June 27, 2026, 4:00 p.m. ET
The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t have many surprises during the stretch of OTAs and minicamp.
Joe Burrow was in town doing the expected stuff with his cast of weapons and a fully returning offensive line. With its new faces, the defense had a positive, quiet stretch.
Maybe one of the most notable exceptions, though, was cornerback Josh Newton, who just got a spotlight from ESPN’s Ben Baby as the biggest surprise player of the stretch.
“The third-year cornerback filled in as an outside corner and had an interception in a 7-on-7 period, Joe Burrow’s lone offseason blemish,” Baby wrote. “Newton hasn’t really been considered a viable option at that spot, but he might have put himself in the discussion as a depth player at outside cornerback behind Dax Hill and DJ Turner.”
We’ll see if Newton can turn the corner and secure a spot on the depth chart for himself.
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The fifth-round pick from 2024 was an option to be a slot starter but hasn’t emerged there. This offseason, the Bengals signed Ja’Sir Taylor in free agency for that role to compete with Newton and Jalen Davis.
Players cross-training at different spots during this time of year isn’t a shocker. But for Newton, showcasing the versatility to go inside-out will dramatically improve his chances at getting on the field, never mind making the final 53 if the competition gets really serious during training camp.