Bengals Defense Overhaul Delivers B+ Grade – Here’s Why It Matters

The last fireworks of Fourth of July weekend have faded over the Ohio River, yet Bengals fans already feel the shift. Training camp sits just over three weeks away. On July 29 the team will step onto the Kettering Health Practice Fields behind Paycor Stadium for the first open practice of 2026.

The offseason carried one clear mission: repair a defense that collapsed too often in 2025. National grades have started landing. NFL.com analyst Matt Okada handed Cincinnati a B+.

What Matt Okada Saw

The Bengals entered the 2026 offseason with one major task to complete: Fix the defense. They put nearly all their eggs into that basket, signing safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger, DE Boye Mafe and others. More big-time moves followed when they traded their first-round pick for Dexter Lawrence and used their second-rounder on edge rusher Cashius Howell.

Cook, Mafe and Lawrence bring difference-making upside at three key spots. That is exactly what Cincinnati needed after years of defensive incompetence.

Honestly, the only reason the Bengals didn’t earn an A grade is they allowed Hendrickson to hit free agency (and sign with a division rival). Now, Cincinnati will face the four-time Pro Bowler twice a year with no trade compensation to ease the pain. Still, the overall defensive improvements are a big win.— Matt Okada, NFL.com

The Additions That Changed the Equation

Cincinnati did not nibble around the edges. The front office attacked specific failures from last season.

Bryan Cook arrived as one of the top free-agent safeties available. Kyle Dugger added versatility and physicality in the back end. Boye Mafe brought proven production off the edge after posting double-digit sack seasons in Seattle. Dexter Lawrence, acquired from the Giants in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick, immediately anchors the interior and forces double teams. Cashius Howell, the second-round selection out of Texas A&M, adds athletic upside and depth on the edge.

These moves directly target the explosive plays and coverage breakdowns that plagued the unit in 2025. Safeties surrendered the most yards per target in the league a year ago. Tight ends torched the middle of the field. The new pieces give coordinators multiple ways to contest both.

The Hendrickson Reality Check

Losing Trey Hendrickson to the Baltimore Ravens on a four-year, $112 million deal stings. No compensatory pick arrived in return. Fans will see the four-time Pro Bowler twice a season wearing purple.

Yet the roster heading into 2026 looks better equipped than the group that took the field last year. The additions of Cook, Dugger, Mafe, Lawrence and Howell create more depth, better scheme fit and the ability to rotate fresh legs. Hendrickson carried a heavy load previously. Now the burden spreads across a more complete front and secondary.

That does not erase the frustration of watching a star walk to a division rival. It simply reflects the math on the field after the dust settled.

What Still Needs Work

The linebacker room received no meaningful upgrades. That remains the clearest unfinished piece on the defensive side. Opponents will likely test it early.

Cincinnati has shown in recent years it often adds veteran depth in late July or August. History suggests more moves could still come before the regular season begins.

Camp Looms Large

Training camp will reveal how quickly these new pieces mesh. The practice fields will soon fill with the sound of pads popping and coaches installing schemes built around the upgraded talent. Fans who endured the 2025 collapse now have tangible reasons for optimism when they show up for open practices.

The defense should contest deep shots more consistently and control the line of scrimmage better than it did a year ago. That alone changes the outlook for the entire team.

Offseason grades only go so far. Execution in pads will decide whether this B+ turns into something more when the games begin.