Orlando Brown Jr. isn’t shy about where he thinks the Bengals stand up front. The veteran left tackle said Cincinnati’s offensive line is the league’s best at protecting the passer, and he tied that belief directly to what it could mean for Joe Burrow and the team in 2026.
“I really think - and I say this confidently - I really feel like we got the best pass protection unit in the NFL,” Brown said. “There isn’t a lot of groups that could come do what we do on a week-to-week basis and have the success that we’ve had, especially with the circumstances.”
Around the AFC, several familiar names drew praise in Jeremy Fowler’s league-wide rankings. Browns edge rusher Jared Verse landed an honorable mention on the list of top edge rushers after drawing a strong review from an AFC executive.
“Love Verse, but some of the other rushers higher than him have more variety, whereas Verse is all power at times. But he’s only going to get better and have a great career. He’s a beast.”
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward also came in for major respect on Fowler’s cornerback list, with one anonymous NFL defensive coach saying he should be getting far more attention than he does.
“If Ward played in Kansas City or New England, he’d be the talk of the NFL. He doesn’t get the credit he should.
Twitch or closing speed, there’s no one better. He closes faster than anyone I’ve ever seen.
In coverage, that is a special trait. You look back over the last decade, and he’s been one of the most consistent corners in the league.
He’s just always been a really gifted guy,” said an anonymous NFL defensive coach.
In Pittsburgh, Pat Freiermuth picked up an honorable mention on Fowler’s tight end list. One AFC executive called him a useful piece without putting him in the game’s top tier.
“He doesn’t belong in the top tier, but he’s a playmaker. When they’ve targeted him, he usually produces. But he doesn’t seem to ever be a focal point for that offense.”
T.J. Watt, meanwhile, was described as being in decline on Fowler’s pass-rusher rankings. An AFC executive still called him very good, but said younger players have moved ahead of him.
“Definitely in decline,” an AFC executive noted. “He’s still very good.
But some of the younger players have surpassed him. He can win with his high motor and his flair for the big play, but the burst and get-off isn’t the same as it was as a result of lower-body injuries.”
Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. also earned an honorable mention, with one NFC defensive coach pointing to how he changes the way offenses have to attack.
“He takes all the stress off the pass defense. He matches the best receiver in man coverage, and teams roll away from him in zone.” an NFC defensive coach commented on Porter.
In Other News...
Bengals Lineman Shares Heartbreaking Family News No Fan Expected
For Dalton Risner, the offseason has brought a far more personal challenge than anything on the field. The Bengals guard and his wife, Whitney, shared heartbreaking family news this week, opening up about a pregnancy loss in an emotional Instagram post that quickly drew support from around the football world. Risner, who joined Cincinnati in 2025 after building a reputation as a steady veteran with 93 NFL starts since entering the league in 2019, has long been known as a dependable presence on the line.
Whitneys message centered on grief, faith and gratitude for the people reaching out to the family, a reminder that some of the toughest battles in football households happen far from the stadium. For a player whose job is usually measured in protection, leverage and consistency, this is a different kind of test entirely, one that leaves the Bengals community watching with sympathy and waiting to see how the family moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Just Locked In Their Biggest Paycor Theme Games For 2026
The Bengals have started mapping out the look and feel of Paycor Stadium for 2026, and the first batch of themed home games gives fans a pretty good sense of how the season will be framed. The team announced its Open in Orange date for Sept. 13, then followed with two of its most familiar crowd-participation nights, setting up another White Bengal showcase and a Stripe the Jungle game later in the year.
The themed slate also points to a couple of marquee matchups that should bring extra energy to the building, with Pittsburgh and Kansas City both landing on the schedule as centerpiece home dates. One notable piece still hanging out there is the Thursday night visit from Baltimore, where Cincinnati has not yet said whether Paycor will get a special theme of its own. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Rebuilt Defense Just Got A Brutal Reality Check
The Bengals spent the offseason trying to remake a defense that too often got pushed around, and the front seven was supposed to be the clearest sign of progress. Sharp Football Analysis, though, still ranked Cincinnatis defensive front seven No. 26 in the league, a sobering spot for a team that added proven names like Dexter Lawrence II, Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe to the mix. The hope was that those moves would help lift a unit that struggled in both pass rush and run defense a year ago.
Instead, the bigger picture remains uneasy, especially with Al Golden stepping into his first season as defensive coordinator and the system still needing to prove itself. Cincinnatis pressure numbers were among the leagues worst last season, and the AFC North keeps looking like a division where there is little margin for a slow start. The Bengals have made the kind of additions that usually suggest a reset, but there is still a real question about whether this front can finally become more than a collection of names. [Read more 🡒]