Cedric Johnson's rapid breakout flexes strength of Bengals' defensive line depth

The Cincinnati Bengals' defense proved itself yet again in Week 2. Al Golden's unit managed to hold the Houston Texans to just six points in the entire game, stuffing their rushing attack and getting constant pressure on CJ Stroud in the pass.

Cincinnati now heads into Week 3 against the Steelers hoping to go 3-0 and excited to see what this defense can do against Aaron Rodgers, who has struggled so far this season.

There were several standout performers on defense, with the defensive line specifically putting on a show. Dexter Lawrence proved why the Bengals traded a first-round pick for him, but Jonathan Allen, Shemar Stewart, and Cedric Johnson also showed up.

Johnson was perhaps the biggest surprise, as he's seen as very much a depth piece in Golden's defense. However, against Houston, he managed to record two sacks, including a crucial sack on Stroud in the fourth quarter, which helped to all but ice the game.

Cedric Johnson proves how much depth the Bengals have

Johnson has had a fantastic start to the season this year, but to many in the NFL, he was fairly unknown. The Bengals drafted Johnson in 2024 in the sixth round. He has played in 18 games since being drafted, recording 17 tackles, two sacks, and two fumble recoveries.

His start to 2026 is by far the best football of his career so far, and long may it continue for the 24-year-old, who is currently the fifth-string edge rusher on the Bengals' roster.

Based on his performance against the Texans, Johnson could really carve out more of a role for himself, especially as rotation on the defensive line is a good thing to preserve players' condition and energy as the season rolls on.

Johnson's performances aren't going unnoticed, as his teammates have begun to recognise that this guy might be quite the pass rusher. Shemar Stewart, who also recorded a sack against the Texans, praised the former sixth-round pick. He told NBC 5's Charlie Clifford the following:

"Ced is doing great things right now. He's playing balls to the wall. It's only a matter of time before sacks start rolling in."

If anything, what Johnson's recent production shows is how deep the Bengals' depth is on that defensive line. Considering that he's the fifth edge rusher on the depth chart, behind Boye Mafe, Myles Murphy, Cashius Howell, and Stewart, and he's performing at this level; Al Golden has some serious weapons at his disposal.

The defense already feels special this year, but when you consider that there's really good backup for when the injuries inevitably hit, that's really what counts come the New Year.

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