GUIDE | Cincinnati Bengals set for training camp ahead of 2026 season
CINCINNATI —
After a long offseason spent preparing for a pivotal year, the Cincinnati Bengals are back and training camp is about to get underway.
Starting on Tuesday, July 28, Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and the Bengals will be putting in work adjacent to Paycor Stadium, looking to put the sour taste of last season behind them and return to the NFL postseason for the first time since the 2022 season.
From practices open to the public to what to watch for on the field, below is your guide to the Bengals’ upcoming training camp for the 2026 campaign.
When is camp?
The Bengals will begin camp on July 28, with the team practicing in earnest until the end of August, when final roster cuts will be made ahead of the season opener.
Can I watch practice?
Yes! Bengals fans will have 10 opportunities to get an early look at this year’s team. Most practices will begin at 10 a.m., with gates opening at 9:30 a.m.
This year’s open training camp schedule is below. Practices with times outside of the 10 a.m.-12 p.m. window are noted.
Wednesday, July 29 Thursday, July 30 Saturday, Aug. 1 (Season Ticket & Waitlist Members Only) Monday, Aug. 3 Tuesday, Aug. 4 Thursday, Aug. 6 (Season Ticket & Waitlist Members Only) Friday, Aug. 7 (night practice at Paycor Stadium, ticket required) 6-7:45 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9 (Club members only)10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 (Season Ticket & Waitlist Members Only) 2:15-4:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16—10-11:45 a.m.
The NFL’s clear bag policy will be in effect for training camp practices, which will be held at the practice fields next to Paycor Stadium.
Concessions and Bengals merchandise will also be available to fans who attend the open practices.
Some Bengals players will sign autographs for fans at the conclusion of practices, with different position groups available after practices each day.
Preseason schedule
The Bengals will play three preseason games before the season officially kicks off, including two at Paycor Stadium.
The Bengals will host the Detroit Lions on Aug. 13, host the Chicago Bears on Aug. 22 and then travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles on Aug. 28.
The Bengals will hold a joint practice with the Bears ahead of the second preseason contest, but it will not be open to fans.
Who’s new?
Cincinnati’s 6-11 record last season inspired aggressive moves by the front office this spring, and in turn, there will be plenty of new faces on the field for training camp.
Perhaps the most well-known newcomer will be defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who the Bengals acquired from the New York Giants in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.
The three-time Pro Bowl lineman is expected to play a major role for the Bengals’ defensive front this season, coming off seven seasons in New York. Lawrence has 30.5 sacks and 103 QB hits in his career, bringing a disruptive force to the Bengals’ line.
Lawrence won’t be the only other newcomer with a lot of eyes on him, however.
Safety Bryan Cook, a Cincinnati native who won two Super Bowls in four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, is a new anchor of Cincinnati’s secondary.
Defensive end Boye Mafe, a key piece of Seattle’s Super Bowl championship in February, signed with the Bengals on a three-year, $60 million deal. The Bengals hope Mafe can build on his 2025 season and become one of the top edge rushers in the AFC North, a division loaded with powerful defensive ends.
Veteran Jonathan Allen will play his 10th NFL season with the Bengals after signing a two-year, $25 million deal with the team in the spring. He’s posted 45.5 career sacks, including 3.5 with the Minnesota Vikings a season ago.
Other newcomers to keep an eye on include second round pick Cashius Howell out of Texas A&M, third round pick Tacario Davis from Washington and veteran safety Kyle Dugger.
Position battles
In a time when the other AFC North teams are breaking in new head coaches, the Bengals should have the most stability of any team going into 2026, on the field and on the sideline.
As a result, most starting spots look to be accounted for ahead of the season, though there are still some training camp battles worth keeping an eye on.
Chase and Tee Higgins are entrenched as the top two wide receivers on the depth chart, but the battle for the third starting spot will include Andrei Iosivas, Charlie Jones, Mitchell Tinsley and fourth round pick Colbie Young out of Georgia.
Iosivas was the team’s fourth-leading receiver in 2025 with 435 yards on 33 catches, but will face competition to retain the starting job.
Tinsley had eight catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns, while Young was impressive at times in college, catching 26 passes for 358 yards last season for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Jones was used mostly on special teams for the Bengals in 2025, returning a kickoff for a touchdown for the second straight season. It remains to be seen if he can carve out a larger role as a wide receiver going into 2026.