The Bengals are wasting no time getting down to business.
Training camp opens July 29, and with the first preseason game set for Aug. 13 and the regular-season opener coming Sept. 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati’s roster math starts immediately. The goal is simple: trim the camp group to 53 players and build out the practice squad.
There’s real pressure behind that process, too. The Bengals are trying to reset after missing the postseason for three straight years and finishing 6-11 last season. The target for 2026 is clear enough: get back into the playoff mix and reassert themselves in the AFC North.
On paper, there’s reason for optimism. Cincinnati’s draft class has drawn praise, and the trade for interior defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence added another major piece.
The Bengals also brought in several free agents to help the defense, while keeping their entire starting offensive line intact. Some around the team believe it could be the best line of the Joe Burrow era, even if that’s not exactly a towering standard.
The quarterback room is straightforward. Burrow and Joe Flacco are the two projected keepers, with Flacco back after his productive run filling in for Burrow last season.
Here’s how the rest of the 53-man projection stacks up before camp begins:
At running back, the Bengals are projected to keep Chase Brown, Samaje Perine and Tahj Brooks.
At receiver, the six projected names are Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Colbie Young, Mitchell Tinsley and Charlie Jones.
Tight end would carry four: Drew Sample, Mike Gesicki, Erick All Jr. and Tanner Hudson.
Up front, the offensive line projection includes Orlando Brown Jr., Dylan Fairchild, Ted Karras, Dalton Risner, Amarius Mims, Cody Ford, Jalen Rivers, Brian Parker II and Connor Lew.
The defensive line is the biggest group on the list, with 11 projected spots for Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, B.J. Hill, Boye Mafe, Myles Murphy, T.J. Slaton Jr., Shemar Stewart, Cashius Howell, Kris Jenkins Jr., Cedric Johnson and Landon Robinson.
At linebacker, the five projected players are Barrett Carter, Demetrius Knight Jr., Oren Burks, Shaka Heyward and Joe Giles-Harris.
The cornerback group includes DJ Turner II, Dax Hill, Jalen Davis, Tacario Davis, Josh Newton and Bralyn Lux.
At safety, the projection has Bryan Cook, Jordan Battle, Kyle Dugger and PJ Jules.
And for specialists, the three projected spots go to kicker Evan McPherson, punter Ryan Rehkow and long snapper William Wagner.
In Other News...
Al Goldens Praise May Have Exposed A Bengals Secondary Shakeup
Al Goldens early praise of Cincinnatis new defensive additions offered a small window into how the Bengals may be sorting out their back end as camp approaches. Among the players drawing attention is Kyle Dugger, the hybrid safety brought in as a free agent from the Steelers, whose size and versatility give the defense another option as it pieces together roles in the secondary.
What makes Dugger interesting is not just the experience he brings, but the way he fits into a crowded competition for snaps. The Bengals have several capable defensive backs in the mix, and Goldens comments suggest the staff is still weighing how to use that group most effectively, whether in the slot, in dime looks or somewhere else that takes advantage of the rosters flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Week 1 Opponent Suddenly Has A Major Problem Up Front
The Bengals Week 1 trip to Tampa Bay just picked up an unexpected layer of intrigue up front. Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea is entering the final year of his deal, and after extension talks stalled, the situation around one of the leagues most imposing interior linemen has become a real storyline heading into training camp.
For Cincinnati, the timing is notable because the front office already addressed the position this offseason by adding Dexter Lawrence II, a move that gave the defense a bigger, more disruptive presence in the middle. Defensive coordinator Al Golden has spoken highly of Lawrences ability to win one-on-one matchups and hold his ground, which makes the Bengals feel set at the spot even as one of their first opponents deals with uncertainty there. [Read more 🡒]
Zac Taylor Just Sent A Different Message About Bengals Expectations
Zac Taylor is heading into the season with a different kind of energy around the Bengals, and he is not pretending otherwise. After Cincinnatis Super Bowl LVI run, the expectation has shifted from chasing a breakthrough to proving it was no one-year spike, and Taylor has acknowledged the pressure that comes with trying to get the team back to the playoffs.
What makes this worth watching is how that pressure may be shaping the way he leads. Taylor has suggested it is pushing him to be more demanding and more accountable with his coaching staff, a subtle but meaningful change for a team that has not yet played a regular-season or preseason game. The Bengals still have to show it on the field, but the tone around the building already sounds a little different. [Read more 🡒]