“Troy (5-10, 207) probably was about the same size. It’s about having instincts,” Fulcher said Thursday. “I was one of those guys who had the instincts. I knew where the football was going. Can Downs be that kind of guy? Yeah. Look at the conference he played in. Look at where he comes from. He’s a guy that impacts games.”
One Rising Combine Star Makes Sense for Bengals in First Round
of 2026 NFL Draft
Thieneman’s finest moment at Oregon came against Penn State in Happy Valley during Penn State’s whiteout game. In front of more than 100,000 people, Thieneman hauled in the game winning interception for the Ducks. He ended his 2026 campaign with two interceptions, while tacking on 92 total tackles. The low interception number for Thieneman may be concerning for Bengals fans, but opposing quarterbacks often tried to keep the ball away from his side of the field.
Trey Hendrickson, Bengals update from NFL combine slightly concerning
Remember, in mid-February, a report said the Bengals will get the temperature of Hendrickson’s market while the entire league was at the combine. That might open a door to a tag-and-trade scenario.
The defensive end the Bengals are most counting on next year is Myles Murphy. The former first-round was a full-time starter for the first time in his third season, and took a notable step forward in the second half of the year, racking up four of his 5.5 sacks on the season in the final eight games. He achieved a pass rush win rate of 14.1% during that stretch as well, up from his 9.2% clip in the first nine weeks.
