Cincinnati Bengals
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The Bengals moved on from one of their longtime cornerbacks
The Cincinnati Bengals have dedicated this offseason to improving their defense. Despite losing All-Pro pass rusherTrey Hendrickson to the division rival Baltimore Ravens, the team has madesignificant additions to improve the unit, which allowed the third-most points in the NFL last season.
With an offense that features Pro Bowl talent with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the Bengals have put together a championship-caliber trio. However, since 2022, the team has failed to make the postseason as the defense has regressed each season. After finishing as the fifth-best defense in the NFL in 2022, the team’s defense has finished as a bottom-12 unit the past three seasons.
Cincinnati’s defensive struggles in the 2024 season resulted in the team firing defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who spent five years with the Bengals. Anarumo then became the defensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts, where he helped the Colts’ defense improve from its 2024 season. Now, Anarumo has reunited with a former Bengals four-year starter.
Former Cincinnati Bengals Cornerback Leaves in Free Agency
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported that former Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt had signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts, where he will reunite with former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
After being drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft and signing a four-year, $5.9 million contract, Taylor-Britt started 40 games for the Bengals over four seasons. He totaled seven interceptions during his Bengals tenure.
Taylor-Britt appeared in only eight games during the 2025 NFL season as he suffered a Lisfranc injury. Additionally,Pro Football Focus gave him the lowest grade since his rookie season as he received a 57.6 overall grade, which ranked him 78th out of 114 qualified cornerbacks.
Prior to free agency,Sports Illustrated’s Zach Pressnell deemed Taylor-Britt leaving inevitable, as he wrote, “Taylor-Britt was floated as a trade candidate last season, but nothing ever came to fruition.
The Bengals have a few solid cornerbacks on the roster, plus they’re likely going after one in the NFL Draft. As a result, Taylor-Britt’s departure seems inevitable.”
Bengals Cornerbacks
Regarding the current crop of Bengals cornerbacks,Sports Illustrated’s Russell Heltman wrote,“The Bengals have a trio of starting cornerbacks right now in Dax Hill, DJ Turner II, and Jalen Davis, but the last piece of that puzzle is on a one-year deal and hasn’t exactly proven himself over a wide range of time.
Cincinnati could stand to continue adding depth at cornerback (especially nickel) in free agency, or make a splash starter signing there to send Davis down the depth chart. It’s one of a few continued needs on defense after three signings a week in free agency.”
Unlike Taylor-Britt, the Bengals opted to re-sign Davis as they signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million contract prior to free agency.
When asked at the NFL combine about the state of the cornerback position,Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said, “Without giving away the keys to the castle, sometimes when teams have heavy turnover in every area of their team, they’re looking to make changes, and maybe the changes that they’re making aren’t great, but just change for change’s sake is not something that I’m all about,”