Last season, the Cincinnati Bengals' rushing defense was anything but stout. The AFC North side allowed an astoundingly bad 147.1 rushing yards per game , numbers that planted the Bengals at the bottom of the NFL.  Through this first wave of the offseason, improving the defense as a whole has been a priority. The Bengals have added the likes of Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, Kyle Dugger, Bryan Cook, and Ja’Sir Taylor.  All of this was before the bombshell trade for Dexter Lawrence II , a player who was touted as the league’s 17th-best player heading into last season .  Combine that with Cincinnati drafting Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell with the 41st pick in this year’s NFL Draft, and you can begin to find comfort in an improved defense ahead of next season.  “He Is A Violent Player”  Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Cashius Howell (9) tackles Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) during the game between the Aggies and the…