The Cincinnati Bengals may or may not have gotten dual public and behind-the-scenes ultimatums from quarterback Joe Burrow to spur them into action this offseason. Whatever the case may be, the front office actually appears serious about winning a Super Bowl for once.
This Bengals roster is indeed shaping up to be the best of Burrow's career. Thanks to multiple big-name free agents, the trade for Dexter Lawrence, and a top pick spent on Cashius Howell, defensive coordinator Al Golden has a lot more to work with in 2026.
Now that the NFL Draft has come and gone, and Cincinnati's wave of UDFA signings is in tow, it's time to see what the Bengals' final 53-man roster might look like this year.
Bengals 53-man roster projections underscore value found in 2026 NFL Draft
Quarterbacks (2)
- Joe Burrow
- Joe Flacco
Re-signing Joe Flacco gives the Bengals a legitimate backup to Joe Burrow. The hope is that Flacco won't be needed for anything more than garbage time mop-up duty or kneeling the ball at the end of multiple Cincinnati victories.
Running Backs (3)
- Chase Brown
- Samaje Perine
- Tahj Brooks
Wouldn't mind seeing another body added here. Last year's sixth-round pick, Tahj Brooks, didn't have many chances to tote the rock behind workhorse back Chase Brown and veteran Samaje Perine. That's a decent-enough 1-2 punch for what should be a stellar Bengals rushing attack.
Wide Receivers (5)
- Ja'Marr Chase
- Tee Higgins
- Andrei Iosivas
- Colbie Young
- Mitchell Tinsley
One of the biggest reaches of the entire draft was Georgia wideout Colbie Young. He comes with limited production in his final two college seasons, and there were far better prospects on the board when the Bengals drafted him at No. 140 overall. Nevertheless, Young will have every chance to beat out Andrei Iosivas for the WR3 spot behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Tight Ends (4)
- Mike Gesicki
- Erick All Jr.
- Jack Endries
- Tanner Hudson
Thanks to the absolute steal the Bengals got in the seventh round in fiery Texas tight end Jack Endries, this may mark the end of the road for Drew Sample. The Bengals can't seem to quit him. Sample's limited receiving upside and declining blocking skills are dead weight. As long as Erick All Jr. is healthy, Sample shouldn't make the final roster.
Offensive Line (10)
- Orlando Brown Jr.
- Dylan Fairchild
- Ted Karras
- Dalton Risner
- Amarius Mims
- Javon Foster
- Brian Parker II
- Connor Lew
- Jalen Rivers
- Cody Ford
Outside of the aforementioned reach on Young, Cincinnati did very well on Day 3 of the draft. Hometown hero Brian Parker II could start at right guard after Dalton Risner, and in the meantime, has five-position versatility. Auburn center Connor Lew figures to be Ted Karras' successor. Not many other surprises here, other than perhaps Javon Foster as a swing tackle candidate.
Defensive Line (10)
- Myles Murphy
- Dexter Lawrence
- B.J. Hill
- Boye Mafe
- Cashius Howell
- Jonathan Allen
- T.J. Slaton Jr.
- Shemar Stewart
- Cedric Johnson
- Landon Robinson
That's right. Kris Jenkins Jr., a 2024 second-round pick, is the surprise omission on this entire 53-man lineup. Like I said, the final day of the draft was kind to the Bengals. They landed squatty Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson, whose pass rushing upside eclipses that of Jenkins. Robinson's more clearly-defined role should get him the nod in the end.
I was a round early. My bad! Welcome to Cincinnati, @LandonRobinson!! https://t.co/joXANQWOjr
— Stripe Hype (@StripeHype) April 25, 2026
Linebackers (5)
- Demetrius Knight Jr.
- Barrett Carter
- Oren Burks
- Joe Giles-Harris
- Jack Dingle
The weakest position group on the roster. Duke Tobin and Zac Taylor's coaching staff are betting big on Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter bouncing back from awful rookie seasons. Ex-Cincinnati Bearcat Jack Dingle has the athletic makeup to sneak onto the 53-man roster. If the Bengals relegate him to the practice squad, Dingle should be picked up by another team in short order.
Jack Dingle is a LB prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.82 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 65 out of 3460 LB from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/FvjagUF5bb pic.twitter.com/gGoxszCYea
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 6, 2026
Cornerbacks (6)
- DJ Turner
- Dax Hill
- Tacario Davis
- Josh Newton
- Jalen Davis
- Ja'Sir Taylor
Bralyn Lux is still in the mix at the nickelback spot, but Cincinnati signed Ja'Sir Taylor to compete with Jalen Davis there. Lux will be one of the taxi squad's headliners. No major plot twists among the rest of this crew, unless you count 2023 seventh-round pick DJ Ivey getting waived.
Safeties (5)
- Bryan Cook
- Jordan Battle
- Kyle Dugger
- Daijahn Anthony
- PJ Jules
The top trio is locked in place. It'll be interesting to see how the Bengals navigate the rest of this position group. Daijahn Anthony is a speedy, hard-hitting defender with slot versatility, while Jules is pivotal to the special teams unit. We could see the Bengals bring aboard somebody from outside the building once other teams' cuts transpire.
Specialists (3)
- K Evan McPherson
- P Ryan Rehkow
- LS William Wagner
All three incumbents keep their jobs on the kicking unit. Evan McPherson bounced back nicely last year after a rough 2024 campaign. Ryan Rehkow finished ninth in net punting average at 42.9. William Wagner beat out veteran Cal Adomitis for the long snapper gig in the previous training camp. This should be another area of strength for Cincinnati.
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