Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor announced on June 2, 2026, that the team will hold a joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts during the 2026 preseason.
The Colts are an AFC South opponent whom the Bengals face once every four years in the regular season, barring playoff meetings. This joint practice will not mimic a full-scale conference rivalry game but serves as a controlled scrimmage, allowing Cincinnati's coaching staff to gain detailed insights into its 90-man roster without revealing full game plans.
Joint practices have become a league-wide staple under the current collective bargaining agreement. They provide something that typical preseason games cannot: volume. While starters usually get 10 to 15 snaps per preseason game, joint practices offer two to three hours of live reps, often surpassing 60 plays per unit. For a coaching staff evaluating the roster beyond the starters, this volume presents a meaningful sample size rather than isolated data points.
Taylor did not disclose the specific date or location of the joint practice. It will occur sometime between training camp's start in July and the first preseason game in August. Timing is important because roster cutdowns to 53 players happen in late August. Positioned roughly midway through camp, the joint practice acts as a valuable evaluation checkpoint.
Which players stand to benefit most from these extensive reps?
The defensive line is a prime focus. In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bengals added edge rusher Cashius Howell (Texas A&M, second round) and defensive tackle Landon Robinson (Navy, seventh round). Veteran defensive tackles Howard Cross III, B.J. Hill, Jonathan Allen, and Kris Jenkins Jr. provide experience inside. The edge rush rotation includes Myles Murphy, Boye Mafe, Isaiah Foskey, and Shemar Stewart. Defensive coordinator Al Golden expressed enthusiasm for a rotation-heavy strategy, aiming to "play in waves with that front eight," underscoring the importance of sustained pressure.
Joint practices will put that rotational approach to the test against an Indianapolis Colts offensive line anchored by Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly. Their strong run-blocking schemes require disciplined gap control from defensive tackles, while their pass protection challenges edge rushers to win with refined technique rather than pure athleticism. If Howell or Robinson can consistently secure wins in one-on-one matchups against NFL starters during these practices, it would speak volumes beyond flashes against lower-tier preseason competition.
The secondary will have a similar opportunity to prove itself. Cornerback Tacario Davis, the Bengals' third-round pick from Washington in 2026, is the most notable rookie addition. Golden noted Davis "could play outside and he can also play inside," demonstrating his versatility. Davis will face the challenge of matching up against NFL-caliber Colts receivers like Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce, providing the coaching staff with a clear gauge of his readiness for Week 1 or the potential need for development. Meanwhile, DJ Turner II and Dax Hill remain projected starters at cornerback, with depth provided by Josh Newton and Ceyair Wright.
On offense, the Bengals' wide receiver room is largely set. Ja'Marr Chase led the team in 2025 with 125 catches for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns, while Tee Higgins contributed 59 receptions, 846 yards, and 11 scores. Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones rotate in supporting roles. Colbie Young, a 2026 fourth-round draft pick, is the rookie receiver competing for a roster spot. Joint practices provide Young and other depth receivers the chance to run routes against Colts cornerbacks practicing at a competitive NFL level, testing whether Young can separate against press coverage or if he might project better as a situational red-zone threat.
The running back situation is similarly settled. Chase Brown led the backfield in 2025 with 232 carries for 1,019 yards and six touchdowns, along with 69 receptions for 437 yards. Samaje Perine returns as the complementary back on passing downs and short-yardage situations, having compiled 84 carries for 382 yards and 17 receptions last season. Depth behind them includes Tahj Brooks, Gary Brightwell, Kendall Milton, and Jamal Haynes. Facing a Colts front seven featuring DeForest Buckner and Zaire Franklin, these practices will offer a live run-game test to determine which backups can reliably handle third-down protections and blitz pickups. While Brown and Perine appear secure in their roles, the practices are critical for sorting out who else can make the roster.
Quarterback depth remains straightforward: Joe Burrow is the clear starter. Behind him, veterans Joe Flacco and Josh Johnson provide depth, while Sean Clifford develops as a future prospect. Joint practices won't shift this hierarchy but will give the backups valuable reps against first-team defensive players, something rarely afforded in standard preseason games where starters typically only play one series. Flacco threw 160 passes for the Cleveland Browns and Johnson 54 for the Washington Commanders last season, signaling that both veterans still retain the ability to process defenses and lead offenses effectively.
Regarding betting markets, there has been no movement due to this joint practice announcement, and none is expected. DraftKings lists the Bengals at +2200 odds to win Super Bowl LXI, reflecting offseason roster builds rather than mid-June practice scheduling. The joint practice serves as a process-oriented event rather than a game-changing news story.
From a salary cap perspective, the Bengals have $7.17 million in cap space according to Over the Cap. The active roster accounts for $299.39 million against $10.42 million in dead money. Every roster decision leading up to the 53-man cutdown influences cap management, and joint practices provide direct performance data to help finalize that grouping. Distinguishing who makes the active roster versus who lands on the practice squad has real financial and competitive implications in a cap-tight environment.
At his June 2 press conference, Taylor said the Bengals are "in a really good place" talent-wise and emphasized that the rookies "have the ability to come in and compete for opportunity." The joint practice with the Colts is a crucial, measurable step in that competition.
There will likely be no singular highlight moment from the joint practice that defines the season, but the cumulative data -- which defenders consistently win their reps, which running backs effectively pick up blitzes, and how rookies handle NFL speed -- will shape the coaching staff's roster decisions. When the Bengals return home to Cincinnati, the staff will have a clearer picture of the 53 players best suited to contribute during the regular season.
In a win-now season marked by tight salary cap constraints, joint practices are not glamorous, but they are essential to building a roster capable of sustained success.