Bengals’ 2026 NFL Draft Position Set as Crucial Offseason Looms

The Bengals finished the season 6-11 following Sunday's loss to the Browns.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) signals to the sideline before a play on third and short in the second quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bengals lost to the Browns on Sunday to secure a 6-11 record. Cincinnati's loss helped them secure the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Cincinnati entered Week 18 with the 10th pick, but could've fallen as far as 12th with a win or as high as 8th with a loss.

The Chiefs lost to the Raiders and the Saints lost to the Falcons, which kept Cincinnati in the 10th spot.

The Bengals have had the 10th overall pick three times in franchise history. They selected wide receiver David Verser in 1981. They picked Willie Anderson in 1996 and Levi Jones in 2002. Anderson is in the Bengals' Ring of Honor and Jones was a solid player during his seven seasons in Cincinnati.

The Bengals desperately need an infusion of talent. They've missed the playoffs in three-straight seasons.

Cincinnati took an 18-17 lead with 1:29 left on Sunday against the Browns. Cleveland drove down and kicked the game winning field goal as time expired.

“It’s a little bit fitting, to be honest with you, in terms of how our season’s gone," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. "That doesn’t make it right. Several times we had games where we played well in different areas and we just hadn’t found a way to put it all together. There have been games these last couple of weeks (where) we had, but this is one we needed to finish off. (This was) a divisional game, and this is how these divisional games go. It comes down to a play at the end (in a) one-score game, and we just weren’t able to finish it off.”

Taylor is expected to return as head coach next season. That means that his staff, along with the front office will be tasked with putting together a plan that gets this team back into championship contention.

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