This offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals signed Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen and Bryan Cook to deals that could be worth over $125 million combined.
Additionally, the team pulled off a blockbuster trade as they acquired three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence.
However, despite those moves being seen as the backbone of what should be a much-improved Bengals defense in 2026, another free agent signing has been deemed as a standout during OTAs.
Cincinnati Bengals Standout
One of the under-the-radar moves the Cincinnati Bengals made to bolster their secondary was adding former Chargers cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor.
Bengals Wire’s Chris Roling named Taylor an OTA standout as he wrote:
“Taylor is an OTA standout.
The veteran cornerback has made some noise for himself this week by getting some first-team reps alongside the likes of Bryan Cook and Jordan Battle.
Taylor happens to be making plays, too, including deflecting a Joe Burrow pass at one point, according to CLNS Media’s Mike Petraglia.
We’ll see if it translates to training camp and then meaningful playing time. Taylor went overlooked largely because he’s had trouble sticking with a team or standing out in recent years, including a 41.1 PFF grade last year.
That said, there’s a wide-open starting job available in the slot on this Bengals defense. If Taylor finds a groove in the system, he could be a serious sleeper to watch all summer.”
During Mike Petraglia’s OTA takeaways, he noted that Taylor got first-team work with Bryan Cook and Jordan Battle.
Ja’Sir Taylor’s Career
When the Bengals signed Taylor, they wrote on their website:
“The Bengals today signed unrestricted free agent CB Ja’Sir Taylor to a one-year contract for the 2026 season.
Taylor (5-10, 185), a fifth-year player out of Wake Forest University, originally was a sixth-round draft pick of the L.A. Chargers in 2022. He played in 57 games for the Chargers before being traded in November 2025 to the N.Y. Jets, where he played in eight contests. In 65 career regular-season games (12 starts), he has recorded 76 tackles, one TFL, 15 PDs, one INT and one FR defensively, along with 21 tackles on special teams.”
Taylor playing well during training camp is nothing new for the veteran, as he was named the Chargers’ most improved player during last year’s training camp by defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who is now the Baltimore Ravens head coach. While Taylor’s strong training camp did not translate to the regular season as he was traded during the season by the Chargers, Bengals fans will hope this year is different for the veteran cornerback.
Despite adding experienced starters like Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger, Cincinnati’s secondary still provides question marks as the team’s depth was a concern heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Cincinnati addressed that by drafting cornerback Tacario Davis in the third round.
However, based on Petraglia’s observations during OTAs, Taylor currently appears to be ahead of the rookie on the depth chart. Taylor has started 12 games in his NFL career and could turn into a solid depth piece for the Bengals defense if his strong performances hold up.
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