The Cincinnati Bengals enter 2025 with high hopes, coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons, in which they missed the playoffs. They have been inconsistent on both sides of the ball, especially on defense, where they frequently failed to get off the field in 2024. The offense isn’t off the hook either, and had its share of several moments where they couldn’t finish drives to put games away. As rookies come into town for minicamp on May 9th, it’s important to note the contributions of several sophomores that will be key if the orange and black are to reclaim the AFC North. Let’s examine three players to watch for in their crucial second season for the men in stripes.
Sophomores to Watch for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025
Amarius Mims
The Bengals hit a home run with the selection of Amarius Mims in the 2024 NFL Draft. He has been everything you could ask for in a bookend right tackle, and he was impressive after being thrust into action after Trent Brown was lost for the season in the third game. Mims would go on to start in 13 games, improving as the season went on, and would finish his stellar rookie campaign with a masterful performance blanking the Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt in Week 18. Cincinnati is looking for even better things from Mims this season, as they are revamping the interior of the OL. A Pro Bowl selection isn’t out of the question, and it’s a good starting point for Mims to build on for the remainder of his career.
McKinnley Jackson
The sophomore who came on the strongest to end 2024 was defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson out of Texas A&M. Jackson would miss time from a knee injury suffered in training camp, but didn’t let it affect his play or growth. He recorded one sack, one forced fumble, and six SOLO tackles en route to a solid start to his career. His strength and lateral agility seemed to be his biggest assets, and like Mims, he has lofty aspirations for year two.
Josh Newton
The scouting staff loved Josh Newton coming out of TCU and were impressed by his ball-hawking ability and closing speed at cornerback. He played in all 17 games, with six starts, one interception, and 27 SOLO tackles. It will be interesting to see how defensive coordinator Al Golden plans to employ Newton this season, and it’s possible he starts in a rotation again to begin the season. The competition will be fierce for Newton in training camp as he’s going against Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner II, DJ Ivey, Marco Wilson, and potentially former Michigan teammate Dax Hill, if he stays at corner. Wherever Newton ends up, you can bet he’s up to the task. The Bengals hope his sophomore counterparts are as well. Their playoff aspirations may depend on it.
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