2026 Outlook
The Bengals looked to address the pass rush this offseason, spending premium capital on Boye Mafe and Cashius Howell. Cincinnati signed Mafe to a three-year contract during free agency. A second-round pick by the Seahawks in 2022, Mafe had a career-high nine sacks in 2023 and had a sack in a Seattle-record seven consecutive games. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher played in all 17 regular season and three postseason games last year for the Seahawks, helping them win Super Bowl LX.
Howell was selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M. He won SEC Defensive Player of the Year with the Aggies last season, becoming the first player in school history since Myles Garrett in 2015 to have 11 or more sacks in a single season.
"He's a dynamic pass rusher. He had great production. Not average production — great production," defensive coordinator Al Golden said of Howell. "He is a motor guy. He can play 4-2 edge, can play outside linebacker if you (line up with) five down or bigger people. He showed proficiency with the ability to drop (into coverage). He can help us on special teams. So, this is a multi-faceted athlete and a really twitched-up guy."
With the departures of Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai in free agency, Cincinnati turns to internal development and the additions of Mafe and Howell to build off a promising end to the 2025 campaign.
Previous positions: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DT