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Every Rookie to Watch During Bengals' 2026 Training Camp A few names that could be impactful.
Bengals wide receiver Colbie Young runs down field during a rookie mini camp workout at the Bengals practice facility in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, May 8, 2026.
| USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect The Bengals are firing up training camp in the next few days, and a few rookies have a chance to make some noise and really impact winning this fall.in the 2026 NFL Draft, with Dexter Lawrence II headlining the offseason haul after the Bengals traded with the New York Giants for his services.
A path to the Super Bowl likely requires all of these names contributing along the way to win one of the hardest sports championships to capture.Bengals defensive end Cashius Howell runs through a drill during a rookie mini camp workout at the Bengals practice facility in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, May 8, 2026.
| USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connectin this year's draft has a ton of production in tow from his days at Texas A&M, and this defensive front could really use it.The Bengals posted the Pro Football Focus's fifth-worst team pass-rushing grade last season and tied for the worst pass-rush win rate of any team on ESPN's metric.
Of course, that was without Trey Hendrickson for much of the season, and Shemar Stewart never got going as a rookie, but those opportunities are still wide open for guys like Howell and the newly-signed Boye Mafe.The 2025 first-team Associated Press All-American finished seventh in the FBS with 11.5 sacks and started all 13 games.
He has short arms, but would've been taken much higher on the board if they were a couple of inches longer.
That length gap could be a huge boon for Cincinnati's defense this fall after getting the chance to take him.Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Colbie Young runs drills during practice on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at Kettering Health Practice Fields in downtown Cincinnati.
| USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect Young is trying to make a strong case for real game snaps this fall and maybe even push Andrei Iosivas for the third wide receiver role behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.The 6-foot-4, 215-pound budding talent could be a diamond in the rough coming off a fractured leg that hampered his production in 2025 to just 318 total snaps.
He was the Bulldogs' second leading receiver before that injury with 23 catches for 336 yards and one touchdown.
Young sufferred the injury while making a 36-yard catch against Ole Miss, with big-play ability flowing through that frame.
The WR3 spot could be wide open for the taking if Young can pop.Iosivas played pretty poorly in his third NFL season.
Cincinnati's offense can take another leap forward if Young plays well and takes over that role in camp.
Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas tight end Jack Endries during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Tight end is another spot where Cincinnati has mined out nice production during the Joe Burrow era, but it has always left a little to be desired.
Enter Endries, who likely won't push for any kind of starting role as a seventh-round pick, but could earn much more opportunity than most final-round picks can find.Endries transferred from Cal to Texas last season and sparked a nice connection with star quarterback Arch Manning.
He has a ton of experience at one of the hardest positions in the NFL to jump into from college, which should help him transition more easily as a rookie.This versatile option had a midseason swoon in his performance, but was solid with a 68.5 overall Pro Football Focus grade and no sub-grades lower than 65.1.
Endries has dramatically improved his run blocking every year, and that's crucial to getting on the field early in his career.
Still, he's going to have to be dialed in to not only find playing time but also make the team.Mixing experience and pedigree, Endries is fifth on the depth chart right now behind Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, Erick All, and Tanner Hudson.
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Russ Heltman is on the Bearcats and Bengals beat for On SI.He is the morning host and producer for 89.3 WMKV in Cincinnati, OH.
Russ can be found on Twitter: @RussHeltman11 or you can reach him by email at [email protected].