Cincinnati Bengals 2026 Youth Checkup: Myles Murphy

CINCINNATI — Myles Murphy is our latest subject on the Bengals Youth Checkup series this offseason. The now fourth-year defensive end just played his best season in the NFL on a career-high snap total to breathe some life into his career prospects.

The 2023 first-round pick went to Cincinnati at No. 29 overall and struggled to get consistent playing time his first two seasons, but changed that in 2025 to play the most he ever has across three campaigns.

Cincinnati likely has to start preparing to play without Trey Hendrickson this fall, and Myles Murphy is a big factor in finding a competent pass rush this fall. Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin noted his development during last month's press conference.

"I see growth in a 24-year-old Myles Murphy and young corners who have taken the jump, and Jordan Battle, who has taken the jump," Tobin said. "The one thing we really need is we need those guys or somebody else to take on a leadership role and demand the accountability and demand the execution. We need more leadership. We have tons of leadership on the offensive side of the ball. We need somebody, multiple people, to step up and lead that group from within our team."

Murphy is currently well behind fellow draft classmates Chase Brown (22), DJ Turner II (12), and Battle (12) in Pro Football Reference's Approximate Value metric.

Checkup Report

Murphy flashed great signs as a third-year player across a career-high 682 snaps and a career-best 64.2 Pro Football Focus grade. His raw numbers came out to 52 tackles, 5.5 sacks, six TFLs, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and 10 QB hits. Murphy's 41 QB pressures this season were more than double his previous high (20).

He never cracked 360 snaps across his first two seasons, struggling to adjust to NFL action.

Sam Hubbard's retirement and Shemar Stewart's offseason contract issues opened the door for Murphy to work through some early growing pains in 2025 and set him up to have the career-best year in 2026.

Sure, Murphy didn't blow anyone out of the water with his play in 2025, but it was a great sign for him to avoid the bust label as a Bengal. From Week 11 to Week 18, Murphy cut out his terrible games and mixed in one of the best outings ever against Miami (career-best 90 overall PFF grade).

He did not post a single grade lower than 58.5 in that stretch. If that translates to 2026, then Murphy will be a key part of the defensive positivity that can't get much more remote after ranking dead last in yards per play allowed (6.2 YPP allowed).

The Clemson product treated that game (and every one last season) the same way.

"Same deal, next week is the biggest game of the year. That's my mindset," Murphy said in December. "I feel like that's the entire defense's mindset going into next week. Set the mind, attack, stop the run, get after the quarterback — nothing changes. We're not just going to sit back and let whatever happens to us. We're still going to attack, set edges, do what we can to show everyone what Bengals football is."

The 24-year-old is still young, entering his fourth NFL season, and the Bengals have to decide whether to slap him with the fifth-year option or not.

According to Over The Cap, his fifth year in 2027 would cost Cincinnati a projected $13.6 million (playing time bonus would’ve made it $15.2 million, a made Pro Bowl already could've launched it to $22.3 million).

Good edge rushers are really hard to find in the NFL, and Murphy may be on his way there, but Cincinnati has to decide if he's shown enough to keep upping its investment.

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