Bengals 2026 Training Camp Preview: DT
Players:
97. Dexter Lawrence
92. BJ Hill
93. Jonathan Allen
98. TJ Slaton
90. Kris Jenkins
91. McKinnley Jackson
96. Landon Robinson
95. Howard Cross III
68. Jordan Jefferson
For the first time in a while, the Bengals are looking quite good at DT. This comes after the team made some big moves to address what had been a pretty big hole in the roster.
It is not often that a NT headlines the group, but that is the case here. Dexter Lawrence is the big addition in Cincinnati after he was acquired from the New York Giants for a 1st round pick. And in fairness, he is not your typical NT. You just as easily could plug him in at 3T and he’ll be an elite player. But his unique combination of size/strength/athleticism allows him to eat up blocks and make plays in the run game, while also proving to be a high end pass rusher. The boost he’ll give to the defence should be substantial.
At 3T beside Lawrence, we should see some kind of rotation between BJ Hill and Jonathan Allen. Allen was one of the team’s big free agent signings and is the better pass rusher of the two. But Hill’s ability against the run might see him get a bit more early down work. That’s not to say that Allen is bad against the run, either. Something to also factor in is Allen’s injury history in recent years. Managing his workload and putting him in positions of strength should allow for more consistent production. A scaled back workload for Hill could also have a positive effect on his production. We will see.
The top 3 are roster locks, and the battles after that will be interesting. At NT behind Lawrence are TJ Slaton and McKinnley Jackson. Now, Jackson is the younger player with more upside. And he has shown some flashes in limited playing time. But for some reason, he seemed to be in the doghouse from the beginning of the year, often serving as a healthy scratch. It feels reminiscent of the treatment former RB Chris Evans got a few years ago.
I’m hoping that Jackson can keep building on what he has shown, and if he does, we’ll have to see if it is enough to make the roster. Slaton, by contrast, is a veteran that is generally reliable. That said, he didn’t particularly stand out enough to me last season to consider him safe. In another year $6M+ salary might also factor in, but the Bengals aren’t really strapped for cap space at the moment. But we’ll see if that changes if they can extend guys like DJ Turner and Dax Hill.
Slaton and Jackson are at very different stages of their career. Both were on the roster last year, but the numbers game makes it tough to keep both. This will be a battle to watch.
Kris Jenkins was picked in the same draft as Jackson, but is more of a 3T. While Slaton and Jackson are battling for a spot behind Lawrence, it is different for Jenkins because both Hill and Allen are firmly ahead of him. Thus far, the athletic upside hasn’t translated into much consistency. This may be his last chance to show it. His name also could be one that pops up in trade conversations. The Bengals may look to ship off someone like Jenkins for more depth at LB, or perhaps a slot CB.
Landon Robinson is a rookie 7th round pick. Very undersized for a DT, but extremely athletic and surprisingly strong. He gives Geno Atkins vibes. We’ll need to see what happens in camp/preseason before saying anything definitively, but Robinson seems like someone who could make the roster, regardless of the numbers game. The kind of player with enough upside that you make room, even if you have to go leaner at a different position.
Cross III is stylistically similar to Robinson. Smaller 3T with athletic upside. But to me he seems like a lesser version. It is tough to see him finding a spot on the roster, but the practice squad is very much in play.
Finally, we have Jordan Jefferson. He’ll also be battling for a spot on the practice squad, most likely. He got into 1 game for the Bengals last year after being claimed off waivers from the 49ers in October. But with the additions at the position, it seems like he’ll be squeezed out of a roster spot.
