Cashius Howell Using Bengals' Veteran 'Advantage' in Early Days of NFL Career

Cashius Howell officially signed his rookie contract on Tuesday, leaving nothing to worry about for him entering his first NFL Minicamp next week.

The signing means all of Cincinnati's 2026 draft picks have inked their deals, a year after Shemar Stewart went nearly the whole summer without signing his deal. There are none of those headaches anywhere on the Bengals' roster this time around, and Howell is ready to keep learning amidst the news.

"Communication-wise, we've gone out and got some dinner, just being able to pick some of the best minds, and see kind of the ins and outs on how to go about things," Howell said to FOX19 Tuesday about what he's learned from veterans in recent weeks. "And in regards to football, just on a day-to-day basis, we all kind of help each other, and I use the vets to my advantage, and just ask them to help me fine-tune all the little details that I need."

The Work Continues

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive lineman Cashius Howell (DL41) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Howell's one big red flag this draft cycle was his short arm length, but his production at Texas A&M may show a strong enough motor to fully overcome those restricted limbs. His 30 1/4-inch arm measurement marks the shortest of any edge rusher selected in the draft since at least 1999.

The 2025 SEC Defensive Player of the Year posted 31 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, and 41 quarterback pressures on his way to unanimous All-American honors last fall. He's hoping to parlay that production into a starting role with additional strong work this offseason.

"It's really hard to say at this point," Howell said about where he's stacked up on the defensive line so far. "I've been in with the ones (starters), been in with the twos, but I'm just going to leave that to the coaches. But as I said, I'm trying to come in every day, and be the same guy and have the most positive impact that I can."

It's a new pass-rushing era for Cincinnati, and Howell figures to be a big part of that. Boye Mafe and Myles Murphy track to lead the Bearcats' rush early on this season, with Howell and Stewart reinforcing their new and old teammates.

Check out his full comments via FOX19's Gabi Sorrentino:

The #Bengals officially signed their second-round draft pick, Cashius Howell today.

Here's one minute with the Bengals rookie DE following practice today:@FOX19 pic.twitter.com/AbDy03foHW
— Gabi Sorrentino (@GSorrentinoTV) June 9, 2026

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