It’s early, but the Cincinnati Bengals are already making good on some hints at rookie minicamp.
When the Bengals drafted Cashius Howell in the second round (after hinting he was a Round 1 target), coaches such as Al Golden suggested some unique usage for the edge defender.
In the spirit of moving to a more hybrid, multiple defense, Golden and others suggested plenty of coverage reps for Howell.
Friday, Mike Petraglia of CLNS Media provided the first proof of that idea:
Cashius Howell (55) working on the edge Friday morning. pic.twitter.com/juMrFlTrnB
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 8, 2026
Golden likes to drop edge defenders into coverage across multiple formations, which permits things like linebackers blitzing and simulated pressures.
Howell probably won’t spend a big chunk of his rookie year in coverage by any means, but it’s a nice tool to have in his arsenal as a pro. And his doing so will let him get on the field despite the logjam of pass-rushers on the roster that includes Myles Murphy, Shemar Stewart and Boye Mafe, never mind interior additions like Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen.
The Bengals drafted Howell with a plan and onlookers clearly get to see it right from Day 1.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals rookie minicamp hints at plan for top pick