Bengals add two DBs
Cincinnati’s offseason continued with one‑year deals for safety Kyle Dugger and cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor, moves fans are calling quick, low‑risk upgrades to depth and special teams. (x.com) Both signings are short contracts that give the Bengals flexibility while addressing secondary concerns without committing big money. (x.com)
Cincinnati posted official roster updates on April 2, 2026 announcing the additions of safety Kyle Dugger and cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor to the team. (bengals.com 1) (bengals.com 2) Dugger is a 2020 second‑round pick who spent most of his career with the New England Patriots before being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in October 2025. (en.wikipedia.org) (steelers.com) Taylor was a sixth‑round pick in 2022 out of Wake Forest who has played for the Los Angeles Chargers and the New York Jets, and has been used primarily inside as a slot defender and on special teams. (en.wikipedia.org) (cbssports.com) In football terms, a safety is a defensive back who typically lines up deep to prevent long passing plays or step up to help stop a run, while a cornerback usually matches up one‑on‑one with wide receivers near the line of scrimmage; those are the basic roles each signing fills. (en.wikipedia.org)) (en.wikipedia.org) On the Bengals roster those two arrivals add veteran options behind starter Jordan Battle and behind the team’s earlier free‑agent signing Bryan Cook, who agreed to a three‑year deal in March. (bengals.com) (en.wikipedia.org) Looking at production, Dugger’s career totals through 2025 include roughly 483 tackles, 11 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns, highlighting his history of creating turnovers, while Taylor’s pro totals through 2025 sit near 97 tackles, about 15 pass deflections and one interception, with 21 tackles recorded in his 2025 split season. (en.wikipedia.org 1) (en.wikipedia.org 2) Both contracts are short‑term moves that make each player a veteran piece to be evaluated during spring practices and training camp for special‑teams roles and situational defensive snaps. (bengals.com 1) (bengals.com 2)
