With less than one month before the Cincinnati Bengals kick off their season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium, most roles on the team appear determined
However, training camp and the preseason are still an opportunity for players who are currently on the bubble to stamp their place on the 53-man roster. For others, it also means an opportunity to impress the coaching staff and earn a bigger role on the team.
That happened to be the case for a Cincinnati Bengals defender, who, after previously being described as being in the “doghouse” of the coaching staff, recently began impressing and earned a larger role. Unfortunately, during the team’s preseason win over the Chicago Bears, he was named a “loser” for his performance.
Cincinnati Bengals Cornerback Deemed a Loser After Bears Game
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Josh Newton was one of two players who Bengals on SI’s Landon Belote deemed to be a loser during the team’s second preseason game.
Belote wrote: “After being presumably in the coaching staff’s doghouse throughout much of training camp, Josh Newton looked to be turning the corner and getting on the field more often.
That string of good play ended, though, against the Bears as Newton gave up a big play deep to Jahdae Walker for 36 yards. Newton must show that he can recover nicely following this showing, or he could find himself on the outside looking in when it comes to making the roster.”
It has been an up-and-down offseason for Newton. After a rough stretch in the 2025 season, which saw his snap count decrease drastically toward the final weeks of the season, it appeared that was not going to change soon for Newton. After the first week of training camp, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. wrote, “Josh Newton remains in the same doghouse that kept his snaps limited down the stretch last season.”
That appeared to change prior to Cincinnati’s game against the Bears, as Bengals Wire’s Chris Roling wrote: “Newton’s getting some reps with the ones and twos during training camp and is used all over the formations, inside and out.
The result might just be not only a final roster spot, but a role in the rotation. The Bengals have DJ Turner and Dax Hill as starters on the boundary and Jalen Davis on the inside, with DJ Ivey and draft pick Tacario Davis there as key depth.”
Josh Newton’s Status With the Team
The next few weeks of practice may determine Newton’s role on the Bengals going forward. Perhaps he re-enters the coaching staff’s doghouse after allowing himself to get beat deep.
A to Z Sports’ John Sheeran does not appear to believe that Newton’s recent resurgence will be enough to warrant him keeping a roster spot, especially after his performance against Chicago. Sheeran wrote: “There’s not much debate here. Newton got the start along with Ivey, but the former was beaten deep and showed his lack of straight line speed remains a problem. Taylor is the better player over Lux to back up Jalen Davis in the slot. The other Davis had a decent rookie debut, and was always a lock.”
Sheeran predicted that DJ Turner II, Dax Hill, Jalen Davis, Tacario Davis, DJ Ivey and Ja’Sir Taylor would make the roster over Newton.
Josh Newton, a former Bengals fifth-round pick in 2024, has appeared at cornerback in 31 games in his first two seasons with the team. Out of those 31 appearances, Newton has started only eight games. Now, his roster spot appears in serious jeopardy.
Bengals Draft Pick Called Out for Poor Performance After Escaping Coaches’ ‘Doghouse’