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A 6-11 record in 2025, dead last in the AFC North, is the figure Cincinnati could not explain away.
That finish exposed a defense unable to generate consistent pass-rush pressure and prone to surrendering late leads, while Joe Burrow missed time to injury and Joe Flacco stepped in to absorb the damage.
With the offense producing at an elite level and the defense dragging it down, the front office moved to rebuild the front seven and secondary before training camp, with head coach Zac Taylor entering his eighth season and defensive coordinator Al Golden in year two of the retool.
Reshaping the front seven The headline move came via trade from the New York Giants: defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, now paired inside with veteran pass rusher Jonathan Allen and edge Boye Mafe.
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