'Just Great' - Cashius Howell, Veteran Excited About Rookie's Bengals Preseason Debut

Cashius Howell sure looked the part in his 2026 Bengals preseason debut.

The second round pick notched a half sack on the night (oddly not credited) and recovered a fumble that helped Cincinnati score its only touchdown in the 16-14 win over Detroit.

Cincinnati needs some edge rushers to pop all season amidst the exit of Trey Hendrickson and Howell is trending in the right direction.

Building The Foundation

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Cashius Howell (55) celebrates a fumble recovery in the second quarter of the NFL Preseason game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

He spoke with FOX 19's Jeremy Rauch about his strong debut after the game.

"It was pretty fun to be able to get out there and have a positive contribution for the team. It was just great. First game out there, still getting my feet wet, still room for improvement, but it was fun for sure," Howell said before commenting on the front as a whole. "It's definitely encouraging as a defense and as the overall defensive line. It just makes us want to continue to be hungry and just chase some sacks and continue to try to have a positive contribution for the team."

His defensive line running mate, Dexter Lawrence, enjoyed seeing the rookie make a few splashes.

“A lot. Just helping them just breathe. They’re going to get a lot of snaps, so just breathe in between plays. You’re going to be tired, but that’s a part of the game. Just keep growing and make sure you use every snap to work on your technique," Lawrence said about his overall advice for the young guys before keying in on Howell. "He’s good man. I’m excited about him. He’s high on the board, but still has things to learn. But we all have something to learn.”

Cincinnati won the game with its defense, which hasn't been the case very often over the last few years.

Alas, it's just preseason and the Lions didn't play any meaningful starters in the game from an offense that has signs of being a top-10 unit this coming season.

All you can do is perform against the man in front of you and Howell did that palatably on Thursday. Check out the full comments from the rookie below:

"It was a great first game out there."

Postgame with Cashius Howell after a fumble recovery and (what I'm calling) a half sack. #Bengals @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/RYydqxxvvM
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) August 14, 2026

Cashius Howell with the spin move for a half sack. pic.twitter.com/fTlM6IBWFO
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) August 14, 2026

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