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The Cincinnati Bengals are looking to improve their defense after it posed some major problems for the team last season.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bengals are drafting defensive end Cashius Howell out of Texas A&M. It's a great pick, but it means something interesting for the Bengals.
This selection for the Bengals is what the team is doing to replace Trey Hendrickson, who left and signed with the division rival Baltimore Ravens.
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Cincinnati is adding more pass rusher help and will pick up the Texas A&M pass rusher, who was elite last season for the Aggies.
Howell recorded 11.5 sacks and 31 total tackles with one forced fumble last season, and was a productive player for the last few years as well.
He had four sacks in 2024, and back in 2023, Howell recorded 9.5 sacks. He's a bit of an older prospect, but with the Bengals in win-now mode, it's not a major surprise that the Bengals are going with Howell.
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There were other players whom the team could've taken, with Missouri's Zion Young an option who went a few picks later to the Baltimore Ravens.
But Howell is one of the best productive pass rushers in the draft, and will be a nice pairing with Shemar Stewart, along with Myles Murphy and Boye Mafe.
He might not be as productive as Hendrickson was at his peak, but Howell is a great defender who will be an instant-impact pass rusher for Cincinnati's defense.
With the Dexter Lawrence trade as well, Cincinnati has beefed up its defensive line in the early goings of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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