Cincinnati Bengals 2026 Training Camp: Who Will Win the Starting Jobs? (A Simple Guide)

Introduction: What’s Happening at Camp?

Imagine the Cincinnati Bengals football team is like a classroom. Last year, the teacher (the coaches) had to put brand-new students (rookies) in charge of the most important group projects (starting positions) right away. It didn’t go well—the new students were nervous and made mistakes, and the class (the team) struggled.

This year is totally different. The "star students" (established veterans) are locked in for almost all 25 starting spots on offense, defense, and special teams. The competitions happening over the next six weeks aren’t for the starting jobs—they are for the backup and depth roles.

Why This Matters: In football, injuries happen constantly. The "backups" often end up playing hundreds of snaps. Finding reliable backups is the difference between a playoff team and a disaster.

Here are the three biggest position battles to watch, explained simply.

1. Cornerback: The "Wide-Open" Battle Royale

The Background (The Starters Are Set)

Think of cornerbacks as the players who cover the other team’s wide receivers.

• The Locks: DJ Turner II and Dax Hill are the starting "outside" cornerbacks (they cover receivers on the sidelines). Coaches confirmed Hill stays outside.
• The Nickel Spot: Jalen Davis is the current favorite for the "nickel" cornerback spot. ELI5: The "nickel" corner covers the receiver who lines up in the slot (between the wide receiver and the offensive line). It requires quickness and smarts.

The Contenders (Everyone Else Is Fighting for Scraps)

Behind those three, it’s a total free-for-all for the two backup spots. Here are the contestants:

• DJ Ivey: A 2023 7th-round pick. He played 195 snaps last year—mostly covering tight ends on 3rd down—and did a great job. Coaches love him.
• Tacario Davis: A 2026 3rd-round rookie draft pick. High investment = high expectations.
• Ja’Sir Taylor: A veteran journeyman with 127 snaps for the Chargers and Jets last year.
• Josh Newton: A 2024 5th-round pick.
• Brayln Lux: A 2025 undrafted free agent (UDFA) with only 19 career snaps.
• Kyle Dugger: Wait, he’s a Safety! But he’s so athletic the coaches might move him to corner if needed.

What’s at Stake?

A HUGE amount of playing time. In a normal season, cornerbacks other than the top two play 1,000 to 1,500 defensive snaps. That’s basically a full-time job for the backups.

What the Coaches Say

Duke Tobin (GM): "This is the most important and wide-open battle… We have a lot of guys with versatility that can play inside, outside."

Al Golden (Defensive Coordinator) on Ivey: "’If you want more roles, master your current one.’ That’s what DJ Ivey did last year. He warrants a more extensive look."

The Outlook

Anyone’s guess. Truly. No combination of names behind Hill and Turner would surprise anyone. Ivey, Jalen Davis, and Tacario Davis have a slight head start (experience, incumbent status, draft capital), but it is a "Best Man Wins" camp.

2. Linebacker: The "Prove It" Year

The Background (The Starters Are Young)

The two starting linebackers are Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. Both are 2nd-year players (rookies last year).

• The Elephant in the Room: Last year, they looked lost and rattled at times, and the defense fell apart mid-season.
• The Hope: They improved late last year. The team added better players in front of them (defensive line) and behind them (safeties), which should help.

The Backups (The "Old Guys" & Unknowns)

• Oren Burks: 31-year-old veteran.
• Joe Giles-Harris: 29-year-old journeyman.
• Shaka Heyward: 26-year-old former UDFA with only 48 career snaps.

What’s at Stake?

The entire defense. The team is betting the farm that Knight and Carter take a massive "Year 2 jump." If they still look hesitant in August, the Bengals will have to panic-trade for a veteran linebacker before the season starts.

What the Coaches Say

Duke Tobin: "We believe in the group… You have to develop guys within. Now they are the established vet. We feel good about that group right now."

Darrin Simmons (Special Teams Coach): "I feel really good about the backups… That is the strong suit of our core special teams unit." (Translation: The backups make the team because they are great at kick coverage, not necessarily defense).

The Outlook

The roles feel set, but the performance is the question. Unlike cornerback, there isn’t a real "competition" for the starting jobs. The competition is Knight and Carter vs. their own 2025 game tape. If they look like rookies again, the defense is in huge trouble.

