Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we will be taking a look at the Bengals roster position by position. Let's move to the back end of the defense and take a look at the secondary.

Returning players: Daijahn Anthony (S), Jordan Battle (S), Jalen Davis (CB), Dax Hill (CB), DJ Ivey (CB), PJ Jules (S), Jalen Kimber (CB), Bralyn Lux (CB), Josh Newton (CB), DJ Turner II (CB), Russ Yeast (S)

New additions: Bryan Cook (S), Tacario Davis (CB), Kyle Dugger (S), Isaiah Nwokobia (S), Ja’Sir Taylor (CB), Ceyair Wright (CB)

Position coaches: Charles Burks, Jordan Kovacs

2025 Review

DJ Turner II had a breakout year in 2025, allowing 31 receptions on 66 targets last season in 580 coverage snaps, per PFF. Turner's 47% completion percentage allowed was the ninth-best among cornerbacks who faced at least 25 targets last season. His 78.1 coverage grade ranked seventh among corners who played at least 100 snaps, per PFF.

Turner recorded 18 passes defensed, which tied for third in the NFL and were the most by a Bengal since 2009. The second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Michigan recorded his first two career interceptions and started 16 of 17 games.

Dax Hill tied his career high with 11 passes defensed in 2025. Hill came into his own after the bye week: From Week 11 on, he ranked 13th among cornerbacks in PFF coverage grade (78.9) among corners who played at least 25 snaps. Over that span, he faced 35 targets in coverage and allowed 16 receptions for 152 yards and no touchdowns.

Josh Newton and Jalen Davis split time in the slot over the course of the season, with Newton playing 181 coverage snaps to Davis' 178.

At the safety position, Jordan Battle led the Bengals in tackles (112) and interceptions (four) in his first season as the full-time starter. He also recorded a career high in passes defensed with six and forced fumbles with two. A third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Alabama, Battle began 2025 with interceptions in Weeks 1 and 2, becoming the first Bengal to record an interception in the first two games of the season since CB Ashley Ambrose in 1996.

2026 Outlook

Cincinnati looked to solidify the safety position opposite Battle in the offseason, signing S Bryan Cook from the Kansas City Chiefs. Cook spent four years in Kansas City, winning back-to-back Super Bowls during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

In 2025, Cook was PFF's fourth-highest graded safety in coverage, posting an 83.2 coverage grade. PFF also credited him with a 5.3% missed tackle rate in 2025, the third lowest among safeties with at least 25 tackles last season. A Cincinnati native, Cook attended Mount Healthy High School and helped the University of Cincinnati make the College Football Playoff in 2021 after starting his collegiate career at Howard University.

The Bengals also added veteran S Kyle Dugger to the fold. Dugger, a second-round pick in 2020 by the Patriots, has appeared in 90 regular-season games with 78 starts for the Patriots and Steelers and has scored four defensive touchdowns in his career.

In the draft, the Bengals selected CB Tacario Davis out of Washington in the third round. Davis spent the first three years of his collegiate career at Arizona, where he was named honorable mention All-Pac 12 in 2023 and second-team All-Big 12 in 2024 before being named honorable mention All-Big Ten with Washington in 2025.

"When you look at big, long, athletic corners that can absolutely fly, he checks the box," assistant general manager Trey Brown said. "We felt good about going through the process with him, about having a guy on the outside that has high upside as a press corner, that can play man-to-man with elite receivers in this league. We feel like we got an outstanding prospect."

Davis joins the duo of Turner and Hill, while Cook joins Battle on the back end as Cincinnati continues to fortify a strong secondary for 2026.

Previous positions: **QB** | **RB** | **WR** | **TE** | **OL** | **DT** | **DE** | **LB**