Bengals Player Profile: Ja’Sir Taylor is the potential starter for Cincinnati’s defense you need to remember
The Cincinnati Bengals added Ja’Sir Taylor as a potential solution at nickelback. He’s already taken starting reps in the slot during the offseason workout program, a precursor to a three-way battle between him, Jalen Davis, and Bralyn Lux for the job.
We’re 53 days away from the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. By the time that game begins, we’ll have gone over every member of the Bengals’ 90-man roster. Check out previous player profiles here.
The next player on our countdown is vying to be one of the best value signings of the offseason.
Ja’Sir Taylor Player Profile
Age: 27
Year: 5th
Position: Cornerback
College: Wake Forest
Jersey Number: 26
Ja’Sir Taylor was originally drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. Prior to the NFL, he played five years of college football at Wake Forest and set a program record with 62 games played.
Los Angeles started Taylor in 11 games during his first three seasons, with the majority of his defensive snaps coming at slot cornerback. His most active year was 2023 when he started most of the first half of the season in the slot. He would regulary come off the bench during his nearly four full seasons with the Chargers.
Taylor was traded to the New York Jets during the 2025 season. He played in five games for his second team, making one start at the very end of the season.
Contract details
Taylor signed a one-year, $1,215,000 contract with Cincinnati during free agency this offseason. His base salary and cash figure is the same $1.215 million figure, but his salary cap hit for the year is $1,075,000. Taylor qualified for a Veteran Savings Benefit deal, meaning his cap hit is the minimum for a player with his accrued years of experience.
Roster outlook
The Bengals added Taylor as a potential solution at nickelback. He’s already taken starting reps in the slot during the offseason workout program, a precursor to a three-way battle between him, Jalen Davis, and Bralyn Lux for the job.
Only two of them may end up making the roster altogether.
Taylor is only on a one-year deal and can be released easily without any cap ramifications. If he doesn’t win the job, he needs to be the second-best option to make the roster as a backup. Fortunately for him, he’s got the most playing experience in the competition. He has as good of a chance as the other two.
Roster odds: 60%