How many different ways can it be said, and how many different times? Suffice it to say, Cincinnati Bengals fans are terrified of rolling into the 2026 season with Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. as their starting linebackers.
No question that these gents have heard all the criticism. We've had plenty of it in this space. Somehow, the rising second-year starters appear to have rallied around each other.
It'd be easy for any struggling pro athlete to have their spirit broken in the modern minefield of social media and mass exposure. Bengals receiver Andrei Iosivas saw a particularly ugly side of that last season. Carter and Knight must've had similar experiences, too. After all, I've openly speculated that undrafted free agent Jack Dingle could steal either of their jobs.
To their credit, at least for now, it comes across like they understand the responsibility they're being entrusted with.
Bengals LBs Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. are talking a big game they must back up
It's worth hearing the fuller versions of these quotes from Knight and Carter as recorded by WCPO's Noelle Blumel, but the gist is captured in her caption:
“It’s night & day. I feel so much more confident this year.” - Barrett Carter
— Noelle Blumel (@NoelleBlumel) May 26, 2026
“They believe in who we are. They know why they drafted us.” - Demetrius Knight Jr.
The Bengals are placing heavy stock in 2 young linebackers. They both feel confident heading into year 2.#Bengals pic.twitter.com/CiuiSkIpVF
Here's what Carter had to say to Bengals radio voice Dan Hoard:
3. LB Barrett Carter is noticeably more vocal at this stage than he was as a rookie.
— Dan Hoard (@Dan_Hoard) May 26, 2026
“Being the green dot, you have to be vocal,” said Carter. “It’s year two in the league and it’s year two in Al Golden’s system. I have a year under my belt and I just feel so much more… pic.twitter.com/CCwrcLQ5Ua
It takes an almost delusional amount of confidence for anyone to dare to dream they'll defy the odds and make it to the NFL in the first place. Maybe that's why Carter and Knight seem rather unfazed by how poorly they played in 2025, and the weight on their collective shoulders this year.
The Bengals went out of their way to proclaim that they'll run it back with Knight and Carter as starting linebackers by, well, not acquiring any in free agency or the NFL Draft. Well, unless you count Cashius Howell in a pseudo-hybrid role, but he's far more of a designated pass rusher off the edge than a legitimate, oft-contributing linebacker.
What does help Carter and Knight is the evident belief that the organization and coaching staff has in them. That cliché/meme-ified template of, "Find someone who believes in you like X believes in Y" certainly applies here.
Is Cincinnati's big faith misplaced? Methinks so. Would love to see Carter and Knight prove myself and all the other Who Dey Nation doubters wrong. How can they fare worse with a superstar like Dexter Lawrence up front to anchor a much-improved defensive line? Hopefully we won't find out, y'all.
The bar for Carter and Knight dwells in the underworld. Any modicum of improvement would be a most welcome plot twist.
There are 88 qualified LBs graded this season by PFF.
— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) November 3, 2025
The Bengals rookie LBs have the bottom 2 spots.
Barrett Carter is 87th out of 88.
Demetrius Knight Jr. is 88th out of 88.
Spending two premium picks on non-premium positions to get this production is as bad as it gets.
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