Ja'Marr Chase Comes In At #1

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Sports Illustrated's NFL staff ranked every wide receiver heading into 2026, and Chase landed at number one. Since his debut in 2021, he ranks second among all receivers in yards (6,837), receptions (520), and touchdowns (54), and he did that through two seasons where Burrow missed significant time. As SI put it, Chase is quarterback-proof.

On a related note, he and Tee Higgins are spending the final weeks before camp working out together in Fort Lauderdale at Goldfeet Global. Love to see it.

Warren Sharp ranked all 32 offensive lines and put Cincinnati 28th. The Bengals ranked 28th in pass-block win rate last season, allowed the third-most pressure, the second-most non-blitz pressure, and had the seventh-shortest time-to-sack. Running back yards before contact ranked 30th.

The honest counter: the line improved noticeably in the second half of the season, and the full unit is returning together for the first time since 2010. Burrow himself said it: "To have all these guys back is a big advantage early in the season." PFF flagged Amarius Mims specifically, putting him on its All-Breakout Team for 2026 after an 81.0 overall grade over the final seven weeks, zero sacks allowed, and a 76.6 run-blocking score in that stretch.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler polled NFL executives, coaches, and scouts and Lawrence came in seventh among defensive tackles. Here’s what an NFC scout said: "He wasn't happy in New York. He's got to keep his conditioning in check, but when he's at his best, he's next to impossible to block." Lawrence faced a double-team 71.3% of the time in 2025, the highest rate among any player with at least 300 pass-rush opportunities.

The players behind him might have more to prove. PFF put both Shemar Stewart and Demetrius Knight Jr. on its list of second-year players under pressure to perform in 2026. Stewart's 41.2 overall grade was the worst among all 120 edge rushers who played 250 or more snaps last year. Knight's 40.2 ranked 56th out of 59 qualified linebackers, and he missed 15% of his tackles. Stewart was limited by knee and ankle injuries, but this defense needs both of them to take real steps forward. Rushing off the edges behind a defensive tackle commanding double teams every snap is certainly a different assignment than what they had last year.

Separately, Sports Illustrated ranked the Bengals' Battle-Cook safety pairing fifth among all duos entering 2026. Battle played 1,047 snaps last season, finished with four interceptions and 125 tackles, and is heading into a contract year. Bryan Cook brings two Super Bowl rings and 205 tackles over three seasons in Kansas City.

ESPN polled over 70 NFL executives, coaches, and scouts for their top-10 cornerbacks. Turner didn't make the list. He finished sixth in coverage grade among season-long starting corners last season per PFF, with 13 pass breakups, second among all 114 corners. He wasn't a Pro Bowl pick either, despite outperforming players who were.

Extension talks are still ongoing. Turner's agent, Andre Odom, has a prior relationship with defensive coordinator Al Golden going back to Golden's time as head coach at Temple. The Bengals place real value on those kinds of connections, it's how the Chase and Higgins deals came together without much noise. No timeline on this one, but the foundation is there.

🚨 The 2026 Tailgate Tour Shirt: The Revenge Tour

We remember LA. We remember how close we came.

This isn't just another season, it's The Revenge Tour.

Designed like a classic '80s concert tee, the front features our journey back to California and Super Bowl LXI. The back lists every stop on the road to redemption, ending where we plan to finish the job.

Thank you Cincy Shirts 🫡

2026 Koozies

The 2026 Bengal Jim & Friends "Before the Roar" Tailgate Koozie is HERE! 🐯

One of our favorite traditions is back!

A huge THANK YOU to Dry Ridge Auto Parts for being the official sponsor of this year's Bengal Jim & Friends koozie. It's small, locally owned businesses like this that help make everything we do possible, and we couldn't be more grateful for their support.

These koozies have become more than just a way to keep your drink cold, they've become a tradition. Every year we see photos of Bengal Jim & Friends koozies from tailgates, beaches, mountains, golf courses, vacations, and just about every corner of the world.

📸 Grab your 2026 koozie, snap a photo wherever you take it, and share it using #BengalJimAndFriendsKoozie. We love seeing where they end up!

Thank you again to Dry Ridge Auto Parts for helping us continue this tradition of friends, family, football, and giving back.

Who Dey! 🐯🧡

On the Podcast

Season 7 of the pod drops at 8:00pm on July 26th.

🌴 MIAMI HERE WE COME! 🐯

Bengal Jim & Friends Miami Tailgate tickets are now available! This tailgate will sell out, so don’t wait!

We also have discounted game tickets available, with $30 savings off regular prices! Sit with fellow Bengals fans in our reserved Bengal Fan Ticket Blocks in Section 110 & 308.

Let’s turn Miami into Jungle South again this year! Grab your tailgate and game tickets before they’re gone.

Become a 2026 Partner

Support the Tailgate • Support Local Charities • Be Part of "Before The Roar"

Thanks to your incredible support, your tailgate continues to grow year after year. With that growth comes increased costs to deliver the high-quality experience everyone looks forward to each week.

After raising $130,000+ for local charities last season, we’re excited to build on that success by introducing new opportunities for supporters to contribute. These contributions will help offset expanding expenses, such as our partnership with Cincinnati Parks to enhance the GameDey experience, and strengthen our ability to secure venues, logistics, and infrastructure, especially for away games.

For those who can give, we appreciate your support and are excited to offer exclusive VIP perks and recognition in return.

Tailgate Backer: $250

Tailgate MVP: $500

Tailgate Pro Bowl: $1,000

Tailgate Ring of Honor: $2,000

Title Presenting Partner: $5,000 (Only One Available)

For sponsorship information, just reply to this email and we’ll get you set up.