Bralyn Lux hive, unite! OK maybe it's a little premature to declare any sort of victory on the, "I told you so!" front regarding the second-year Cincinnati Bengals cornerback, but Lux has made quite an impression since landing in the Queen City as an undrafted free agent last year.
In digging into the former Texas Tech standout throughout last offseason, I saw enough to believe he could make the final 53-man roster. Lux ultimately fell short of that mark, yet he stuck around on the practice squad and remains in the picture to this day.
Except Lux is far more "in frame" than anyone could've anticipated. It only took one minicamp practice to prove that.
Second-year Bengals UDFA Bralyn Lux earns minicamp reps as starting nickelback
Some otherwise typical practice footage of Joe Burrow connecting on a pass with tight end Mike Gesicki featured a low-key cameo from Lux in the lineup with the Bengals' starting defense.
Bralyn Lux in the slot with the starters 👀 https://t.co/Feo5ppOAvj
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) June 16, 2026
This is most noteworthy indeed. Not only did Jalen Davis seize the starting nickelback job last year, but the front office went out of their way to add multiple bodies at that position despite re-signing Davis.
Safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger have plenty of experience playing in the slot, as does nickel specialist Ja'Sir Taylor. All those moves, combined with Davis' unexpected 2025 emergence, made me believe Lux was not for long in Cincinnati.
It would appear instead that Lux has asserted himself into the mix to steal the starting job from Davis, or at least be part of a platoon at that spot.
What makes this news even better is the fact that the Bengals' deployment of Lux, combined with the aforementioned additions, should all but guarantee that Dax Hill remains a starter at boundary cornerback opposite DJ Turner. Hill has said that his position hasn't been officially confirmed, but Lux's apparent ascent up the depth chart bodes well in that regard.
Lux made an impression during Week 2 of the prior preseason, recording three tackles and two passes defensed against the Commanders. His willingness to tackle, take on blocks, and his obvious ability to read and react in coverage should help him stick around.
Even if he's more of a special teams staple this year, Lux should be on the roster if his starting minicamp reps are any indication.
Although getting too many defensive backs in the rotation could be problematic to some degree, it's good to know Al Golden has multiple options to trot out on any given snap. If Lux is indeed dependable, that should free up Golden even more to play a lot of exotic, disguised coverages in the secondary.
As if the excitement around the defense's improvement wasn't already immense, Lux is only furthering the perception that this roster is as deep and stacked top to bottom as any during the Joe Burrow era.
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