The Cincinnati Bengals’ refashioned defensive front has another veteran piece back in the mix.
The Bengals announced that Hill passed his physical and was cleared to practice after beginning training camp on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list.
Hill had been sidelined since July 25 while Cincinnati managed the foot injury he played through last season. Head coach Zac Taylor said before camp that he didn’t expect Hill to remain on PUP for all of training camp and that the veteran was progressing as the team hoped.
His clearance comes two days after the Bengals opened the preseason with a 16-14 win over the Lions, giving defensive coordinator Al Golden a chance to start working Hill back into a unit that underwent a major offseason mending.
Hill Returns to Deep Bengals Defensive Front
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – JUNE 04: Amarius Mims #71, B.J. Hill #92, and Alex Cappa #65 of the Cincinnati Bengals participate in a drill during an OTA offseason workout at the Kettering Health Bengals Practice Fields on June 04, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Hill’s return adds another proven option to a defensive tackle room that looks beefed up compared to a year ago.
Cincinnati acquired Dexter Lawrence II in April for a first-round pick and signed him to a contract extension. The Bengals also signed Jonathan Allen in March, creating a veteran-heavy interior alongside Hill.
Lawrence and Allen each played only three snaps in the preseason opener. Hill now gets an opportunity to work his way into that rotation before the regular season.
The veteran started all 17 games in 2025 and recorded 66 tackles, four sacks and five tackles for loss. Per his official Bengals bio, Pro Football Focus charted him with 670 defensive snaps, including 316 against the run and 354 as a pass rusher.
That workload has been a constant throughout Hill’s Cincinnati tenure. When the Bengals re-signed him in March 2025, the team noted that he had played the fourth-most snaps among NFL defensive tackles since the start of the 2022 season.
Hill has also been a fixture in Cincinnati since arriving in 2021, with his first season ending in a Super Bowl appearance.
Bengals’ Veteran Brings Value Against Run
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – JANUARY 07: Sam Hubbard #94 and BJ Hill #92 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrate a sack in the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Cincinnati committed three years and a reported $33 million to Hill in 2025, keeping one of its longest-tenured defensive linemen in place through the 2027 season.
His 2025 production showed why the Bengals were willing to act on that financial decision.
PFF gave Hill a 68.6 overall defensive grade last season, ranking him 33rd among 134 qualified interior defenders. His 68.0 run-defense grade ranked 20th at the position, while his 35 defensive stops were eighth.
Hill also generated 29 pressures, per PFF, as he was an every-week presence for a defense that needed more consistency up front.
The Bengals responded this offseason by surrounding him with more talent.
Lawrence arrives as a three-time Pro Bowl selection, and Allen gives Cincinnati another experienced interior pass rusher.
Hill’s return gives Golden another player capable of handling significant snaps without forcing the defense to lean too heavily on one combination.
There’s no indication that Hill will play in Cincinnati’s next preseason game.
Clearing his physical, though, marks the biggest step yet in a recovery that kept him out of the first several weeks of camp.
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