3. Offensive Line: Protecting the Franchise

The Background (Stability at Last!)

For the first time since Joe Burrow arrived, the exact same 5 starting offensive linemen return.

• Interior (Guards/Center): Solid. Jalen Rivers had a great rookie year. Two draft picks added for depth.
• Tackles (The Bookends): Amarius Mims (Right) and Orlando Brown Jr. (Left). Both played every game last year.

The Battle: The "Swing Tackle" (Backup for Both Sides)

Since the starters are set, the fight is for the #3 and #4 tackle spots (the guys who come in if Mims or Brown get hurt).

• Cody Ford (The Leader): Veteran who took over for Brown at Left Tackle late in 2024 during a win streak. He has the experience edge.
• Javon Foster & Andrew Coker: Practice squad guys from last year.
• Rookie UDFAs: Undrafted free agents trying to make the team.
• Brian Parker: 6th-round pick. Played tackle in college (Duke) but projects as a guard in the NFL. Watch him: if tackles get hurt, he might move back outside.

What’s at Stake?

Joe Burrow’s health. The Bengals throw the ball a lot. Being "one injury away" from playing a backup tackle in this scheme is terrifying. Both Mims and Brown have injury histories.

What the Coaches Say

Duke Tobin: Pushed back hard on the idea that O-line depth is a problem. He likes the competition.

Dan Pitcher (Offensive Coordinator): "That’s a question we will have a lot better answer to in a month’s time… we have a lot of opportunity for guys to go show what they can do."

The Outlook

Cody Ford probably wins. It’s hard to beat a guy who already succeeded at Left Tackle in this system. But if Ford has a bad camp (like he did last year), it opens the door for Foster, Coker, or Parker.

KEY TAKEAWAYS: The Big Picture

1. This Camp is About DEPTH, Not Starters. 22 of 25 starters are locked in. That is rare and good.

2. Cornerback is the #1 Story. The most snaps available, the most unknowns, the highest variance.

3. Linebackers Must "Show, Don’t Tell." Knight and Carter have the coaches’ trust for now. They have 6 weeks to keep it.

4. Offensive Line Depth = Burrow’s Safety. The "Swing Tackle" battle is quietly the most important backup spot on the roster.

Summary

The 2026 Bengals training camp is a refreshing change of pace. Instead of scrambling to find starters, the coaching staff gets to run a true "Best Player Plays" tournament for backup roles.

• Cornerback is a chaotic, high-stakes royale with 6+ players for 2-3 spots.
• Linebacker is a high-pressure "prove-it" audition for two young starters and their backups.
• Offensive Line is a quiet but critical battle to find a reliable bodyguard for Joe Burrow.

By mid-September, the answers to these battles will define whether the Bengals’ depth chart is a strength or a liability.

FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered

1. What is a "Nickel Cornerback" and why is it a starting spot?

ELI5: Modern offenses use 3+ receivers almost all the time. The defense counters by putting a 5th defensive back on the field (hence "Nickel" = 5 cents). This player covers the "slot" receiver (inside). Because offenses pass so much, the Nickel corner is on the field ~60-70% of snaps—effectively a starter.

2. Why are the Linebacker starters (Knight & Carter) considered "unproven" if they started last year?

ELI5: They were rookies forced into starting roles immediately. Rookies usually struggle with the speed and complexity of the NFL. They had "ugly moments" last year. This camp is their first chance to show they’ve mastered the playbook and the speed of the game.

3. What does "UDFA" mean?

UDFA = Undrafted Free Agent. These are players who weren’t selected in the NFL Draft but signed contracts immediately after. They are long shots to make the roster, but many NFL stars (like Kurt Warner or Tony Romo) started as UDFAs.

4. Why is the "Swing Tackle" so important for the Bengals?

ELI5: The Bengals throw the ball a lot (pass-heavy scheme). Pass blocking from the tackle position is the hardest job on the line. If a starting tackle gets hurt, the backup has to block elite pass rushers instantly. If they fail, Joe Burrow gets hit. That’s why this backup spot is critical.

5. Who has the "inside track" to win the Cornerback backup jobs?

ELI5: DJ Ivey (coaches rave about his 2025 tape), Jalen Davis (incumbent nickel), and Tacario Davis (3rd-round pick = team invested money in him). But the coaches emphasized: "Best man wins."