CINCINNATI \u2014\u00a0Potential Bengals draft target Caleb Downs reportedly has a torn meniscus he is dealing with ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft and a degenerative ACL.<\/p>\n
Cincinnati is picking 10th right in the range of Downs draft landing, but\u00a0Cory Kinnan noted<\/a>\u00a0the Ohio State product was flagged for the injury at last\u00a0week’s\u00a0NFL Combine.<\/p>\n “Ending on a bummer here, I was told by an NFC scout that Ohio State all-class safety Caleb Downs had a couple of issues flagged during his medical check,”\u00a0Kinnan wrote on Daft On Draft<\/a>.\u00a0“Nobody expected him to test this week anyway, so it flew a bit under the radar. However,\u00a0I was told\u00a0that Downs was flagged with a partially torn meniscus this week. That is not a serious concern, but also being flagged with a potentially degenerative ACL is.\u00a0Now, this is not to signify\u00a0any\u00a0sort of\u00a0significant drop for Downs, who\u00a0likely\u00a0will return and get a second opinion and a second check. Besides, plenty of NFL players have been flagged with degenerative knees before, but have gone on to have successful NFL careers.”<\/p>\n Downs is the consensus eighth-best player on the Mock Draft\u00a0Database’s\u00a0big board and the best safety overall.<\/p>\n He is the type of player who could change\u00a0Cincinnati’s\u00a0defense\u00a0even with\u00a0this injury, but it may hinder his long-term availability.\u00a0Director of player personnel Duke Tobin dove into the draft pool last week.<\/p>\n “Depends on who you are,”\u00a0Tobin said about the value of safeties in the top 10 picks.\u00a0“I can name difference makers at every position. If you can find a difference-maker, it\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0matter what the position is behind his name.\u00a0There\u2019s definitely been difference-making safeties. There have been difference-making guards.\u00a0The positions that\u00a0are typically undervalued\u00a0in free agency\u00a0or whatever,\u00a0there\u00a0have\u00a0been\u00a0difference makers.\u00a0And if you can find a difference maker that can elevate your football team, I think you do that.”<\/p>\n This medical flag adds another layer for Cincinnati to consider in the draft lead-up.\u00a0Check out the full article here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sign UP For Our DAILY Newsletter, accessing more free coverage of the Cincinnati Bengals, delivered to YOU directly<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more on the Bengals,\u00a0subscribe to our YouTube Channel<\/a>\u00a0and watch the video below as part of our in-depth coverage of the team. Prefer to listen? Check out\u00a0Cincinnati Bengals Talk on Apple,<\/a>\u00a0Spotify<\/a>, and\u00a0Amazon Podcasts<\/a>.<\/p>\n Make sure you\u00a0bookmark BengalsTalk.com\u00a0for the latest Bengals news<\/a>, exclusive interviews, insight, film breakdowns, and so much more!<\/p>\n Also, check out the podcast, Locked On Bengals, wherever you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n Apple:\u00a0bit.ly\/BengalsApple<\/a><\/p>\n Spotify:\u00a0bit.ly\/BengalsSpotify<\/a><\/p>\n YouTube:\u00a0bit.ly\/LOBengalsYouTube<\/a><\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n Follow us on X:\u00a0@BengalsTalkSI<\/a><\/p>\n