The Cincinnati Bengals announced they released defensive tackle Mike Pennel. Pennel had 15 tackles in the eight games in which he played for Cincinnati. The Bengals also placed linebacker Shaka Heyward and center Matt Lee on the reserve/injured list.

The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off a disastrous, 39-38 loss to the previously winless New York Jets, in which they blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter. It wasn't the first time this defense has hurt the Bengals (3-5), which is why they are taking extra measures to right the ship.

Here are the 5 worst Pro Football Focus grades from the Jets defense 39-38 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8.

This is a small rookie class for the Bengals, but an important one with a lot of upside. While some of the rookies are starting to show their potential, others have been stagnant in their development.

The Cincinnati Bengals defense went young. Two rookie linebackers and a rookie edge rusher, all starting. A cast of unproven recent NFL Draft picks across the defensive line. Even the secondary, experienced by comparison, still has four starters on rookie deals.

It’s worth debating whether the Cincinnati Bengals should actually green-light Joe Burrow’s return from injury later this season, provided he’s ready to go. The Bengals, defensively, are a disaster, with Al Golden’s unit the culprit behind a stunning loss to the formerly winless New York Jets.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was looking for some leadership on the defensive side of the ball in the wake of Sunday's 39-38 loss to the Jets and players responded to that on Monday.

The Bengals rank last in the NFL in scoring defense and total defense. Many of the rest of their numbers don't look much better.

Selected by the Saints with the 61st overall pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Bell made a splash in the AFC North as one of the Bengals' top safeties from 2020 to 2022 — before ultimately signing with the Carolina Panthers the following offseason.

How to watch Sunday's Bears and Bengals game with streaming and radio information as well as the latest betting lines and trends.