Bengals' Secondary Battle Heats Up Between Davis and Taylor

Cornerback Ja'Sir Taylor signed with Cincinnati, setting up a competition with incumbent Jalen Davis for the starting nickelback role.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:53am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a football defensive play, with the players and field rendered in sharp, overlapping geometric planes of Bengals orange, black, and white colors, capturing the dynamic competition for the nickelback role.A cubist interpretation of the battle for the Bengals' nickelback position, with the defensive backfield broken down into dynamic, geometric shapes.Inglewood Today

The Cincinnati Bengals have undergone a defensive overhaul this offseason, adding several new starters including cornerback Ja'Sir Taylor. Taylor, a former Chargers and Giants player, is expected to compete with incumbent Jalen Davis for the starting nickelback job. Bengals writer Geoff Hobson believes it will be 'quite a battle' between the two as Davis looks to hold onto the job he won last season, while Taylor aims to earn a starting role.

Why it matters

The Bengals' secondary was a weakness in 2025, ranking 7th-worst in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game. The battle between Davis and Taylor represents an opportunity for Cincinnati to upgrade this unit and find the right combination of cornerbacks to improve their pass defense.

The details

Taylor, a fifth-year pro, is coming off a 2025 season split between the Chargers and Giants where he earned a 41.1 overall PFF grade. Over his career, he has 97 tackles, 15 passes defended and no interceptions in 65 games. Davis, a 7-year Bengals veteran, had a 65.5 PFF grade in 2025 and has 47 tackles, 3 passes defended and 3 forced fumbles in his career. Hobson believes the competition will be fierce as Davis looks to hold onto the job he just won, while Taylor aims to earn a starting role.

  • The Bengals' 2026 season kicks off in September.

The players

Ja'Sir Taylor

A fifth-year cornerback who has played for the Chargers and Giants, and is now signed with the Bengals to compete for the starting nickelback job.

Jalen Davis

A 7-year veteran cornerback who started for the Bengals in 2025 and is looking to hold onto his job in the face of competition from Taylor.

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What they’re saying

“I think it's a competition. I think they're going at it. I think Jasir is coming in here to win a job.”

— Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com writer

“Jalen [Davis] just won a job for the first time, battling the classic underdog story. So he's not gonna give that up easy. I mean, he [Jasir] thinks he can be the starter. So, that's gonna be quite a battle.”

— Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com writer

What’s next

The Bengals will continue to monitor the competition between Davis and Taylor throughout the offseason and into training camp, with the goal of finding the right combination of cornerbacks to improve their pass defense.

The takeaway

The battle between Davis and Taylor represents an important opportunity for the Bengals to upgrade their secondary and find the right pieces to shore up a weakness in their defense. The competition between the two players will be fierce as they vie for the starting nickelback job.