Bengals 2026 Training Camp Preview: CB
Players:
0. DJ Turner
23. Daxton Hill
35. Jalen Davis
23. Tacario Davis
28. Josh Newton
21. Bralyn Lux
38. DJ Ivey
26. Ja’Sir Taylor
40. Jalen Kimber
22. Ceyair Wright
The CB position is an interesting one, heading into training camp. There are different storylines in different areas of the depth chart. As the offseason progresses, they are sure to be closely monitored.
Starting at the top, we’ve got DJ Turner and Dax Hill locked into starting places on the boundary. Turner enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, while Hill finally found consistency when moved to the outside. Their places aren’t in question, but their contract situations will certainly be talked about. Both are entering the final year of their respective deals, and the Bengals have expressed interest in extending each one. At the very least, we would like to see one of those deals done before the start of the season. But both would be nice.
The next storyline comes with the 3rd starting position, the slot. Right now, there is no established starter penciled in, so this is set to be one of the most anticipated battles of the summer.
Jalen Davis is the clubhouse favourite. He has spent a lot of time as a practice squadder or depth guy. But in small stints when filling in, he has played well. Last season, he got a bigger run after injuries thrust him into the starting spot, and ended up being one of the brighter spots on the defensive side of the ball. One one hand, it is hard to go into a year trusting a 30 year old career depth guy, who only just had a mini breakout season. But on the other hand, if his summer looks anything like the back half of last season did, he shouldn’t have much problem winning the job.
Josh Newton and Bralyn Lux figure to be his competition. Newton, a former 4th round pick, has some starting experience. There have been some summer flashes, but his in-season play hasn’t been impressive in my eyes. He is also lacking the traits to be a high end player. But he will get an opportunity to make his case.
Lux is a 2025 UDFA. He spent most of last season on the practice squad, but got into the lineup in week 17. He had a solid summer last year, and there were things to like in his college tape. I’d still consider him an underdog in the battle, but I think he will end up being Davis’s biggest challenger for the role of slot CB.
Tacario Davis comes in as a rookie 3rd rounder. He’s not a slot guy, so there isn’t really an avenue for him to challenge for a starting spot. But with two starters on contract years, the Bengals will be hoping he can develop behind the scenes. He will be battling for the “first off the bench” position. Given Hill’s versatility to play inside and out, Lux and Newton should also be involved in this battle, assuming neither one beats out Jalen Davis.
Ivey is a former 7th round pick. He hasn’t played a lot on defence, but has become a good special teamer. He’ll be battling for one of the back-end spots, and continuing to perform well on special teams will help him do that. If he misses out, we could see him resurface on the practice squad.
Taylor, Kimber, and Wright round out the unit. All three figure to be competing with Ivey for one of these last spots. Someone like Newton also shouldn’t be immune to their competition. Taylor joined the Bengals as a free agent in April. He has 65 games of NFL experience since being drafted in the 6th round by the Chargers in 2022. Kimber joined the Bengals practice squad last December and returned on a futures deal in January. Wright, meanwhile, is a rookie UDFA.
We’ll see if any of those guys can make an impact. Something to also consider here is the possibility that the Bengals add to the position group. Perhaps someone like Kris Jenkins is used as trade bait.
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