The 2026 NFL training camps have kicked off around the league, and our team reporters are on the ground each day following all the action. The Cincinnati Bengals' camp is taking place in Cincinnati, and Bengals reporter Ben Baby has the latest intel on standouts, highlights, position battles, depth chart movement, cut decisions and of course the quarterback room.
What follows is everything we are seeing and hearing at Bengals camp. We will update this file often. Will Dexter Lawrence II spark a defensive resurgence to get the Bengals back in the playoffs? Who are the breakout players to watch, especially for fantasy football? And which players on the roster bubble could make the final 53?
Dive in to all the updates and be sure to check back for more information until the first full week of the preseason begins Aug. 13.
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Tuesday, Aug. 11
Expect to see Cincinnati's stars in the preseason opener on Thursday. QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja'Marr Chase, WR Tee Higgins and DT Dexter Lawrence II will see some snaps in the home game against the Lions, coach Zac Taylor said.
"[Fans will] get a chance to enjoy some of our players there," Taylor said. "But how long I keep them out there remains to be seen."
Last year, Burrow played in a career-high 21.2% of the team's preseason offseason snaps, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. The effectiveness was hard to gauge since Burrow suffered a turf toe injury on Week 2.
After the first 30 minutes of practice, Cincinnati had to shift indoors following a massive storm that rolled in. It looked like a scene out of a tornado movie.
The Bengals had just one team period. There were some mixed moments for the offense. But the secondary had another good moment when safety Jordan Battle had an easy interception for a potential TD ball intended for Chase.
Rookie center Connor Lew took snaps with the first-team offense as veteran Ted Karras received a bit of a breather.
Those who are confirmed out against Detroit: S Bryan Cook, CB Dax Hill, TE Erick All Jr. and Lew. Cook and Hill are battling injuries and will continue to be evaluated next week.
DT B.J. Hill (PUP) and DE Shemar Stewart (hyperextended left knee) are making good progress to returning to play, Taylor said.
Sunday, Aug. 9
Chalk it up to a good day for the offense. The first-team unit had some good moments on a Sunday afternoon that featured two extensive move-the-ball drills. One of them ended with a corner touchdown pass from Joe Burrow to Tee Higgins. The running game also had some moments, which is a good sign for an offense looking to find bigger gains on the ground.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow finds Tee Higgins to camp a move the ball drill pic.twitter.com/6tUqeu9Hed
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) August 9, 2026
Bengals safety Bryan Cook and cornerback Dax Hill did not practice. Both have been battling muscle tightness in recent days. The indication on Cook, who suffered his injury in the team's Friday night practice, is that his issue is nothing significant.
Friday, Aug. 7
Cincinnati wants to find bigger gains in the ground game in 2026. There was a healthy amount of that in the limited portion of practice that was inside Paycor Stadium on Friday night.
Running back Chase Brown reeled off a long run for a TD, which is a good sign for team that lacked explosive rushing plays last season. The Bengals were tied for 24th in the NFL in gains of 10 or more yards on the ground by running backs, according to ESPN Research.
More observations:
The team spent the bulk of the practice at its indoor bubble because of thunderstorms that were in the area. They came back to Paycor Stadium for a few periods for the fans that stayed.
Safety Bryan Cook received some treatment from trainers after favoring his left hamstring. He didn't come back out with the first-team defense for its final drive.
Others who did not practice today: CB Dax Hill, CB Jalen Davis, DT Jonathan Allen and WR Tee Higgins. Hill has been limited with muscle tightness the past few days.
DT Dexter Lawrence II knocked QB Joe Burrow to the ground during team drills inside the stadium. It was a light brush.
For a passing offense that has struggled at times in camp, it had a good moment inside the stadium. Burrow connected on a deep throw to WR Ja'Marr Chase behind the Cincinnati secondary.
Thursday, Aug. 6
The offensive tinkering continued on Thursday as the Bengals try to find different ways to put pressure on opposing defenses. Throughout training camp, Cincinnati has had a ton of reps with QB Joe Burrow under center, which is not typically how the Bengals like to operate. But it's clear that finding ways to mix up the offensive formations is a strategy that will be critical to creating a more explosive offense. And offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher is OK with any lumps that are taken during the process.
"We just wanna have a lot of tools at our disposal," Pitcher said on Thursday. "And that's what we're developing right now."
The offense and defense traded pre-snap victories during an unscripted 11-on-11 drill. First, the defense forced a delay of game. But the offense responded by drawing the defense offsides.
Rookie defensive end Cashius Howell continues to turn heads. Howell took reps with the first team and created pressure off the edge. The second-round pick has been one of the camp's biggest stars.
Cincinnati appears to be experimenting with its back-up offensive tackles. Cody Ford and Andrew Coker swapped between the left and right sides during second-team reps. Cincinnati is looking to solidify the swing tackle spot behind starters Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims.
Tuesday, Aug. 4
The defense continues its strong start to training camp. That was punctuated by a two-play exchange that started with a pass deflection by CB DJ Turner on a deep ball intended for WR Ja'Marr Chase, before safety S Bryan Cook had a pick-six off QB Joe Burrow during a team drill. Coordinator Al Golden's group has looked nothing like the team that has struggled in each of the past two seasons.
"I think as a defense, we have an edge," Golden said. "We gotta continue to have that edge. We haven't done anything."
Bengals CB DJ Ivey took first-team reps with Dax Hill sidelined. Hill was dealing with a bit of tightness and was limited for precautionary reasons.
DT Jonathan Allen was not at practice in what appeared to be a vet rest day. Allen also missed a day last week before quickly returning.
Cincinnati released S Isaiah Nwokobia on Tuesday. He had not practiced in back-to-back days.
