Bengals are getting to the root of a persistent problem by doing something completely new in training camp
The Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the worst tackling teams in the NFL over the past few seasons. It’s exactly why Cincinnati is dedicating real practice time in training camp to correcting the issue.
The Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the worst tackling teams in the NFL over the past few seasons. No schematic overhaul can fix that problem unless the players themselves improve their fundamentals.
Practice makes perfect, and that’s exactly why Cincinnati is dedicating real practice time in training camp to correcting the issue.
Defensive coordinator Al Golden told reporters Tuesday afternoon that The Bengals are planning to hold multiple live tackling drills in each of the next 3 practices starting Thursday morning.
A notable departure from Zac Taylor’s usual approach
This is a significant shift from how Bengals training camp has operated in recent years. Under coach Zac Taylor, the priority has largely been preserving player health. While pads have gone on and there’s been physicality at camp, live tackling has been virtually nonexistent in Cincinnati’s practices.
The Bengals will be smart about how they implement these drills, but the purpose behind them carries meaningful intent. Tackling has been an undeniable problem for the defense regardless of personnel over the last three seasons.
Spotlight on the linebackers
Multiple players have contributed to Cincinnati’s tackling woes. Most of the biggest culprits are no longer on the roster, but starting linebackers Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight were two notable offenders in 2025.
Bad angles, spatial awareness, and general technical form contributed to Carter and Knight’s poor tackling last year. The more practice they get, the better they should be when the games arrive.
How those two improve in this area will be a major factor in determining how much the Bengals defense progresses as a whole.
Safeties also have something to prove
These drills also present an opportunity to evaluate how much safety Bryan Cook can add in terms of value. Tackling is one of Cook’s biggest strengths as a starting safety, and live reps should highlight what he brings to the secondary. Next to him, Jordan Battle has a lot to prove when it comes to his angles and his ability to wrap up ball carriers.
The Bengals will need to toe the line between intensity and caution. These are their own players going against one another, and the last thing anyone wants is an avoidable injury for the sake of improvement.
If done right, though, Cincinnati will have a leg up compared to previous years on fixing one of its biggest weaknesses over the next handful of days.
