It’s now or never for prized Al Golden pupil to make splash in Bengals camp

The Cincinnati Bengals have come a long way from last offseason, when fans wondered aloud what the plan was at defensive tackle. Free-agent signee T.J. Slaton was predictably not that impactful, and B.J. Hill gutted it out through a banged-up 2025 campaign.

Cincinnati consequently finished worst in the NFL in run defense, because in a problem that could see from a mile away, the defensive tackle position was in a bad spot.

Howard Cross III was an undrafted free agent last year out of Notre Dame, where he played under Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden. Cross made the initial 53-man roster, but didn't make much noise as a rookie and bounced between the practice squad.

All of a sudden, the defensive tackle competition is a lot steeper with the additions of Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and seventh-round pick Landon Robinson. Can Cross do enough to stick in Cincy?

DT Howard Cross III faces uphill battle to make roster after Bengals' aggressive offseason

Having ties to Golden can only take Cross so far. His skill set is that of an undersized plus pass rusher. The problem is, Robinson has a similar skill set and is a far more dynamic athlete.

Even if Cross ran the 40 during the pre-draft process, his measurables are similar to those of Robinson, but the latter's functional athleticism is more on par with Bengals legend Geno Atkins:

You have to figure, too, that the Bengals will give their 2024 Day 2 draft picks Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson every opportunity to make the team over someone like Cross.

Despite the Bengals' refreshing change in approach to not get too fixated on their in-house talent, Jenkins and Jackson are fighting for jobs in their own right. They've proven a bit more to date than Cross has, so they'll likely take priority in training camp and the preseason when it comes to live reps.

That means with the few chances Cross does get to strut his stuff, he'll need to be exceptional and prove he can really make a difference. Otherwise, he may not get a mere demotion to the taxi squad. He could be out of Cincinnati altogether.

Not to suggest that Cross doesn't belong in the NFL, but losing such a key advocate in Golden would be a big blow.

Above all else, Cross was an exciting storyline to follow last offseason. Now, the Bengals have actually made a meaningful change on the defensive line, and it's showing just how dire the position group was last year and the couple seasons prior. Cross' departure could be a tough but fair consequence of that initiative, which should ultimately put Cincinnati in better position for a Super Bowl.

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