Monday, Aug. 3
The first day of pads belonged to the Bengals' defense. And in what has become a recurring theme, the defensive line was able to bring some good pressure. Boye Mafe continued to affect the quarterback and rookie Cashius Howell had a clean win off the edge against the second-team defense.
The defense isn't letting any camp success get to their heads. "We haven't scratched the surface, which is the encouraging thing," said linebacker Barrett Carter. "Our floor right now is high. I'm not trying to jinx us or put expectations on us, but we're stacking days, and we just have to keep doing that. We're nowhere near where we can be."
More observations:
Dalton Risner and Orlando Brown Jr. spent a good amount of time decompressing in the locker room talking about how the day went for them. It was a detailed conversation, which Risner said was an example of the group being dialed in this early in camp.
Rookie wide receiver Colbie Young made a couple of good catches. The coaching staff has been adamant that the fourth-round pick out of Georgia can carve out a role on this year's offense.
Saturday, Aug. 1
Have a day, Boye Mafe. The recent Super Bowl winner was disruptive throughout Saturday's practice. He consistently produced pressure against Joe Burrow and the first-team offense, including getting into a passing lane and forcing an interception.
It has continued a good first week for the defense. But Mafe, who helped the Seahawks win the Lombardi Trophy in February with the Seahawks, knows Cincinnati has a long way to go.
"I feel like we're really just setting our standard," Mafe said. "You can't mistake activity for achievement."
More observations:
WR Tee Higgins did not practice today but was a close observer. The team has made it a point to limit his workload to avoid any major soft-tissue injuries, a strategy that worked last season.
Former Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard, who retired after the 2024 season, stopped by Saturday's practice to see his old teammates.
Practice started indoors because of rain but eventually moved to the outdoor fields.
Cornerback DJ Turner had a good pass deflection on a deep ball intended for Ja'Marr Chase. But was notable was the defensive backs making sure to yell "Ball!" to let Turner know the passes was about to arrive. It was an example of the communication the secondary has displayed during the first week of camp.
WR Mitchell Tinsley made a diving catch during a red zone drill that appeared to knock the wind out of him. While he was shaken up a touch, his efforts didn't go unnoticed. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher made it a point to give Tinsley props for the effort.
Friday, July 31
Typically, the Bengals don't practice three days in a row during training camp, but this year, Cincinnati is opening camp with four straight practices. So to break things up, Friday was more of a walk-through as the team managed the workload and tried to avoid major injuries. The Bengals didn't even bring helmets out as they slowed the pace down for a private practice. The team spent a couple of team periods working on red zone drills, which is typically what they do on Fridays during the season.
More observations:
Bengals defensive tackle Jonathan Allen returned to practice after a day off on Thursday.
Dexter Lawrence II didn't participate in Friday's walk-through. But the Pro Bowler has had sterling attendance since the Bengals traded for him ahead of April's draft.
Thursday, July 30
Bengals TE Erick All Jr. is still limited as he comes off an ACL injury that kept him out for all of the 2025 season. But he's already been tested.
Over the offseason, he was hit by a moped in Greece that launched him into the air and scraped his face. But that was the jolt he needed as he looks to return from the injury he sustained during his rookie season.
"It was huge for my confidence," All said. "That did a lot of good things for the mental [health]."
If All is healthy, he could be a big chess piece for a Cincinnati offense looking to be creative in its personnel usage.
Other observations:
Thursday featured a couple of big catches, including one from undrafted rookie Noah Thomas, who leaped and took the ball off cornerback DJ Ivey's back as they wrestled to the ground. It impressed Ja'Marr Chase, who is pleased to have Thomas and Colbie Young, another rookie receiver out of Georgia.
Last year's embattled rookie linebackers had some notable plays. First, Barrett Carter had a tackle for loss in a team drill. Then Demetrius Knight Jr. picked off Joe Burrow in an 11-on-11 drill while lurking in coverage. That's a good sign for a unit with big question marks.
It might have flown under the radar, but rookie Cashius Howell had a really good rep against Cody Ford. Howell won cleanly off the edge with speed while running with the second-string defense.
Wednesday, July 29
Bengals running back Chase Brown is one of the players who could earn a contract extension. And if that happens, quarterback Joe Burrow sounds like he'll be thrilled. He raved about Brown's capabilities as an all-purpose back and advocated for the fourth-year player out of Illinois to be heavily involved in the offense.
"Obviously we're going to try to get the ball in No. 1 (Ja'Marr Chase's) hands as many times as we can," Burrow said. "But I think a close second is Chase Brown just because of how explosive he is and the things he can do with the ball in his hands."
More observations from the day:
DT Dexter Lawrence II was another player who impressed Burrow. "He got back there pretty quick a couple of times," the quarterback said. "We're going to have to get that thing out. Made some blind throws today because of how big he is.
Nearly a year removed from his turf toe injury, Burrow expects to keep playing with a protective plate in his shoe. "The foot feels great," Burrow said. "I'll play with protecting it for the rest of my career, just because why not? You know, I don't want it to happen again, but it feels great."
Tuesday, July 28
Bengals QB Joe Burrow finds Tee Higgins to camp a move the ball drill pic.twitter.com/6tUqeu9Hed
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) August 9, 2026
Everyone is back in the building. The Bengals officially finished reporting for training camp Tuesday, with the veterans joining the rookies who have been in the building since last Saturday.
Despite some interesting contract situations (CB Dax Hill, CB DJ Turner, RB Chase Brown), there are no projected disruptions for the start of training camp on Wednesday. The only notable absence will be DT B.J. Hill, who starts on the PUP list as he continues to recover from offseason surgery. But the Bengals feel good about Hill being ready for Week 1.