Bengals put potential starter on notice thanks to new free agent signing that head coach Zac Taylor foreshadowed
The Cincinnati Bengals hav signed cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor to a one-year contract. The move validates what head coach Zac Taylor said earlier in the week, and provides potential competition for Jalen Davis.
The Cincinnati Bengals have signed free agent cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor to a one-year contract.
Taylor was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers and played 57 games with the team. He was traded to the New York Jets during the 2025 season, and played the final eight games of the year for Gang Green.
Taylor’s one-year deal is presumably not going to qualify toward the compensatory pick formula. Cincinnati is expected to net a third-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft for losing Trey Hendrickson to the Baltimore Ravens.
Despite the financials of the deal, Taylor’s arrival not only backs up recent comments from head coach Zac Taylor, it adds intrigue to a position of need.
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Ja’Sir Taylor signs after Zac Taylor alluded to a veteran cornerback addition
The Bengals had seven cornerbacks on their roster prior to the Taylor signing, but only two of them are considered guaranteed starters. DJ Turner II and Dax Hill are locked in for Week 1, and the only uncertainty is whether or not they will be extended this offseason.
The rest of the position did not feature a lot of in-game experience within the room. It’s why Taylor mentioned signing a free agent was a possibility.
“Whether it’s a veteran guy lingering out there, whether it’s at some point in the draft, unknown when that will be, but I do feel like we certainly have talked and feel comfortable with the direction we’ll head there, and we’ll see how it shapes out over the next month and a half,” Taylor said at the Annual League Meeting this week.
Enter the 27-year old Taylor, who’s played 1,213 snaps in his four-year career and has started at least one game in each year. He’s also played 943 special teams snaps as well, giving him value if he does crack the 53-man roster for Week 1.
Ja’Sir Taylor may become a dark horse to start over Jalen Davis
73% of Taylor’s career snaps came from 2023-24. 84% of those snaps from that two-year run came as a slot cornerback.
Cincinnati has Jalen Davis manning that position at the moment, but depth is virtually non-existent. It’s entirely possible Taylor can come in and compete for the starting gig barring any additional moves made in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Davis was extended to a one-year, $1.4 million contract a couple weeks after his 30th birthday in February. He stepped up as the starting nickelback late last year when Hill was moved out of that position to account for Cam Taylor-Britt’s injury.
Cincinnati has grown to trust Davis after several years of development. That said, he’s not above having to compete for his job, and his contract proves that.
Taylor is coming in to Paycor Stadium with similar contractual security, and even more in-game experience at Davis’ position. At the very least, he has a chance to make some noise this summer.
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