CINCINNATI, OH — The Cincinnati Bengals finished 6-11 in 2025. It was a year defined by Joe Burrow’s turf toe and a defense that surrendered nearly 30 points per game. Most importantly, it was the year the Bengals realized that having a superstar quarterback isn’t enough when the foundation is crumbling. With Trey Hendrickson now wearing a Ravens jersey after a $112 million deal in Baltimore, the pressure on Duke Tobin to hit on this draft is at an all-time high.
The 2025 campaign left “Who Dey Nation” in a cold, silent shock. Cincinnati didn’t just lose; they got bullied. While the offense averaged 24.4 points per game, the defense gave up 492 total points—the second-worst mark in the league. The secondary looked lost, and the run defense was non-existent, finishing dead last in most categories. Even when Burrow returned in Week 13 to upset Baltimore, the damage was done. The team was trapped in shootouts it couldn’t win because it lacked the depth to sustain a lead. This wasn’t a fluke; it was a systemic failure of depth and physicality.
Cincinnati attacked the early spring with uncharacteristic aggression. Bringing in Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe signals a desperate attempt to patch the defensive front. Bryan Cook adds a veteran presence to a safety room that was often a turnstile last fall. However, these moves feel like expensive patches rather than long-term fixes. Allen is 31 and coming off a down year with the Vikings, while Mafe has yet to prove he can be a 15-sack anchor. The roster still lacks a heart in the linebacker room and a consistent punch in the ground game.
The 2026 NFL Draft is the only way to find the “spark plugs” needed to keep the engine running. Here are three sleepers who could change the trajectory of the 2026 season.
Burrow needs a bodyguard, but he also needs a hammer. Seth McGowan is that hammer. At 223 pounds, McGowan is a physical anomaly who posted a 42.5-inch vertical jump at the Combine—the second-best mark for a back this century. He doesn’t dance in the backfield; he attacks the gap. In 2025, he forced 35 missed tackles despite running behind a struggling Kentucky line. For a Bengals offense that went 1-8 without Burrow last year, having a back who can generate 3.2 yards after contact is a necessity, not a luxury. He turns light defensive boxes into 15-yard gains.
The Bengals’ offensive line has improved, but Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims need insurance. Max Iheanachor is the most intriguing prospect in the class. Born in Nigeria and a former basketball standout, he didn’t even know how to put on football pads five years ago. Now, he’s a 6-foot-5, 325-pound tackle who didn’t allow a single sack in 2025. He is raw, but his lateral quickness is elite. He fits the mold of a Day 2 steal who could eventually slide into a starting role and stay there for a decade. In the AFC North, where the weather turns nasty and the pass rushers are fiercer, his 34.5-inch arms are a massive advantage.
While McGowan provides the power, Kaelon Black provides the vision. The Indiana standout is a “rhythm” runner. He was the engine behind Indiana’s shocking 2026 Rose Bowl win over Alabama, racking up 110 all-purpose yards on the biggest stage. He is a senior who plays with a high football IQ, rarely losing yardage or fumbling. He’s the type of player who keeps the chains moving on 3rd-and-4 when the defense is draped over Ja’Marr Chase. If Cincinnati wants to stop being a “one-dimensional” passing team, adding a reliable vision-runner like Black is the move.
“I’m tired of watching us lose games in the fourth quarter because we can’t run the clock out or get a stop. We need guys who play with a chip on their shoulder. I don’t care about their PFF grade; I care about their heart on Sundays.”
— Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback
The Bengals hold the 10th overall pick, and while everyone expects them to look at a defensive cornerstone like Sonny Styles, the real success of this draft will be measured by the middle rounds. If they can grab a physical runner like McGowan or a high-ceiling protector like Iheanachor, they can finally offer Burrow the balance he’s been missing. The 2026 season isn’t about hope; it’s about survival. If the front office ignores the need for depth again, 6-11 won’t be a one-year disaster—it will be the new normal.
