When Germaine Pratt left in free agency, the Bengals didn’t rush to replace him with a proven veteran. Instead, they took Demetrius Knight with the 49th pick—a 25-year-old linebacker with a winding football past. Knight started his college career as a quarterback at Georgia Tech before moving to defense, transferring to Charlotte, and eventually South Carolina. That background shows up in the way he talks about the game and the way he’s already started to fit in. “They’re a team that’s hungry,” Knight said recently. “Glass-half-full mentality—that idea reigns supreme here.”

Cincinnati seems to think Knight can start right away. Zac Taylor called him “a mature leader” and said the coaching staff had an “extremely high opinion” of him going into the draft. That’s been backed up by how they’ve used him early—James Rapien reported that Knight is expected to push Oren Burks for the starting job next to Logan Wilson. The message from the building has been consistent: he’ll have to earn it, but the team wouldn’t have taken him at 49 if they didn’t think he could play right away

While talking on the ‘Locked In Bengals’ podcast, Rapien said, “I think that the Bengals like what Oren Burk brings, but clearly they felt like they needed to add a starting linebacker in the draft. And that’s why they took Demetrius Knight where they did, they believe he’s going to be a plug-and-play starter. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to earn it, and publicly, they’re going to say that’s a competition going into camp. I don’t think they’re handing him a job, but you talk to people around the team, and he’s handled everything well he’s practiced well and the belief the feeling is that 44 is going to start and that feeling has really started the moment he was the 49th overall pick in the draft”

Knight has given his admirers and NFL veterans all the reasons to get behind his hype. Against Clemson in 2024, Knight posted 82 tackles, 8 TFL, 3 forced fumbles, 2 sacks, and a clutch interception. He earned a career-best 82.5 PFF grade and drew comparisons to the versatile Germaine Pratt, further establishing him as a good replacement after his exit.

Furthermore, Rapien believes that being one of the oldest picks in the draft this season, Knight has the maturity and the composure to start right away, “This is someone you’re drafting to play right away, and you think he’s mature enough on and off the field, you think he’s physically ready to go, mentally ready to go, so all signs are pointing to that being the case. I think he still needs to cement that, and that means playing well in training camp and in the preseason. There’s going to be lumps and bumps and things that he has to learn on the fly, but at this point, I would be pretty shocked if your two starting linebackers aren’t Logan Wilson and Demetrius Knight Jr.”

Transitioned from QB at Georgia Tech to linebacker, later playing at Charlotte (96 tackles, 3 INTs in 2023) and South Carolina, Knight’s entry in Cincinnati comes at a time of unmistakable scrutiny. After missing the playoffs again, the Bengals’ core is aging, and their window for a Super Bowl is narrowing. Can Knight fuel the Bengals into the playoffs this season? 

With all eyes on the evolving and improving situation of the Bengals’ starting role dilemma, it’s impossible to ignore the context shaping this moment: Zac Taylor’s tenure now hinges on immediate results. One analyst has laid out doom for Taylor’s future in Cincinnati if he fails to achieve significant success for another season. After missing the playoffs again last season, a dark cloud of uncertainty is looming over Taylor’s head.

Zac Taylor’s 2025 has to be his best, or it could be his last for the Bengals

Following two straight 9–8 finishes and back-to-back playoff misses, Zac Taylor’s time with the Bengals is under a huge threat. Signings made this season are not just flashy efforts or basic improvements; they have been called to prove that the Bengals’ success isn’t only personal, it’s part of a broader solution for Cincinnati’s persistent defensive issues and Taylor’s “prove-it” 2025 mandate.

Pro Football Focus analyst Bradley Locker has officially listed Taylor among the NFL’s coaches on the hot seat. Despite having a juggernaut offense, their defense sputtered in 2024, ranking 28th in success rate, while the team stumbled out of the gate with a 1–4 start. Locker said, “The Bengals went 9-8 in 2024, a record many teams would have loved to have reached. But considering the talent on the roster and a waning championship window, it feels like a prove-it year for Taylor.”

Locker laid out the threat for Taylor, “The Bengals’ core isn’t getting any younger or cheaper, and key pieces, such as Hendrickson, may not have much time left in Cincinnati. After two straight 9-8 finishes, it feels like Taylor will need to at least make the playoffs this year to retain his job.” And the Bengals’ head coach, it seems, is aware of the situation too. Taylor has restructured his coaching staff: hiring a new defensive coordinator and offensive line coach to address sluggish starts and weak O-line performance. But can his defense yield the perfect results?