The Cincinnati Bengals continued to rebuild one of the worst defenses in the NFL, focusing specifically on overhauling their pass rush by taking Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell in Round 2 with the 41st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Bengals were among the worst teams in the league rushing the passer last season, and they lost edge rusher Trey Hendrickson in free agency. They've been razor-focused all offseason on upgrading the defensive front, from signing edge rusher Boye Mafe in free agency to trading away their first-round draft pick for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to taking the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year in Howell.
Cincinnati has used its first pick in the draft on a defensive lineman three of the past four seasons, with Howell following up last year's first-round selection of Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart.
Here's our instant draft grade of the pick and our rapid analysis of the pick:
Why: Bengals fans were promised "all in" this offseason by player personnel director Duke Tobin. This pick continues to follow through on that approach. The top defenses in the league are strong up front, and the Bengals are proving to have a clearly defined strategy this offseason.
They took a guy who proved himself at a high level. Howell earned his way in college football, having started his career at Bowling Green. After leading the Mid-American Conference in sacks in 2023, he transferred to Texas A&M and ended up second in the SEC with 11.5 sacks last season. Howell finished with 15.5 sacks in two seasons at Texas A&M. That's more than triple the number of sacks Stewart had in three seasons with the Aggies (4.5 sacks).
Howell is also solid against the run and can cover tight ends on short passes, potentially helping the Bengals in an area where they've been considerably weak. And unlike Stewart, Howell is a more polished, all-around player. The Bengals took Stewart mostly based on his raw athleticism, and he had a rough rookie season.
Meanwhile, Howell comes in looking to add immediate depth. Depending on whether Myles Murphy is ready to take the next step and anchor down a starting role opposite Mafe, Howell could find himself competing to be a starter.
The only reason this pick didn't get an "A" is the Bengals were more in need of a linebacker at this point in the draft.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cashius Howell NFL draft round 2 grade for Cincinnati Bengals