The Cincinnati Bengals finished their 2026 NFL Draft class, which ended with the team selecting seven players. In somewhat of a surprising fashion, the Bengals added only three defensive players, and none of which were linebackers, which currently appears to be Cincinnati’s biggest need.
Of course, the Bengals’ top two selections were both defenders who addressed additional needs. After losing All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency, the Bengals drafted the 2025 SEC Defensive Player of the Year Cashius Howell with the No. 41 overall pick. During his senior season at Texas A&M, Howell finished with 11.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.
Then, Cincinnati doubled up on defense as they drafted cornerback Tacario Davis out of Washington.Including the No. 10 overall pick, which the Bengals used to trade for Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, Cincinnati used their top three defensive assets to completely revamp their defense.
After those moves were made, the Bengals began focusing on the offensive side of the ball, and that carried over once the draft ended. Following the draft, the Bengals signed a running back who finished his college career with over 2,500 rushing yards.
Cincinnati Bengals Sign Jamal Haynes
The Cincinnati Bengals signed Georgia Tech running back Jamal Haynes as an undrafted free agent.
Haynes, who was a wide receiver during his first two seasons of college football, made the transition to running back, where he found immediate success as he totaled 1,059 yards in his first season at the position.
Regarding how he feels as a running back, Haynes told Sports Illustrated, “Yeah, I feel very natural at running back. I had to pick up the intentional details of playing the position. I had to learn how to help protect the quarterback. There’s a lot of little things that go into it.
I needed to pick up the nuances around the line of scrimmage. I had to adjust. Once I switched positions and did that, I learned how to make myself very valuable. I wanted to contribute in a variety of ways on the offensive side of the ball.”
Haynes’ Role on the Bengals
As an undrafted free agent, Haynes has an uphill climb to make Cincinnati’s roster. The team currently has Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, and last year’s sixth-round draft pick Tahj Brooks at the running back position.
However, regarding how Haynes might contribute to a team, he said, “I’m going to add a lot of value to the team, both on and off the field. I’m a very versatile playmaker. I can make plays by making guys miss in the open field. I can generate explosive plays.
I’m a great teammate in the locker room as well. I’m going to bring a lot of camaraderie to the locker room. I enjoy bringing the team together. Spending a draft pick on Jamal Haynes is a good investment.”
Cincinnati did not have to invest a draft pick on him, but they will hope that he pans out as an undrafted free agent and serves as another weapon for quarterback Joe Burrow.
Bengals Sign 1,000-Yard Running Back as New Joe Burrow Weapon After NFL Draft