The Cincinnati Bengals have some difficult decision to parse through in an offseason that Joe Burrow labeled "as big as it gets" on public record.
Whereas the handling of a superstar like Trey Hendrickson is (potentially) a little more complex, due to his blend of production and professionalism, other players turn would-be dilemmas into no-brainer moves.
Such is the case with Bengals 2022 second-round pick Cam Taylor-Britt. After a promising start to his career, CTB got benched throughout the past two years, and suffered a season-ending injury during the 2025 campaign that all but ended his chances of remaining in Cincinnati.
Tuesday's news about Taylor-Britt serving a brief stint in jail should put to rest any notion that he'll be back in a Bengals uniform in 2026 or thereafter.
Read More: 4 Bengals players who definitely won't be back in 2026
Free agent Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt to serve 5 days in jail for driving recklessly without a license
That piece above about who's leaving the Bengals admittedly did include Hendrickson and Taylor-Britt, but the latter sealed his fate on Tuesday if it was even up for debate before.
Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor Britt just pleaded guilty to reckless driving and no license. He was sentenced to five days in jail and he’s headed there right now. The CPD officer says the reckless driving happened on Joe Nuxhall Way. pic.twitter.com/ivTIH8NfQR
— Chelsea Sick (@chelseasicknews) January 6, 2026
Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt will spend the first five days of his offseason in jail. A timeline:
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) January 6, 2026
June 18th - Ticketed for Reckless Driving with 5 people in car
September 14th - Cited on gameday against Jaguars for street racing down Joe-Nuxhall Wayhttps://t.co/Z9ojDoTQxC
When you fail to produce on the field as a high draft pick, and exhibit poor judgment outside the lines, how do you expect the organization to trust you?
This continues a disturbing trend of Day 2 draft picks being excessively cruel to Cincinnati. other than the 2023 class that featured defensive backfield starters DJ Turner and Jordan Battle who didn't really come on till this season, it's been a straight-up brutal run:
- 2022 — CB Cam Taylor-Britt & DT Zachary Carter
- 2024 — DT Kris Jenkins Jr., WR Jermaine Burton & DT McKinnley Jackson
- 2025 — LB Demetrius Knight Jr. & LG Dylan Fairchild
Out of seven of those premier picks, only Fairchild looks like a hit right now. And he plays left guard. Not exactly the most high-impact position on the roster.
I'll leave room for the possibility that Jenkins, Jackson, and Knight turn into something good, but sheesh, in the meantime, we'll be on the brink of wasting yet another Prime Joe Burrow season.
Cam Taylor-Britt can kick rocks and see his own way out of Cincinnati. Don't want anything to do with him anymore. In fact, his absence from the lineup created clarity that the Bengals must start Turner and Dax Hill as boundary corners, with a hopefully-re-signed Jalen Davis in the slot, or an upgrade from him if it's possible.
In no world is Taylor-Britt anywhere near the level of player that Turner, Hill, or Davis are, never mind what his work ethic and off-field habits self-evidently reflect.
Bon voyage, CTB. All the best to the next team that has to deal with ya.