Takeaways from 10 Minutes With Bengals D.C. Al Golden After Defensive-Dominated First Week of Training Camp

The Cincinnati Bengals defensive renaissance is less than a week old, but Al Golden agreed to talk to reporters after Tuesday’s practice to talk about what he’s seen.

Golden obviously is pleased with what he’s seen from the group as well as some individual performances.

He started off with praise for Bryan Cook, who returned a Joe Burrow interception for a touchdown on the 1s final play of the practice.

“He was atoning for a drop earlier in the red zone,” Golden said. "He had a good break on the ball. We had some pressure and made Joe move the pocket. And obviously that combination is going to be powerful. If we can make a guy move and get that kind of break, it’s gonna be great.”

This exchange between Bryan Cook and Ja’Marr Chase. pic.twitter.com/bQ76z6bnZY
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) August 4, 2026

Here are some of the top takeaways from Golden’s post-practice interview:

More Pass Rush Praise

One of the big reasons for the defensive success has been the improved pass rush, with Joe Burrow dealing with pressure from all sides.

And that’s with 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart sidelined with a knee injury.

Boye Mafe has been blowing up plays and flushing Burrow from the pocket in seemingly every drill. And Lawrence, while not always getting home, has been a problem for Karras the guards, pushing the pocket into Burrow’s lap.

“The middle push is making the tight turn a little bit easier on the edge, and that's really helped us move the quarterback back. And he can't step into throws as much. We've got to keep working it. We'll get B.J. (Hill) back pretty soon. T.J. Slaton came back in great shape, and he's been a really, really big improvement for us.”

Tuesday was Slaton’s best practice thus far as he burst through the line twice in the first few passing plays to pressure Burrow.

Battle Tested

Golden fielded numerous questions about specific players, but one of his most telling comments came when he was asked about fourth-year safety Jordan Battle.

“Jordan's having a great camp,” Golden said. “I just love where he's at mentally. He's prepared. He's in great condition. And I think we're starting to eliminate the things that are representative of bad defense. We're communicating. We're not miscommunicating. We're playing our fundamentals.

“Everyone is doing their job,” Golden added. “We're improving, and we have consistency. And Jordan's a big part of that.”

As Advertised

Speaking of being a big part, Dexter Lawrence has been the centerpiece of the defensive rebuild.

Golden has seen plenty of Lawrence with the veteran defensive tackle being present for everything – voluntary or mandatory – since arriving via trade from the New York Giants.

But the last two days have given Golden a chance to see the prized acquisition in pads.

"Dex is everything you would imagine that he is," Golden said. "He came back in great shape, and I think that's a testament to him and his work ethic and his energy, renewed energy and his focus.

“He's powerful,” Golden added. “We're going to continue to work to get him to beat blocks. His middle push is significant, so he's doing a great job of buying in and being a leader for us.”

Linebacker Love

While it’s been maddening to a large segment of the fanbase, the trust and belief in the young linebackers is paying dividends, Golden said.

The 2025 draft picks – second-rounder Demtrius Knight Jr. and fourth-rounder Barrett Carter – have made plenty of plays through the first six practices, and Tuesday Knight got into a slight shoving match with center Ted Karras.

“You guys know how I feel about them,” Golden said of the linebackers. “Love them. I stood on the table for them. They consistently got better last year.

“We are going to be the beneficiaries of what they went through last year,” he added.

Time to Tackle

One of the things representative of bad defense that Bengals need to eliminate is poor tackling, something that was arguably the biggest issue the last two years.

To remedy that, the Bengals are planning to hold multiple live tackling drills in each of their next three practices, a noticeable pivot from past camps when there might have been one live period – if that – for the entire camp.

Golden said the Bengals will have live tackling periods on Thursday after the Wednesday off day, then again during the Friday night practice inside Paycor Stadium. Then another one Sunday after the Saturday off day.

Add us as a preferred source on Google