Two teams with overhauled defenses open their seasons against each other when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday.
The Bengals completed their first perfect preseason since 2006 with wins over the Lions, Bears and Eagles, while the Buccaneers were 2-1 in the preseason, with wins over the New York Jets and Kansas City before losing at Jacksonville.
Both teams look to have put some preseason injuries behind them as the Bengals are expected to have Ja’Marr Chase (left knee hyperextension), Tee Higgins (heel), Dax Hill (hamstring) and Shemar Stewart (left knee hyperextension) available. The Buccaneers will likely have star receiver Emeka Egbuka on the field after he practiced fully Wednesday following a toe injury.
Cincinnati enters the 2026 campaign with elevated expectations, coming off a busy offseason in which the team acquired several talented players who figure to make significant contributions early on.
The most noteworthy additions are on the defensive side of the ball, where the Bengals traded for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, signed safety Bryan Cook, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and defensive end Boye Mafe in free agency, and selected second-round defensive end Cashius Howell and third-round corner Tacario Davis in the NFL Draft.
“Every year is different,” said head coach Zac Taylor. “You’re doing everything you can to make sure we’re prepared for what can be thrown at you, what we can throw at them and make sure the players have confidence in what they’re doing. In Week 1, 100% of the game is not going to go your way. There are going to be things that you have to adapt to and respond to, and some adversity that is going to hit you in the face. I’m excited to see our guys respond to that part of it.”
The overhauled defensive personnel group looks to complement a Bengals offense which returns virtually the entire starting lineup from a year ago.
Cincinnati’s high-powered attack is led by seventh-year star quarterback Joe Burrow, who has publicly acknowledged a sense of urgency permeating throughout the locker room due to the caliber of this year’s roster. His weapons are among the best in the game in receivers Chase and Higgins and running back Chase Brown.
“It gives you a headache more than anything,” Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles said of the Bengals’ offense. “Preparing for guys like that, it’s exciting once you get there, but those guys can give you a headache. They’ve given everyone headaches.”
Tampa Bay is looking to bounce back under Bowles after missing the playoffs in 2025. Led by quarterback Baker Mayfield and new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, the Bucs are aiming for their sixth consecutive Week 1 victory.
“I don’t think you can put too much stock in it,” Bowles said. “Every year is a different year. We just got off to a good start the past couple, and obviously it means nothing going into this game on Sunday. So we got to prepare like we need to prepare and play like we got to play.”
Tampa Bay’s offensive line figures to be bolstered by the return of Tristan Wirfs from an offseason hamstring injury and returning standout Cody Mauch, who missed 15 games a season ago with a torn meniscus.
Defensively, Tampa Bay has completely retooled the second level of their unit. Bowles heavily praised the arrival and leadership of veteran inside linebacker Alex Anzalone, who has earned the “green dot” defensive communication duties while outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. figures to make an immediate impact on the edge as a first-round pick out of Miami.
–Field Level Media
