The Cincinnati Bengals begin training camp on July 29, and preparations for what is shaping up to be a critical season for the organization are underway.
Cincinnati has missed the playoffs for three consecutive years. The noise surrounding the Bengals with quarterback Joe Burrow in his prime seemingly gets louder with each year that passes.
The success of the Bengals’ 2026-27 season will be measured by if the team makes a playoff run or not. It all started when Bengals owner Mike Brown released a statement following a disappointing season in 2025 and endorsed the return of head coach Zac Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin.
“The results fell short of our standards, and missing the playoffs again proves there is more work to do,” Brown said on Jan. 5. “Our focus is on building a team that can consistently compete at the highest level to win championships. After thoughtful consideration, I am confident that Duke Tobin and Zac Taylor are the right leaders to guide us forward.”
Burrow also publicly shared his desire for the organization to view talent acquisition this offseason as of “paramount importance.” Cincinnati’s front office made a valiant effort to fulfill their star quarterback’s request.
The team added several key pieces on defense in free agency and pulled off a franchise-altering move when they traded with the New York Giants for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Cincinnati gave the Giants their first-round NFL draft pick this year in exchange for Lawrence.
Pressure is mounting internally and externally, making this year’s training camp one to keep a close eye on. Here are the biggest storylines surrounding the Bengals as preseason begins:
Can Burrow, other star players stay healthy?
For the Bengals, the most important part of training camp is getting through the month of August without a significant injury to a key player. Over the last five years, the health of Burrow heading into the regular season has been a prevalent theme due to the various injuries he’s dealt with. The Bengals need Burrow and the rest of Cincinnati’s starting offense at full strength come Week 1 when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 13 at Paycor Stadium.
How Taylor manages the reps of the starters knowing they need time to work together on the field while balancing the need to keep his players fresh will be pivotal.
The evolution of the Bengals’ defense in Year 2 of defensive coordinator Al Golden’s defense
All eyes will be on Cincinnati’s defense heading into the season, starting in training camp practices. The Bengals’ defense will look different this season simply based on the new players added on that side of the ball this offseason. But there’s also several players who were on the roster and played roles in a struggling defense for most of the season last year.
Taylor opted to retain Golden, his first-time NFL defensive coordinator, for another season. He pointed to the growth he saw at the end of the season from Golden’s unit as a key reason why he feels optimistic about his defense heading into the season.
The Bengals ranked 31st overall last season on defense, 32nd against the run and 26th against the pass. For the Bengals to get back to playing in the postseason, Golden’s defense must take a step forward.
Will Golden do anything differently in August to get his unit that is full of new faces operating at a high level?
Will players seeking new deals participate in training camp?
For the first time in four years, the Bengals are entering a training camp that appears to have little drama as it pertains to star players seeking a new contract. From Jessie Bates III to Trey Hendrickson and Ja’Marr Chase, the Bengals have had their fair share of contract negotiations.
Hendrickson is no longer on the team. Tee Higgins, Chase and Burrow have all signed significant contract extensions in the last three years. Cincinnati doesn’t have a “star” player facing a tense contract dispute with the club and it’s a positive for a team hoping to contend for a Super Bowl again.
But this doesn’t mean there aren’t players entering this year looking for new deals. Cornerbacks DJ Turner and Dax Hill are both coming up on the final year of their rookie deals and are looking for long-term deals. So is running back Chase Brown.
Will any of these players report and not participate in practice to avoid being fined by the Bengals? It’s unrealistic to think these three players would not report as the NFL has made it challenging for a player to skip, allowing teams to hand out a $50,000 fine per day to a player under contract.
But as seen before with Chase, a player can report but not practice. It’s called a “hold in” and is an option, if these players want to try and force their hand in negotiations.
The Lawrence impact
Training camp practices and preseason games will provide the first true glimpse of what Lawrence looks like in the Bengals’ defense and how he impacts the rest of the group.
Although Lawrence was present for all of the workouts after he was traded to Cincinnati, the voluntary offseason program doesn’t allow much contact and very little 11-on-11 work.
The Bengals traded for Lawrence because they believe he is the missing piece on their defensive line. How Lawrence impacts the rest of the group, including Myles Murphy, Shemar Stewart, Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe and BJ Hill, will be an important storyline to watch.
Who is the most improved player on defense?
From coaches, to front office executives, to players, the expectations of Cincinnati’s defense this year have been made crystal clear. Improvement is expected from top to bottom on defense, and it started before the end of the 2025 season.
As mentioned above, one of the reasons Golden kept his job as the Bengals’ defensive coordinator for the upcoming season is because of the progress on defense at the end of the year. Over the stretch of the final eight games last season, Cincinnati’s defense held opponents to 17.8 points per game following the bye week.
“I saw the growth in that entire unit,” Taylor said on Jan. 5. “Seeing the trajectory that they’re on, I’ve got high expectations for that group moving forward.”
It must continue. In order to do so, returning players must step up. The front office did its part in filling in holes where it needed new players. Now, it’s up to Golden and his staff to get the most out of players who were on the roster last year.
Keep an eye on the development of Stewart, Murphy, Jordan Battle, Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter as these are all players who are expected to play significant roles this year.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: The biggest storylines to follow as Bengals begin training camp
Reporting by Kelsey Conway, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kelsey Conway, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
