Bengals Sign Ja’Sir Taylor: Indicating Urgent Need for Early Draft CB
The Cincinnati Bengals have added former New York Jet Ja’Sir Taylor to their cornerback rotation. The move brings depth to a secondary that still figures to seek help in the draft.
Taylor’s background and playing history
Taylor entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022. He has played in 65 of a possible 68 games and made 12 starts.
The Chargers traded him to the Jets at last season’s deadline. The return was a 2028 seventh-round pick.
Taylor is a Wake Forest product who turned 27 in January. His career totals include 65 tackles, 15 passes defended and one interception. He has significant special teams experience, logging 1,163 snaps on those units.
Snap distribution by season
Taylor’s heaviest defensive workload came in 2023, when he played 532 defensive snaps. That season featured 436 snaps in the slot.
In 2025 he logged 137 defensive snaps, including 41 in the slot and 72 as an outside corner. His special teams duties have covered kick coverage, kick return, punt coverage and punt return.
Roster implications for Cincinnati
The Bengals had not added a corner in free agency before this signing. Jalen Davis is listed as the veteran nickel corner on the current depth chart.
Dax Hill and DJ Turner II remain the projected starting outside corners. Both players are eligible for contract extensions this offseason.
The addition of Taylor provides competition at nickel. It does not remove the club’s urgency to add a corner early in the draft. Bengals sign Ja’Sir Taylor highlights an urgent need for an early draft CB, which could factor into first-round planning.
Front-office and coaching comments
At the NFL League Meetings in Phoenix, team representatives discussed the cornerback plan. They described ongoing evaluation of veterans and draft options over the coming weeks.
Taylor said the current corner room already has meaningful experience. He noted that moving players, like Dax Hill, inside could be a consideration if the club drafts a top corner.
Special teams context
Cincinnati lost Tycen Anderson to Denver in free agency. Anderson’s departure left a gap on special teams the team must fill.
Taylor’s long history on special teams addresses part of that need. His experience should help in kick and punt units immediately.
Filmogaz.com will continue tracking roster moves and draft implications as the Bengals prepare for the upcoming draft. Expect more evaluation and potential early-round attention at cornerback.
