The Cincinnati Bengals have signed second-round pick Cashius Howell, locking up their full 2026 draft class. The move was completed Tuesday, three hours ago according to reports, making Howell the final rookie under contract before mandatory minicamp opens later this month.
Howell, an edge rusher out of Texas A&M, was selected with the 41st overall pick. He joins a defensive end room that already includes 2025 first-rounder Shemar Stewart, 2024 third-rounder Cedric Johnson, 2023 first-rounder Myles Murphy, 2022 second-rounder Boye Mafe, and 2023 second-rounder Isaiah Foskey. That is a crowded edge group by any standard.
The Bengals now have all seven members of their draft class signed: Howell, third-round cornerback Tacario Davis, fourth-round center Connor Lew, fourth-round wide receiver Colbie Young, sixth-round center Brian Parker II, seventh-round tight end Jack Endries, and seventh-round defensive tackle Landon Robinson.
What signing Howell actually means
Rookie contracts for second-round picks are slotted by the CBA. The financial terms were not disclosed, but the structure is pre-determined by draft position. What matters is availability. With Howell signed, he will be on the field for the start of training camp in July. Missed time in June for unsigned rookies is negligible; missed time in August is not.
General manager Duke Tobin spoke on June 5 about this draft class. "We get immediate impact instead of impact as we go," Tobin said. That quote is instructive. For a second-round edge rusher, immediate impact means being part of the rotation from Week 1. The Bengals clearly believe Howell can contribute early.
Where Howell fits on the depth chart
The edge room is deep but not settled. Myles Murphy, entering his fourth season, has been steady but not dominant. Shemar Stewart, the 2025 first-rounder, is entering his second season and should take a step forward. Boye Mafe is entering his fifth season and provides veteran stability. Foskey is entering his fourth season but has not locked down a starting role.
Howell competes with Foskey and Johnson for snaps behind Murphy and Stewart. The Bengals rotated heavily up front last season. Defensive coordinator Al Golden said on June 2: "We're going to be able to play in waves with that front eight." That philosophy favors Howell. A second-round pick in a wave system gets early-down work and third-down pass-rush opportunities.
Golden also said: "We wanted to focus on pressuring the quarterback, getting after people, you know, being physical." Howell fits that directive. Texas A&M has produced NFL edge talent consistently. Howell's college production -- pressure rate, sack totals, forced fumbles -- are not available in the verified data, but the Bengals scouted him extensively before picking him at 41.
The broader defensive line construction
Cincinnati's defensive tackle room is similarly deep. Dexter Lawrence II, Jonathan Allen, B.J. Hill, Kris Jenkins Jr., McKinnley Jackson, T.J. Slaton Jr., Howard Cross III, Jordan Jefferson, and rookie Landon Robinson make for a crowded interior. Lawrence and Allen are established stars. Hill is a reliable veteran. Jenkins and Jackson are young developing players.
Golden said: "I think these guys have all will help us take the next step there." He also said: "We definitely need more depth in that room." Signing all the draft picks -- including a defensive tackle in the seventh round -- addresses that need, at least in volume.
The Bengals allowed too many explosive runs and didn't generate enough pressure in 2025. That much is known from the season that ended seven months ago. Tobin admitted: "We didn't have enough finishers last year. This year, we think we do." Howell is one of those new finishers.
Cap context
Per Over the Cap, the Bengals carry $7.17 million in cap space with $299.39 million in active spending and $10.42 million in dead money. Rookie contracts are cheap. Howell's signing bonus and Year 1 base salary will eat roughly $1.5 million to $2 million of that space, depending on the exact slot value. The team will still have roughly $5 million in room for in-season moves.
That matters because the Bengals have not been big spenders in free agency this offseason. They made no splash signings on the edge. They let Sam Hubbard walk. They did not trade for a veteran pass rusher. The plan, clearly, is to build through the draft and develop. Howell is part of that bet.
What the full signing class looks like
The 2026 class is seven players. Only Howell and Davis were drafted in the top 100. Lew and Young are fourth-round picks who will compete for backup roles at center and wide receiver, respectively. Parker II, Endries, and Robinson are late-round fliers.
Head coach Zac Taylor said on June 5: "I think all of them have the ability to come in and compete for opportunity to get on the field." He also said: "I felt like we were able to take spots we wanted to hit." Translation: the front office targeted specific needs -- edge, corner, interior offensive line, tight end depth, defensive tackle depth -- and filled them.
Taylor specifically praised Tacario Davis, the third-round corner: "To add a corner to the room with that kind of length complements the DJ Turners really well." Golden added: "Takario Davis in the third round here is an outstanding pick for us. He checks the box."
The secondary needs Davis. Dax Hill is entering his fifth season but has not consistently produced. DJ Turner II enters his fourth season as a starter. The depth behind them is thin. Ja'Sir Taylor is a veteran slot. Josh Newton and DJ Ivey are young. Ceyair Wright is unproven. Davis adds competition.
Bottom line
Howell's signing is procedural. All second-round picks sign. What is not procedural is the confidence this front office has expressed in this class. Tobin said: "We have real belief in the guys that we have." Taylor said: "I'm really excited about the group we have. It's a really deep group, solid veterans with experience."
The 2026 Bengals are built around Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins on offense. The defense needs young pass rushers to emerge. Howell, Stewart, Murphy, and Johnson are the future of the edge room. With all rookies signed, the evaluation phase begins at training camp in July.