Which Bengals would wear the Tour de France's iconic jerseys in 2026?

This weekend, one of the most grueling events for one of the most arduous sports kicks off when the Tour de France begins on Saturday, July 4. Happy birthday, United States of America!

So, you might ask, what does that have to do with the Cincinnati Bengals? Absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

However, here we appreciate the broad latitude our boss gives us to celebrate our passions. With that in mind, for several years now, we have celebrated the Tour de France and the Bengals by honoring the players who would hypothetically wear the prestigious jerseys you will see on this year‘s course.

With that in mind, here are this year’s selections for which players should don which Tour de France jersey in 2026.

Yellow Jersey (Maillot Jaune): Ja’Marr Chase leads this year’s peloton

First, we will lead off with the race leader, the Yellow Jersey. This will be one of the most controversial selections because many of you would think that it should belong to Joe Burrow. However, this year’s winner of the Bengals' yellow jersey is wideout Ja’Marr Chase.

Chase is the best wide receiver in the NFL. While some will come close, such as Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Chase still wears the crown. 

Speaking of crowns, Chase is the most recent wideout to achieve the elusive Triple Crown, leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in 2024. 

Only six receivers in the Super Bowl era have accomplished that particular feat. Chase was the youngest to do so. 

Now, after recently watching the next player closest to him, Smith Njigba, win a championship with the Seahawks last season, Chase will be eager to help lead the Bengals to a championship of their own while continuing to prove that he is the best in the NFL.

Not only has Chase been the best at his position since entering the league, but he is also the best player on his team, with Burrow and Dexter Lawrence as Top 5 players at their respective positions asd his teammates. 

Thus, Chase earns Maillot Jaune status in this year’s edition. 

Poladot Jersey (Maillot à Pois): Dexter Lawrence is King of the Mountains

After beginning with the leader’s jersey, we look at the most significant offseason acquisition for Cincinnati, Dexter Lawrence.

The “King of the Mountain” jersey goes to the climber with the most points awarded at the top of the steepest climbs during the race. But in NFL parlance, mountain refers to the big men of the league. And it does not get much bigger for the Bengals, literally and figuratively, than Lawrence for Cincinnati?

Carrying the much-maligned Bengals defensive line in particular, and the poorest defense in general, could feel as heavy as the legs of the best climbers in the Tour de France. 

Like with one of the prestigious and exclusive cycling kits, Lawrence will have a lot on his mammoth shoulders. But that is why we believe Lawrence is worthy of wearing this year’s Polkadot jersey. 

However, it is difficult to imagine Cincinnati’s newest defensive tackle fitting into a kit provided by either Lidl-Trek or EF Education-Easypost, the American-based teams in the Tour. Although it would be entertaining to see them and Lawrence try. 

Green jersey (Maillot Vert): DJ Turner owns the sprint

Under any other circumstances, the Green Jersey winner for the Bengals this time around the sun would be receiver Charlie Jones, who was the fourth-fastest ball carrier in 2025 according to Next Gen Stats. 

However, just like the 2026 Tour de France promises to be no ordinary edition, there is another player worthy of making every Bengals and NFL list whenever possible. 

This year’s Green Jersey representative as the fastest sprinter is cornerback, and soon-to-be cornerstone, DJ Turner. 

The stretch for Turner does not need to be on the level of Mr. Fantastic. At the 2023 NFL Combine, Turner posted the fastest time at 4.26, flirting with the 4.22 record, which has since been broken by Xavier Worthy’s 4.21.

Turner has used his speed, skill, and confidence to become one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, while being one of the most underrated players overall. 

Now, hopefully, the front office will do what they must and give the young star a contract extension commensurate with where he stands in the DB pecking order. That extension should come as quickly as our Maillot Vert roams the Bengals’ secondary. 

Perhaps this upcoming season will be when Turner will show off his speed, reaching over 23 mph after intercepting a pass for a touchdown on an AFC North Championship deciding sequence that will land him atop Next Gen’s fastest ball carriers in 2026.

White Jersey (Maillot blanc): Cashius Howell represents the future

The White Jersey represents the best young rider, also known as the top-placed participant under 26. 

Here, we limit the possibilities to rookies, first- and second-year players. Ideally, that will go to the player who has the best chance of becoming one of the best at his position on the team and in the NFL. 

The past option of Ja’Marr Chase was an obvious one. This time around, the likelihood that no one from the 2025 rookie class will develop into one of the best at their respective positions puts us in the “hope” portion of the proceedings. 

With that, we put the heavy weight of the “best-young” jersey title on rookie edge rusher Cashius Howell. 

Howell comes to Cincinnati with the pass-rushing production that recent Bengals’ Top 100 edge rushers have lacked. 

However, the former Texas A&M defensive end also enters the NFL with the shortest arms ever at the position, which is why we will likely see more of him dropping back into coverage as a linebacker than most are expecting. 

Nevertheless, the promise of Howell’s pass-rushing skill is something that the defense lacks. Therefore, we hope that the rookie will blossom into one of the league’s most menacing pass rushers in short order. As short as his arms.

While you are waiting for the Bengals to report to training camp, be sure to check out cycling’s Super Bowl, the Tour de France, over the next three weeks. As with Cincinnati’s 2026 season, it promises to be exciting.

And once the Bengals kick things off, it is wonderful to know that we have players like Chase, Turner, and Lawrence who are at or near the top of their positions and will lead the team this upcoming season. 

Furthermore, with Howell's experience as a pass rusher, even the defense's future looks as bright as the ultimate Tour de France prize, the Yellow Jersey.

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