The NFL world is starting to unite in crowning the Cincinnati Bengals’ clear breakout player for the 2026 season
Amarius Mims has had a sky-high ceiling since the Cincinnati Bengals drafted him two years ago. He’s on the cusp of reaching it, and those around the NFL have taken notice.
Amarius Mims has had a sky-high ceiling since the Cincinnati Bengals drafted him two years ago. He’s on the cusp of reaching it.
NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks named Mims to his 2026 NFL All-Breakout Offensive Team. The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. also tabbed him as the Bengals’ breakout player for the upcoming season.
It feels like everyone is getting on board now to watch Mims elevate his game at the perfect time for Cincinnati.
Amarius Mims started putting everything together late last year
Cincinnati drafted Mims in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He played just over 800 snaps at Georgia, but at 6-8, 340 pounds with elite movement ability, his talent and production against SEC competition was as clear as day.
That raw ability translated into solid starting play during his first two NFL seasons, though the dial was turned up late in 2025. When Dalton Risner became the full-time starter at right guard to the left of Mims, he ranked third in pass blocking efficiency rating, and sixth in pressures allowed while executing true pass sets among starting tackles according to Pro Football Focus. Risner held his own compared to the best RGs, so the right side of the Bengals’ offensive line became nearly impenetrable during the final seven games of the season.
Mims started putting all of his physical tools to consistently dominant use, and he had only just turned 23 years old. It was a telltale sign. Mims’ best football is right in front of him.
Why 2026 could be the year Mims enters a different conversation
What makes this season different for Mims isn’t just his individual trajectory. It’s the environment around him. With Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins leading an offense loaded with star power, Mims has the chance to become recognized as more than just a capable right tackle.
If the Bengals return to their winning ways, and Mims continues his trajectory upward, his name will become more synonymous with the stars of the offense. He will become easier to include with the league’s best offensive linemen, and it will feel like he’s truly arrived.
The timing is right for both Mims and the Bengals
Mims is entering just his third year with the Bengals. He’s not even eligible for a second contract until this time next year. A breakout 2026 campaign would set him up perfectly for a massive payday, and it would give the Bengals exactly what they envisioned when they spent a premium pick on a player with a high-risk profile.
My faith in Mims as a future star can be traced back to a month before he was drafted. Everyone knew the ceiling was exponentially high, but his floor has proven to be higher than many expected as well.
If Mims delivers on what those around the league are projecting, the prime of Cincy’s best lineman will be unfolding before our very eyes.