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Zac Taylor holds press conference as Bengals begin the off season

Zac Taylor holds press conference as Bengals begin the off season

The Cincinnati Bengals are expected to focus on improving their defense during the offseason.Head coach Zac Taylor has voiced his support for defensive coordinator Al Golden and does not plan any staff changes.Key offensive players are already under contract, allowing the team to direct resources toward the defense.The Bengals’ defense ranked 31st out of 32 teams in total defense for the 2025 season.

It’s early in the NFL offseason for teams that missed the playoffs, but the Cincinnati Bengals‘ offseason seems to be setting up exactly as needed: With every possible opportunity to focus on the defense.

That starts with continuity on the coaching staff, and the fact that Al Golden will likely return as the team’s defensive coordinator. After receiving the backing of team owner and President Mike Brown earlier in the day, head coach Zac Taylor voiced his support for Golden during a Jan. 5 news conference at Paycor Stadium and said he did not plan any staff changes.

Personnel-wise, there’s plenty of business the Bengals can get done on the offensive side of the ball, including extending the contracts of players like 1,000-yard running Chase Brown. But the key offensive cogs are locked up for next year. There aren’t any nagging contract situations that must be addressed, such as the past mega-deals for players like quarterback Joe Burrow and receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Most of the other skill position players and offensive linemen are locked up contractually. And the one unsigned lineman many players would like to see return, and who has voiced interest in returning, is Dalton Risner. Risner confirmed his interest in returning to Cincinnati during a Jan. 4 interview with The Enquirer.

On the defensive side of the ball, there doesn’t appear to be any lingering contract issues that would cast a pall on the offseason like Trey Hendrickson’s did last year.

In short, the Bengals can pour much of their focus into the defense, which ended 2025 ranked No. 31 out of 32 teams in total defense.

“That’s the truth of it. There’s no real sugarcoating that. You got a bunch of (defensive) guys coming back,” Taylor said. “It’s exciting because you can focus your energy. There’s so many guys on that side of the ball that, really, their growth was accelerated over the last half of the year. You are really excited about their future here as starters (and) as role players. I feel like we are in a tremendous position going into this offseason. 

“Our expectations are going to be sky high, and we are going to work like heck to meet those expectations. I think the players and coaches all see the direction we are headed. So there is a lot of positive energy heading into the offseason.”

Taylor on Jan. 5 continued to trumpet the statistical defensive improvement under Golden following Cincinnati’s Nov. 9 bye week, although the team went 3-5 during that stretch and lost three one-score games. Bengals’ offensive turnovers leading to opposition touchdowns also played a role in several of those games. Golden’s unit didn’t have much to do with those moments.

Taylor also offered insight into a shorter runway for Golden to onboard with the Bengals following his run as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator for the College Football Playoff. That run ran all the way through to the National Championship game in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025. The Bengals then hired Golden and started to take meaningful steps in assembling the defensive coaching staff around him.

There were times it felt like the Bengals were one missed tackle or one play of some kind from winning. Instead, they more often than not let those games get away. Several players on Jan. 5 said they viewed that perspective as evidence the team is close.

Similarly, Taylor said he believed the defense was close to being where he needed it to be.

“I think that staff really worked hard to come together and get on the same page with scheme and how we’re going to coach these guys,” Taylor said. “So, like anything, I saw great growth from that side of the ball. And they closed (by) giving up 18 points or something a game over the last eight games. And there’s a lot of statistics I can read where it shows marked improvement. And so again, I like the direction that group is headed. I like the direction our team is headed. I know how it sounds when we come off the record we just had, but again, I’ve got a lot of excitement, and I’m excited to get back to work and get these guys ready for next year.”