The Cincinnati Bengals enter 2026 with a new look on defense, and that new look is defined by an entirely new set of defensive captains.
Newly acquired defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and fellow newcomer safety Bryan Cook were named defensive captains along with standout cornerback D.J. Turner. Not only are all three of the players first-time captains for the Bengals, but two of them are also captains on an NFL team for the first time in their careers.
Lawrence served as a captain during his time with the New York Giants, but despite being an anchor for their secondary, Cook never served as a captain for the Kansas City Chiefs. Turner, who was drafted by the Bengals in 2023, looks to prove his ability to fill in as a leader as he searches for his first big NFL contract.
New Cincinnati defenders Bryan Cook and Dexter Lawrence are proven leaders
While this is Cook's first time as an official captain in his four-year career, he has proven that he has the ability to lead. Cook played with Bengals running back Samaje Perine during his short stint with the Chiefs.
The two teammates experienced a Super Bowl loss together in 2024 when the Chiefs lost big to the Philadelphia Eagles. A significant deficit in the biggest game of the season is a level of adversity that will never fail to show the true colors of a leader. Perine said in an article from Bengals.com that Cook never failed to take accountability for himself when things went poorly.
"Vocal leadership and his accountability to everyone on defense...At the end of the day, if D-Line, linebackers mess up, he'll put it on himself. That's the type of player he is. If something isn't right, he puts it on himself first, and that's what you look for in a leader and captain. They take ownership, and they do whatever it takes to make it better."
Lawrence, on the other hand, has been a captain more often than not during his time in the NFL. Out of the eight seasons in the league, he has been a captain in five of them.
Whether it's strictly the havoc he wreaks as a game-wrecker from the interior, his leadership abilities, or a healthy combination of both, Lawrence has a massive effect on defensive output.
When Lawrence was off the field for the Giants in 2025, they ranked dead last in yards per pass attempt, second to last in sack rate and 26th overall in pass success rate. When Lawrence was on the field, the Giants were in the top-10 in all of the aforementioned statistics. Lawrence figured he could be one of many leaders on the Bengals defense.
#Bengals DT Dexter Lawrence on being named a team captain in his first season with the Bengals: pic.twitter.com/AGqbfllA5h
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) September 7, 2026
Turner has a lot to prove ahead of a big contract season
Another newcomer to the captains' table is Turner, who will be a captain for the first time in his NFL career. Although Turner hasn't been a captain in the NFL, he was a captain in high school and during his time with the Michigan Wolverines.
The Bengals may be making the same mistake they made with safety Jessie Bates III a few years ago with their refusal to give Turner a contract before the beginning of the season. Turner's 18-passes defended in 2025 underlined a breakout season for the young cornerback, but a role as a leader will seemingly be necessary to prove to the Bengals organization that Turner is worth a top-tier contract.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon's new four-year, $132 million contract reset the cornerback contract market until Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots got $3 million more in his new deal, as reported by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
If Turner continues as one of the elite NFL cornerbacks in 2026 while also showing the ability to be a leader for a defense that has struggled in years past, the Bengals could be forced to dish out one of the most lucrative cornerback contracts in the NFL. Newsflash: That's not their typical M.O.
Bates III is still one of the highest-paid safeties in the league after the Bengals were unable to pay him in 2023, kicking off some of the most disastrous defensive seasons in Bengals history. Bates III was also a captain for the Bengals before moving on to lead the Atlanta Falcons defense.
Ideally for the Bengals turner performs as one of the best in the league in 2026, but it may result in another difficult decision for the Bengals front office.
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