The Bengals enter training camp with a roster that looks deeper and more crowded than it has in a long time, and that means the real drama may come not from the stars, but from the fights for the last few spots. Cincinnati added enough this offseason to turn several jobs into open competitions, and three of them stand out above the rest: defensive tackle, nickelback, and tight end.
At defensive tackle, the front office suddenly has more bodies than clean answers. Jonathan Allen is the headline addition, but he’s listed here as the third-most noteworthy newcomer on the defensive line, which tells you how much talent is now packed into the group.
Allen is expected to rotate with B.J. Hill and line up next to Dexter Lawrence, giving the Bengals a trio that should change the feel of the entire defense.
After that, though, the picture gets messy fast.
Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson, both Day 2 picks, are on the bubble. Rookie Landon Robinson is in the mix as well, and Jordan Jefferson brings intriguing physical tools into the conversation.
Then there’s T.J. Slaton, last offseason’s “splashiest” outside free-agent addition, who was supposed to help as a run stopper.
Cincinnati finished 32nd in run defense, and Slaton’s role is far from secure. Jackson and Slaton are the team’s true nose tackles behind Lawrence, and the possibility of keeping Jackson while cutting Slaton to save $6.66 million is very much on the table.
The bigger point is how much turnover could follow: all three of the Bengals’ 2024 Day 2 picks in Jenkins, Jackson, and the already-departed Jermaine Burton could be off the 2026 53-man roster.
Nickelback is just as unsettled, and maybe even more confusing. Dax Hill is being treated as a boundary cornerback here, though the last public update left his exact role unclear.
He could still end up in the slot, where he began last season before returning to what is described as his best position. Jalen Davis finished last season strongly at nickelback, but Cincinnati has multiple other options in the mix.
Ja'Sir Taylor and Bralyn Lux are still in the race, and both Kyle Dugger and Bryan Cook can handle box safety or slot duties. That flexibility is part of the reason this spot is so hard to read.
The Bengals brought in Cook, Dugger, and Taylor to help at safety and nickel, so if Hill isn’t clearly announced as the starter when camp opens, that’s going to be a problem.
Tight end may not draw the same attention, but it’s one of the most intriguing groups on the roster. Mike "Tino" Gesicki is called a tight end, but he lines up much more like a slot receiver, which effectively makes him Cincinnati’s WR3 instead of Andrei Iosivas.
That leaves the rest of the room in a strange spot. Drew Sample remains in the picture because of his blocking, even though that blocking seems to be slipping.
Erick All Jr. missed most of his rookie season and all of last season because of a complicated knee issue that required multiple surgeries. And seventh-round pick Jack Endries is a name to watch after falling down draft boards despite producing at Cal with Fernando Mendoza and at Texas with Arch Manning.
Endries will have to beat out Tanner Hudson if he wants to crack any 12 or 13 personnel looks, though Burrow and Zac Taylor usually lean on 11 personnel anyway. That wrinkle matters because Gesicki’s usage muddies the whole tight end conversation. Still, Endries has a real opening if he can take snaps from Sample, and All could end up being the best overall tight end on the roster if he’s healthy enough to go.
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