Bengals Defense on Track to Fix Massive Weakness During 2026 Season

A major improvement from last season

Oct 25, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) runs the ball defended by Cincinnati Bengals safety Bryan Cook (6) during the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Missed tackles have plagued the Bengals' defense for years.

Six games into the 2026 season, it appears they have made progress in addressing that weakness. SumerSports confirmed that the Bengals currently rank seventh in the league with only 45 missed tackles on 404 attempts for a missed tackle rate of 11.1%. That is only 3.4% worse than the Lions, who rank as the best in the league with a 7.7% missed tackle rate.

Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. led the way last season with 35 missed tackles combined. Geno Stone and Jordan Battle combined for 47 missed tackles in 2025, bringing the total for all four players to 82. For reference, the Bengals defense missed 171 tackles total last season.

Carter and Knight have still struggled to stop ball carriers on the ground this season, with 14 combined missed tackles; however, they have improved in other areas of their game.

Carter has improved in coverage, along with his tracking ability in the open field, while Knight has become more of a downhill thumper against the run game.

Bryan Cook Effect

Cincinnati Bengals safety Bryan Cook celebrates with teammates against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Sept. 13. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Cook has made a name for himself as a reliable tackler at safety in the league, and he has carried that presence into this season.

He only has three missed tackles all season after dealing with an early ankle injury. If he stays on his current pace, he should finish the season with 11 missed tackles, a drastic improvement from Stone's 26 last year.

His presence alone has eased the growing pains for Knight and Carter, though Battle has remained inconsistent as the Bengals' other safety. Over six games, Battle has missed eight tackles and made mistakes similar to those he committed last season.

The potential remains for the Bengals to add another playmaker to the defense via a fairytale style trade and replace Battle.

As of now however, even with the inconsistency from Battle, the defense has shown steady improvement in Al Golden's second season as defensive coordinator. At their current pace, the defense should surrender 135 missed tackles, approximately 36 less than last year.

The Detroit Lions are now the best tackling team in the NFL https://t.co/xKNwCAPxy8 pic.twitter.com/0lnrzWbJ8V

— SūmerSports (@SumerSports) October 27, 2026

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