“Draft players, not positions.”
There’s a mantra within NFL Draft circles that highlights the fact that teams need to just draft “dudes,” and not to focus on their position. The Cincinnati Bengals sit at 10th overall, their highest draft positioning since they selected Ja’Marr Chase fifth overall in 2021. At 10th overall, the Bengals should have their pick of plenty of talented players to add to their defense.
This week, however, the team went out and added two pieces to its secondary: Ja’Sir Taylor and Kyle Dugger. The Bengals may think they are set at slot corner and safety now, so they may think they can either pass on a blue-chip prospect to reach for a need (like EDGE).
No, those signings should not influence the Bengals’ plan at 10.
Recent Moves in the Bengals’ Secondary Should Not Affect Draft Plans
The New Guys
Neither Taylor nor Dugger signed multi-year deals. Taylor is a depth signing and will likely be fighting for a roster spot with Jalen Davis and Bralyn Lux. Initially a sixth-round selection of the Los Angeles Chargers out of Wake Forest, Taylor has been decent. Of his first three seasons with the Chargers, Taylor recorded 76 total tackles, one tackle for loss, three quarterback hits, 14 pass breakups, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Then, in November of last year, Taylor was traded from the Chargers to the New York Jets for a 2028 seventh-round pick. In total in 2025, Taylor managed 21 tackles and one pass breakup.
Dugger was a bit more productive in his time. The New England Patriots drafted Dugger in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Lenoir-Rhyne. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 2026 seventh-round pick for a 2026 sixth-round pick. In his five-plus seasons in New England, Dugger amassed 441 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, nine interceptions, two pick-sixes, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries (one touchdown), and 24 pass breakups. One of those forced fumbles came in Week 1 of 2024 against the Bengals, which ended up keeping the Bengals out of the playoffs.
In his nine games with the Steelers, he totaled 42 tackles, two tackles for loss, a quarterback hit, two interceptions (one pick six…against the Bengals), and five pass breakups.
Don’t Pass on Talent
These signings are fine. Dugger certainly raises the floor of the safety room, especially when you add in the signing of Bryan Cook. The safety room now consists of Dugger, Cook, Jordan Battle, Daijahn Anthony, and PJ Jules.
Are you passing on the best safety in the draft, and potentially the best safety prospect in a while, to keep that safety room? Battle is in a contract year, Anthony has played 43 defensive snaps, and Jules has eight snaps.
Even if Caleb Downs isn’t there at 10, there are plenty of good safeties in this year’s class. If a safety is the best player available later on, that room is not yet good enough to pass on them.
At corner, Taylor is in no way keeping the Bengals from taking either Mansoor Delane or Jermod McCoy. Like Downs, if those two aren’t the move at 10, D’Angelo Ponds would be a great get at 41 to play that slot corner…
What is the Plan?
The Bengals’ defense is not good enough to be picky at this point. If the best player available at 10 is Sonny Styles or Rueben Bain Jr., sweet. Those are dream picks for the Bengals. However, there is a great chance the top nine features Arvell Reese, Styles, David Bailey, Bain, and Downs. Kansas City can’t be trusted to pass up the top corner in the draft, so where do the Bengals turn?
Getting the second corner in the draft is fine. McCoy seemingly dispelled a lot of concern regarding his ACL rehab with a strong Pro Day. If Delane is there at 10, that’s a fine pick as well, especially when you remember neither Dax Hill nor D.J. Turner is under contract in 2027.
If the worst-case scenario happens and those top seven defenders are gone (with Fernando Mendoza going first), what now? Do the Bengals panic and take Keldric Faulk and try to run it back with the Shemar Stewart model? Is that pick Jeremiyah Love, Kenyon Sadiq, or a receiver?
If the Bengals miss out on all of the best defenders, they have to consider a trade back. If anything, it will allow them to stockpile picks to add to that awful defense from a year ago. Even then, if a Peter Woods is at the top of their board and they know they can get him half a dozen picks later, why not?
Regardless, neither signing of Taylor nor Dugger should affect the Bengals’ plans at 10. Pick the best player available.
Imagine if they do pick Love or a receiver, though…