Zac Taylor isn’t seeing any soft spots from his defense right now, and that’s exactly how he wants camp to feel.
Speaking Thursday as Cincinnati got ready for another 2026 training camp practice outside Paycor Stadium, Taylor said the offense has been forced to earn every inch against a defense that has made life difficult early on.
“It’s been hard going against our defense,” Taylor said. “They make it really challenging.
So you’re having to earn about everything you can do. Guys have to be really disciplined with the technique and landmarks and aiming points and all that kind of stuff.
So that’s been fun watching those guys take in those coaching points, really be dialed into it, walking on the perimeter, all the things that are going to make us successful. But nothing’s been easy.
We’ve had to work for everything we’ve gotten, which is a good thing early in camp.”
Taylor added that this is not a unit still figuring out how to play together.
“It’s not a group that’s new to playing together. They’ve accumulated a lot of reps, so there’s nothing for me that’s ever overly concerning. Really, in training camp, I like the adversity and the grind that they got to go through.”
The Bengals are doing this without a fully healthy defense. Shemar Stewart, dealing with a knee issue, and B.J. Hill, who is working back from an ankle injury, are both still on the mend.
Taylor said there still isn’t a clear update on either player.
“I don’t know yet,” Taylor said about Hill’s return timeline before saying the same about Stewart. “I don’t have a timeline on that.”
He also confirmed that the starters will see action in next Thursday’s preseason opener against the Lions.
“I have,” Taylor said about deciding to play starters next week. “I’m not ready to go there yet, but they will play a little bit. We’ll just determine how much at a later date.”
Cincinnati has one more morning practice this week on Sunday, and the team will also hold a night practice Friday inside Paycor Stadium.
In Other News...
Landon Robinson Is Giving Bengals Fans A Reason To Watch Camp Closely
The Bengals used a late draft pick on Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson, but he has quickly become one of the more intriguing names to surface during offseason work. His arrival brought a different kind of profile to Cincinnatis defensive line room, blending the kind of discipline and toughness associated with the Naval Academy with the athletic traits that helped make him a seventh-round selection.
Robinson has already turned enough heads that he is being viewed as a candidate for a rotational role up front, which gives camp a little extra edge for Bengals fans tracking the defensive line battle. The early buzz has also invited some familiar comparisons to a former Cincinnati standout, adding to the sense that this rookie could be more than a quiet depth addition if he keeps building on the attention he has earned. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals WR3 Battle Is Suddenly Putting Real Pressure On Someone
The Bengals are getting close to their first preseason game, and the practice field has already started sorting out a few of the roster questions that matter most. Among them is the WR3 job, where young receiver Colbie Young has been turning heads while Andrei Iosivas has been trying to steady himself after a stretch of drops. It has become one of those camp battles that feels less like depth-chart fine print and more like an early test of who can be trusted when the games start counting.
Cincinnati is also watching other young players push for notice, including pass rusher Cashius Howell, who has flashed against the first team and looked the part in a crowded evaluation period. The Bengals are still in the stage where practice reps can move a player up or down in a hurry, and that makes these next few weeks especially important for anyone sitting on the edge of a role. For Iosivas, the margin is shrinking, and the preseason will give the coaching staff its clearest look yet at whether he can hold it. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Just Got A Fresh Reminder How Smart Their WR Deals Look
The Bengals got another timely reminder in March why locking up Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins was such a smart piece of business. Cincinnati secured both wideouts on long-term contracts, keeping the core of its passing game intact and avoiding the kind of escalating market pressure that always follows a big-name receiver deal elsewhere in the AFC.
Baltimore only added to that sense with its new four-year, $140 million commitment to Zay Flowers, a price tag that pushes the market higher and makes Cincinnati's numbers look even more manageable by comparison. For the Bengals, the bigger value may not be in any one contract headline, but in the way those two deals now sit against a receiver market that keeps getting louder and more expensive. [Read more 🡒]