The book isn’t closed yet on Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. Not in the slightest.
The two backers have each played only one season in the NFL. While their play last year may make it easy to give up on them, I’m here to tell you that I will not be.
Carter and Knight playing well will make the 2026 Bengals that much better. You obviously want to see players do well if you’re a Bengals fan.
Germaine Pratt was questionable with his performance as a rookie in 2019, and he eventually became a fan favorite from that point on. The same can happen for Carter and Knight.
“There’s a ton of talk, but we don’t (listen) to it because it can be hit or miss.” Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. on the clamoring for the Bengals to get more linebacker help, either in free agency or the draft. pic.twitter.com/8Y4PHo0rDc
The Bengals sent a clear message to both Carter and Knight by not taking a linebacker in this weekend’s NFL Draft. If anything, it’s a message of confidence.
“It definitely speaks volumes that they trust us, and they’re trying to see the vision with us,” Carter said to reporters on Monday. “I’m happy about that, but we’re confident if they brought in 10 linebackers. We’re confident if they didn’t bring in a linebacker. We’re just ready to keep going to work and keep building this foundation so that we’re playing next February.”
Next February, a.k.a. Super Bowl LXI. Carter saying that could be a reflection of Dexter Lawrence coming in and resetting the standards on both defense and the overall organization.
“I believe it shows a level of trust,” Knight said. “But it also kicks us in the rear a little more knowing they trust us going into Year 2.”
It’s a trust fostered by defensive coordinator Al Golden, head coach Zac Taylor, and director of player personnel Duke Tobin. All three of them have confidence in Carter and Knight, which is why they didn’t go in a different direction at linebacker in the NFL Draft.
“I have real belief in the (linebackers) that we have,” Tobin told reporters on Monday. “They have full seasons under their belt. They have really good production for rookies, and they’re going to grow in our scheme, and they’re going to be really good players, and I think we have depth behind them.”