The Cincinnati Bengals had two really problematic-looking areas on defense going into this season.
Now at 2-2, one of those needs to be removed from the equation: Safety Jordan Battle.
There was hope that Battle would keep developing in 2026, especially with an improved unit around him. Add Dexter Lawrence and a better pass-rush up front, plus Bryan Cook at safety to fix that spot next to him, and perhaps Battle could grow into the player they hoped when they drafted him in the third round in 2023.
Instead, Battle continues to be weekly lowlight material. The worst-case scenario unfolded on a third-and-18 conversion by the Jacksonville Jaguars during the Bengals’ loss in Week 4:
3rd and 18 and your defense is about to start the game with 2 straight
3-and-outs. Jordan Battle says hold my beer… pic.twitter.com/lkSV5t871R
— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) October 4, 2026
To put that into perspective historically:
NFL teams were 4 of 55 on third and 18 or longer this year before the Jordan Battle whiff extended the Jaguars' drive and led to a Cam Little 55-yard FG.
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) October 4, 2026
3-0 Jags with 2:18 left 1Q
Battle also stood out with poor reactions on a Jaguars touchdown that swung the game:
Chris Rodriguez makes it a two-score game with a 25-yard TD!
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
JAXvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/EocORsZ5jR
In hindsight, coaches might rally to Battle’s defense here in some form. But this isn’t a one-off. Battle’s tackling attempts, angles and apparent willingness to get physical have been a problem since his rookie year. There’s no upgrade in personnel around him that is going to fix fundamental issues.
It’s just one data point as a bonus, but Battle’s sitting on a 37.6 PFF grade, ranked 79th out of 83 safeties in the NFL. He’s playing the 18th-most snaps out of 135, though.
Sure, the Bengals don’t have many options. Cook is dealing with an injury. So is Kyle Dugger. PJ Jules and Russ Yeast aren’t starter-level players.
But the Bengals need to do something. It’s sending the wrong message to fans, and perhaps the locker room, to keep sending that effort level out on the field. Dugger is a veteran who can start when healthy. Otherwise, the Bengals could always invest outside the team via free agency, trade or otherwise.
To the Bengals’ credit, it’s hard to upgrade every single problem in one offseason. Linebacker is still a mess, too. Al Golden's scheme and calls verge on questionable often. And there was some reason to believe that a 25-year-old safety might turn the corner.
That’s not happening, though, and even worse, Battle’s miscues are dragging what is otherwise a pretty solid defense in the wrong direction. The Bengals would be failing at a pretty basic level to let that keep happening on a weekly basis.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals need to end experiment with struggling starter
