The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the league’s top offenses. The trio of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins led the Bengals to a 4-2 record in their six games together in 2025. But despite having an explosive offense, the team fared poorly defensively and that was the biggest reason they failed to meet expectations.
They missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Despite having superstar talents on offense, the Bengals seemingly have to win a shootout every week in order to compete. That is not sustainable in the NFL. Unfortunately, things will only get harder as they are expected to lose All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency. Hendrickson was only available for seven games this season, and the defense struggled to replace his production.
As we enter free agency and the draft, all the focus for the Bengals seems to be on improving their defense. A new mock draft offers a solution to the Bengals’ problem.
Cincinnati Bengals Select Caleb Downs in Mock Draft
The Bengals currently possess the No. 10 overall selection. It marks the draft pick the Bengals have had since the 2021 NFL Draft, when they selected Ja’Marr Chase with the fifth overall pick. Chase was a franchise-changing player who helped lead the Bengals to the Super Bowl in his rookie season. Now, the Bengals front office will hope to obtain a player with a similar impact on next year’s team.
NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks has the Bengals drafting Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with their first-round pick. Brooks wrote, “The defense has fallen apart since Jessie Bates III’s departure. In 2022, Bates’ final season with the team, Cincinnati ranked 16th in yards allowed, then dropped to 31st, 25th and 31st over the next three seasons. Adding a multi-faceted playmaker to the lineup would go a long way to boosting this unit, and Downs is a high-IQ defender who excels near the box or in the deep half as a playmaking specialist.”
Previously, Bleacher Report’s Daniel Harms had described Downs as, “The single best prospect for the 2026 draft cycle. With his experience in Matt Patricia’s defense, he’s going to hit the ground running for whatever NFL team drafts him.” Adding someone who has been labeled the best prospect in the draft would provide a huge boost to the Bengals’ defense.
Thoughts on Caleb Downs’ Selection
Brooks’ Moving the Sticks co-host Daniel Jeremiah disagreed with the selection as he went with cornerback Jermod McCoy for the Bengals with Downs still on the table. Jeremiah has Downs as the No. 10 overall prospect on his big board. He wrote, “Downs is a versatile safety prospect with outstanding instincts and intangibles. He moved around in Ohio State’s scheme but primarily lined up underneath as a nickel, strong safety or nickel ‘backer. In the passing game, he is a smooth mover and utilizes his eyes/instincts to close and limit windows. He’s physical and has enough speed to mirror tight ends in man coverage.”
With the division-rival Ravens already having a stellar safety in Kyle Hamilton, maybe the Bengals can copy a play out of their playbook and land their own special safety.
