying to be bigger than ourselves at this point."
Carter had the same read on the situation. For him, the hard part is already behind them, and the real season is finally here.
"I think adversity does two things, and I learned this in college. It either builds you or it breaks you, and if you're not made of the right stuff, it's gonna break you," Carter said.
"So I thought back to last year, like it was not easy by any means, but it's like I've been here before. I've been there when you're at the bottom, and everyone's throwing dirt on you, trying to bury you.
But when you're at the bottom, the only place you can go is up."
Cincinnati opens against Tampa Bay at home in a few hours.
In Other News...
Bengals Already Have An AFC North Problem After Week 1
Week 1 did the Bengals no favors in the AFC North race. Baltimore and Pittsburgh both opened with wins, while Cleveland stumbled badly, leaving Cincinnati to take a hard look at a division that already looks like it could be unforgiving from the start. The Ravens got the kind of offensive performance that can set a tone early, and the Steelers leaned on T.J. Watts disruptive afternoon to make their own statement.
For the Bengals, the early standings are only part of the concern. The divisions top end already looks sharp, and even the Browns issues only underline how difficult every week in the North is going to be. Cincinnati does not have much room to waste time sorting itself out, because the teams around it have already begun piling up reasons to make the path to the division feel steep. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Suddenly Have A Valuable Trade Chip As QB Chaos Spreads
Joe Flacco has become one of the more interesting names sitting around the Bengals quarterback room, not because Cincinnati needs him to start, but because he has shown he can step in and handle the job on short notice. With multiple quarterbacks on the roster and practice squad, the Bengals are in a position that has suddenly drawn more attention than usual as the rest of the league scrambles to stabilize behind center.
Around the NFL, several teams are dealing with injuries and uneven play at quarterback, and that has created a market for veteran depth in a hurry. Flaccos experience makes him an obvious fit for clubs looking for a ready-made option, whether through a trade or another roster move, though no deal has been confirmed and Cincinnati still appears to be holding its cards for now. [Read more 🡒]
Amarius Mims Is Forcing A Bengals Decision They Usually Avoid
Amarius Mims looked every bit like a player who has changed the conversation around the Bengals right tackle spot in his preseason debut against Tampa Bay. He handled his pass protection cleanly and did not allow a pressure, a promising sign for a player whose game has been trending in the right direction since late 2025.
For Cincinnati, the bigger issue is what this kind of development eventually forces them to consider. Mims is not even in extension territory until 2027, but the market for tackles with his profile already points to a hefty price range, and that number could keep climbing if franchise-tag costs rise the way they are projected to. The Bengals usually prefer to avoid getting boxed into a costly decision early, yet Mims keeps making it harder to ignore what comes next. [Read more 🡒]