The Bengals spent this offseason making a move no one could have missed: they dealt away their first-round pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence. That left Cincinnati without a selection in round one, but it didn’t stop Duke Tobin and his staff from landing what looked like first-round value anyway.
In the second round, the Bengals added Texas A&M edge Cashius Howell, a former SEC Defensive Player of the Year who gives a rebuilt defense another weapon up front. Howell’s college production backed up the billing.
In 2025, he piled up 32 total tackles, including 21 solo stops, while leading the SEC with 11.0 sacks and adding a forced fumble. He finished it off by earning unanimous All-American honors.
Now one CBS Sports analyst thinks that kind of pass-rush profile is exactly what can translate quickly at the next level. In a set of predictions for the 2026 season, John Breech picked Howell to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. Breech also projected Cincinnati to finish 11-6 and grab a wild card spot.
“The easiest way for a defensive player to win this award is to rack up sacks, and Howell is in the perfect position to do it,” Breech wrote. “With Dexter Lawrence now on the team, you can pretty much bet that every offense the Bengals play this year will be worried about slowing down Lawrence. That likely means Lawrence will regularly see double teams, which should open the door for someone on the defensive line to shine, and I think that someone will be Howell, who was taken with the 41st overall pick back in April.”
In Other News...
Bengals Have An Unexpected New Injury Concern Before Week 1
Week 1 practice brought one of those early-season reminders that the Bengals depth will be tested before the games even count. DJ Turner II showed up on the injury report with a hamstring issue and was limited, while JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins were both back to full participation as they continue working through their own recoveries. For a team trying to build rhythm right away, getting its top receivers on the field matters, but the attention shifted quickly to the new concern in the secondary.
Zac Taylor also spent time updating the status of several players while talking through the bigger picture of continuity and situational football as the season opener approaches. Those are the kinds of details that tend to matter more once the first kickoff arrives, especially for a Bengals team hoping to avoid any early disruption in a unit that needs all its pieces ready. For now, the key question is how much Turners hamstring affects the week ahead and whether it lingers past the initial practice report. [Read more 🡒]
Ja'Marr Chase Sent Bengals Fans An Encouraging Message Before Sunday
Ja'Marr Chases return to full participation in practice comes with a little extra reassurance for Bengals fans who watched him deal with a minor knee hyperextension last month. Entering the 2026 season, the star receiver said he feels fully healthy again, and he struck a confident tone about both his body and the energy around the team as preparations move toward opening weekend.
The timing of the schedule is one thing Chase clearly did not hide his opinion on, since he said he would rather not be dealing with 1 p.m. starts. But the bigger takeaway for Cincinnati is simpler: its top pass-catching threat sounds ready to go, and after a brief scare in the summer, that is the sort of update that matters most this time of year. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Defense Faces An Early Test It Might Not Be Ready For
The Bengals linebacker room has become a quiet hinge point for a defense trying to settle in, and rookie Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter are at the center of it. Both were asked to grow up fast last season, and as Cincinnati turns its attention to Tampa Bay, their next assignment is a tricky one: keeping pace in coverage against the Buccaneers backfield, where Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell can stress linebackers in different ways.
There has been some encouraging progress, at least from the coaching staffs view. Linebackers coach Mike Hodges has pointed to Knights improved play recognition and greater consistency, signs the Bengals need if they are going to get more dependable play from the middle of the defense. Still, this matchup offers an early reminder that development is one thing and surviving a demanding test is another, especially against a group built to force linebackers to think and react on the move. [Read more 🡒]