Bengals film room: Defensive rookies shine vs. Eagles

CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 22: Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Landon Robinson (96) walks off the field at the end of the preseason game between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Cincinnati Bengals finished off a perfect preseason, going 3-0 this year with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles 30-13 on Friday night.

Let's take a look at a couple of rookie standouts from the game that made the Bengals' 53-man roster.

Tacario Davis

Davis has really emerged over the past couple of weeks. He is stacking quality performances both in-game and during camp practices. DJ Ivey was once thought to be the first man up outside of the starters at outside corner, but Davis has made a strong case for that to be him.

Davis has shown physicality and reliability as a tackler, has tremendous length and straight-line speed, and came up with his first interception on a pass that was intended for Philadelphia first round draft selection Makai Lemon.

I would be lying if I wasn't a bit skeptical of the Davis selection at the time it was made. It felt a round too early based on his recent injury history, and concerns about his change-of-direction ability to mirror faster receivers. While the latter is still a bit of a concern for me, I will gladly eat crow so far with how well Davis has performed. With both DJ Turner and Dax Hill entering contract years, Davis could be a full-time starter next year.

LOVE the physicality of Tacario Davis pic.twitter.com/RnjYFRkc6D

- Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) August 29, 2026

A really impressive last two preseason games for Tacario Davis. The Bengals scouts and front office deserve a lot of credit for what looks like one of the best drafts in franchise history early on. Time will tell on that though. https://t.co/rCQFztZX1epic.twitter.com/bhA8DOWvOm

- Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) August 30, 2026

Landon Robinson

Robinson officially made the Bengals' initial 53-man roster on Sunday. The Navy product finished the preseason with 10 pressures and 4 sacks, according to PFF. Both numbers were tops in the NFL during the preseason. He consistently flashes with quickness off the snap, a non-stop motor, and a guy who has massive power in his lower and upper body.

Robinson might not have had the same flashy performance as the first two games, but he held up well overall throughout the night. He fully earned his spot on this 53-man roster, and now it just becomes a question of whether the Bengals will have him active on the 46-man roster against the Buccaneers. His ability to come in on goal-line as a fullback could help make that a reality.

However, if he is inactive early on, he still will end up playing meaningful snaps for this team at some point this year.

Landon Robinson played pretty well again last night. Maybe it wasn't as flashy as the first two preseason games, but this guy has done everything he could to make the 53-man roster this year. pic.twitter.com/rEmeiGGeUE

- Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) August 29, 2026