The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will open the 2026 regular season on the road Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium.
Tampa Bay will get an immediate test against a Bengals team that made major changes to its defense during the offseason while keeping one of the NFL’s most dangerous offensive groups intact. Cincinnati rebuilt its defensive front with additions such as Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe, while Joe Burrow once again leads an offense featuring Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Ahead of Sunday’s matchup, Bucs Wire caught up with Chris Roling of Bengals Wire to get an inside look at Cincinnati and what the Buccaneers can expect in Week 1.
Here are Roling’s answers to our three questions:
The Bengals made changes to their front seven this offseason. How different does this group look compared to last year, and who should Buccaneers fans be watching out for on Sunday?
“Very different, with the exception
of first-round products, Shemar Stewart and Myles Murphy. Dexter Lawrence came over via trade, and Jonathan Allen signed in free agency, bumping last year’s starters, BJ Hill and TJ Slaton, to rotational roles. They signed Boye Mafe to help replace Trey Hendrickson, then drafted Cashius Howell in the second round. Lawrence is obviously the big name to watch, with the younger edge rushers perhaps having a bigger-than-expected impact as a result.”
Joe Burrow has Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at his disposal again. How has the Bengals’ passing attack looked heading into Week 1, and what makes this receiving corps especially difficult for Tampa Bay to defend?
“The passing attack has looked as expected in limited viewings, minus some struggles during under-center looks. They’re going to have to hope those get ironed out, as Burrow hasn’t been very good under center historically. Even so, the Bengals’ ability to move Ja’Marr Chase all over the field and throw out a lot of different looks, such as tight ends or running backs in the slot, makes it hard to account for everything.”
Who is one under-the-radar Bengals player Buccaneers fans should know about who could have a big impact on Sunday’s game?
“DJ Turner tends to get overlooked nationally right now. He broke out as a No. 1 cornerback last year, albeit during a forgettable overall season for the club. This summer, he’s been trailing Chase all over the field, so he’s more than equipped to shut down an opposing team’s top option, never mind force turnovers in the process.”
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Behind enemy lines: Bucs at Bengals
