Day 4 of Cincinnati Bengals 2026 training campwas no walkthrough. In fact, it was a solid precursor to Monday, Aug. 3 when the Bengals actually strap their pads on.
After walkthrough-style exercises for most of the July 31 session open to media, Cincinnati's offensive and defensive units went right back to trash-talking and trying to best one another as the calendar flipped to August.
Morning rain on Aug. 1 forced the Bengalsinto their practice bubble on Mehring Way, but they returned to their outdoor practice fields for the final hour of the session and went to work trying to put some productive plays on tape. There was certainly plenty of that.
Here's what we learned from the final day of the first week of Bengals training camp:
Bengals slot corner battle comes into view
In a word, you could describe cornerback Jalen Davis' week as "noticeable." He was front and center and mixing it up during the first scuffle of camp, and got an earful from offensive teammates for his physical play that day. Davis chalked that up to competitiveness, and so did his counterparts.
Davis also made some plays. No, the Bengals aren't in pads yet and the first preseason game isn't for 12 days, but these players are being evaluated constantly. You can bet his acrobatic interception of a scrambling Joe Burrow during 11-on-11 play on Aug. 1 was a great way for Davis to sign off from the first week of camp.
"Do your job and great things can happen," Davis said. "Definitely when the (pass) rush and coverage work together, with (Boye) Mafe up there putting the good pressure on him, things happen like that."
Davis' strong play is interesting because he's battling for a starting spot at slot corner, and doing so primarily against Ja'Sir Taylor, formerly of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Taylor almost picked off Burrow on Aug. 1, too, but couldn't reel the ball in. In any case, it was a solid pass breakup against receiver Andrei Iosivas.
— Pat Brennan (@PBrennanENQ) August 1, 2026
Four days in, it's impossible to see who's winning this position battle. But you can bet Davis, 29 years old and a six-year Bengals veteran, and Taylor, a 26-year-old with extensive slot corner experience, will make it a fun battle to watch.
"I've been in a position battle my whole damn life," Davis said. "I take every single day, every single year the exact same. Try to put my best foot forward."
Taylor confident his first week was solid, too, and he's ready to put the pads on the next time the team is together for training camp.
"I feel like it's going great. I feel like I fit in well with the guys," Taylor said. "Picking up the playbook well and making the most of my opportunities... I feel like I've been very intentional with the reps I do get and making the most of them, and I'm showcasing my talents. Making sure my coaches trust me and my teammates trust me."
Did the Bengals' defense win Day 4 of training camp?
It took four days, but media members finally had credible reason to declare a daily "winner" in the ongoing battle between the Bengals' offense and defense. It's a favorite pastime of media-types around the NFL, and it sure sounded and looked like the defense separated itself from the offense in a meaningful way on Day 4.
Davis' aforementioned interception was one of the defensive highlights, and Taylor had one of a handful of pass breakups on Aug. 1.
Burrow and Co. were able to get some jollies in against the defense during a low-red zone period. Burrow made touchdown hookups with Ja'Marr Chase and Mitch Tinsley look easy. But the consensus still seemed to be that the defense still won the day, and Bengals veteran center Ted Karras synthesized that sentiment better than anyone else.
"Today felt like going against the 2016 New England defense," Karras said. "A lot of great back and forth today. I don't think this was our best day as an offense, especially 'o-line', but we get a little day off, come back at it Monday."
(In case you need a refresher, the Patriots had the NFL's No. 1 defense in 2016 and went on to win the Super Bowl).
Bengals Day 4 training camp attendance
Jonathan Allen and Dexter Lawrence II were full participants during the Aug. 1 camp session open to media.
Tee Higgins was in attendance but not in uniform.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What we learned from a defensive-dominant Bengals training camp Day 4
