Why Bengals extended one free agent early
The Cincinnati Bengals made sure to get a few key free agents back under contract this past week.
One of those, cornerback Jalen Davis, is a guy the team might just have big plans for in 2026.
Bengals cornerbacks coach Charles Burks recently talked about why they want to keep Davis for next season and beyond.
"Most consistent player I've ever coached," Burks said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "I have 100% trust in him. He is truly a testament of what it means to have resilience."
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Davis himself wants to lock down a starting slot spot next year. But even if that doesn’t happen, Burks told Hobson that plenty of other reasons went into their faith in the veteran.
"(Davis) makes the people around him better and made us a better defense," Burks said. "His impact goes far beyond stats. You can't quantify it, but you can feel it when he is out there with our defense."
Davis, now 30, has been with the Bengals since 2020. Names like Josh Newton didn’t step up to take the slot job last year.
With Dax Hill and DJ Turner penciled in as starters on the boundary in 2026, Davis could find himself in a battle for a starting role next summer.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Why Bengals extended one free agent early
