Bengals Defensive Coordinator Al Golden Reveals Player He Is 'A Big Fan Of'

With the needs of every NFL organization flipping on a dime from season to season, being able to hang your hat on the belief that any player is in for the long haul is no longer a given.

So when certain players like Jalen Davis have seen the rollercoasters of a four-win season, a Super Bowl run, two AFC Championship games, and three straight postseason-less campaigns, they quickly become cult heroes.

Yet with Davis, it's not just the fans he connects with; defensive coordinator Al Golden spoke about Davis on Dan Hoard’s “Bengals Booth Podcast,” where Golden raved over the sixth-year Bengal.

“He Gives Me So Much Confidence”

“I'm a big Jalen Davis fan. Tremendous person, great work ethic, intellect, confidence when he's on the field, the ability to run it. He gives me so much confidence on the defensive side, as a play caller, because I know he's always gonna right the ship,” quoted Golden.

In 59 games with the AFC North side, Davis has notched 41 tackles, two tackles for loss, with three passes defended, two forced fumbles and one interception. Davis’ sole interception during his eight-year career came in Cincinnati’s 45-21 win over the Miami Dolphins in late December, where Davis took advantage of a poorly thrown sideline pass from Quinn Ewers.

Earlier this year, Davis signed a one-year extension on his expiring contract worth $1.57 million, which keeps him on the team through this season.

While Davis has been through it all with the Bengals, he has largely had to do it from the bench, starting three games in his entire career, all of which came last season. The 30-year-old notched a 65.5 overall Pro Football Focus grade across 270 snaps in 2026.

“He's always gonna communicate where he is lined up, and what we need to get done. So, obviously, that's comforting from my standpoint.

“The thing I'll say about JD is, he had a great offseason, and what I mean by that is before he got here. He started the offseason program in tremendous condition, and he couldn't wait to show me the condition that he was in,” finished Golden.

The Bengals are set to enlist Davis and more in the cornerback room this fall.

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