Bengals Make Significant Leadership Changes Going Into 2026 + Tee Higgins, Ja'Marr Chase Injury News

The Bengals are getting some major positive news just six days before the start of the 2026 season. Cincinnati announced its seven team captains Monday, with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Ted Karras returning as offensive captains. The new faces are defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, safety Bryan Cook and cornerback DJ Turner II, while Evan McPherson returns as the special teams captain.

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The captaincy is particularly interesting because it reflects how dramatically different this Bengals defense looks entering the season. Lawrence was acquired this offseason in the blockbuster trade that sent Cincinnati’s No. 10 overall pick to the Giants, while Cook and Turner are expected to be major pieces of the revamped defense. Turner emerged as one of Cincinnati’s leaders during his breakout 2025 season, and now he gets the “C” to go along with that responsibility.

But perhaps the biggest news Monday came on the injury front. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins were both back on the practice field. Chase has been dealing with a hyperextended knee suffered August 25, while Higgins has been working through a heel injury. Both missed practice last week, but Zac Taylor had already indicated that he expected both receivers to be ready for the September 13 opener against Tampa Bay.

And there’s more encouraging news surrounding first-round pick Shemar Stewart, who had remained on the rehab field last week while recovering from a knee injury. His return to practice would be another significant development for a Bengals defense that desperately needs its new pieces healthy.

Ultimately, Monday was exactly the kind of day Cincinnati wanted heading into Week 1: seven captains named, Chase and Higgins back on the field, and the revamped defense moving closer to full strength. After everything that has happened over the offseason, the Bengals are finally getting close to seeing what this team actually looks like when it counts.