Bengals learn important details about their 2026 NFL Draft plans during free agency madness

Cincinnati’s 2026 NFL Draft picks have become official.

John Sheeran — Cincinnati Bengals News Writer
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Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While the chaos of free agency was unfolding Monday afternoon and the Cincinnati Bengals were securing safety Bryan Cook and defensive end Boye Mafe for their defense, the NFL unveiled the 33 compensatory picks to 15 different clubs for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Cincinnati did not receive any compensatory picks, but now that they’re known in the full seven-round draft order, we know every pick the Bengals will have at their disposal when the draft begins on April 23.

Bengals’ 2026 NFL Draft picks in all seven rounds

  • Round 1, No. 10
  • Round 2, No. 41
  • Round 3, No. 72
  • Round 4, No. 110
  • Round 6, No. 189
  • Round 6, No. 199
  • Round 7, No. 221
  • Round 7, No. 226

Four comp picks at the end of Round 3 have Cincy’s Round 4 selection at No. 110 overall, and 17 total comp picks in Round 4 and 5 officially create a 79-pick gap before the Bengals are slated to be on the clock next in Round 6. They gave up their Round 5 selection (No. 149 overall) in order to acquire Joe Flacco last season.

The turnaround will be fast in Round 6. Cincinnati received pick No. 199 in the Flacco trade from the Cleveland Browns. After three more comp picks at the end of the round, the Bengals will have two selections to make in in quick fashion in Round 7. They received pick No. 221 from the Dallas Cowboys via the Logan Wilson trade.

Trades have impacted Cincinnati’s plans on Day 3 of the draft, and operating without a Round 5 pick will be rare territory for the franchise. The Bengals last had a draft without picking in that round in 2019, Zac Taylor’s first year as head coach. The previous year was all the way back in 2002.

Eight total selections would still be two more than how many the Bengals made last year when they were without a Round 7 pick. We’ve known that number for a while, and now the exact picks are known with six weeks remaining until the draft arrives.

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