The Cincinnati Bengals head into 2026 with a roster that needs help on the defensive side of the ball, with many players entering a “make or break” year. Below are three players that need to prove they belong in 2026.
Joseph Ossai - Defensive End
Cincinnati Bengals Joe Burrow Paycor Stadium AFC North Dax Hill Joseph Ossai
Dec 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) runs onto the field before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
It has yet to be seen if the Bengals will re-sign Ossai for the 2026 season. They brought him back on a one-year deal last offseason. Ossai was a third round pick for the Bengals in the 2021 draft. He hasn't produced as well as the Bengals would've liked, compiling 38 tackles and 14.5 sacks in five seasons.
The Bengals might be forced into a position where they have to re-sign Ossai due to the lack of pass rushers available. He's a solid player, but hasn't done enough to warrant a significant long-term extension. If Ossai is re-signed and doesn't perform at a high level in 2026, it could be his last year with the franchise.
T.J. Slaton - Defensive Tackle
Cincinnati Bengals T.J. Slaton Zac Taylor AFC North NFL Draft NFL Playoffs Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle T.J. Slaton (98) wraps up before a preseason training camp practice in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The former fifth round draft pick out of Florida is entering the final year of his contract with Cincinnati. Slaton ranked 116 out of 134 ranked defensive linemen in 2026 according to Pro Football Focus. The Green Bay Packers originally drafted Slaton. He signed with the Bengals as a free agent last offseason after spending four years in Green Bay.
The defensive line has been an issue for Cincinnati in recent years, and if Slaton is unable to prove to be a difference maker in 2026, the Bengals might do what the Packers did and let him leave in free agency.
Dax Hill - Cornerback
Cincinnati Bengals Joe Burrow Paycor Stadium AFC North Dax Hill Joseph Ossai
Jan 4, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Dax Hill (23) exits the player tunnel during introductions before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Hill played well down the stretch for the Bengals last season. After bouncing around at multiple positions early in his career, the former first rounder found a home at cornerback. Will he get an extension? Will the Bengals make him play on the fifth-year option to see if he can continue his ascension? Hill ended the 2025 season ranked at 49th overall out of 114 cornerbacks by PFF.
Hill has recorded just three interceptions in his career with the Bengals, and was responsible for three touchdowns in 2025. He recorded 88 combined tackles last season and looked comfortable on the outside over the final two months of the season. If Hill doesn't get an extension this offseason, then he'll have a lot on the line in 2026.
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