Bengals’ young linebacker duo drawing praise from head coach during camp
CINCINNATI —
The Cincinnati Bengals had an aggressive offseason on the defensive side of the ball, adding veterans along the defensive line and in the secondary.
The position that didn’t see a splashy veteran addition? Linebacker.
Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter saw their share of ups and downs at the position in 2025, working through the growing pains of being rookies, with the Bengals hoping that Knight, 26, and Carter, 23, will take big steps forward in a pivotal 2026 season.
According to head coach Zac Taylor, Knight and Carter have taken steps forward several weeks into training camp. Asked Thursday what has stood out most from those two during camp, Taylor praised their communication with a veteran defense.
“Their ownership, I really see that with them,” Taylor said. “Their rapport with the other guys on the defense. We have a lot of veteran players that have leadership qualities to them. I think they haven’t shied away from that.”
Knight and Carter were second and third on the team in tackles last season, respectively, but struggled at times as the Bengals finished with the third-worst scoring defense in the NFL on their way to a 6-11 season.
Taylor said both young linebackers have come into camp with great energy and an understanding of how crucial the linebacker position will be to Cincinnati reaching its defensive ceiling in 2026.
“I think that they’re really taking ownership of the defense and that’s been really encouraging for key positions like that, to be able to show the rest of the team, and we’ve seen that from them,” Taylor said.