If DJ Turner II’s 2025 season was his breakout, Joe Burrow has some bad news for the rest of the NFL: Turner might be even better now.
The Cincinnati Bengals cornerback emerged as one of the bright spots of the defense last season, but his performance in training camp has caught the attention of the two players who are in perhaps the best position to judge just how difficult Turner has become to play against: Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase.
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And Burrow sees a different player.
“Obviously, he was really good last year, but he’s taken it to a new level,” Burrow said. “He’s motivated. To see the steps he’s taken, just to see the dedication to his craft, the levels that he’s grown over the last several years, it’s fun to be a part of.”
The former Michigan standout played in all 17 games last year, starting 16, and finished with 40 total tackles, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. His 18 passes defensed tied for third in the NFL and were the most by a Bengals defender since 2009.
But maybe the most encouraging part of Turner’s development isn’t showing up on a stat sheet. Chase sees it in his confidence.
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“DJ’s been playing pretty good in camp,” Chase said. “He’s been playing a little different. His style of play has changed a little bit, and so has his confidence. He’s embracing more of his style.”
There has never been a question about Turner’s physical ability. Cincinnati selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft after he turned heads at the NFL Combine with a blazing 4.26-second 40-yard dash. Speed alone, however, doesn’t make an elite NFL cornerback.
Turner’s first two seasons included the growing pains that come with playing one of football’s most unforgiving positions. His second season also ended prematurely when a fractured collarbone cost him the final six games.
Then came 2025. Turner didn’t simply return from the injury. He established himself as Cincinnati’s top cover corner and routinely drew assignments against opposing teams’ best receivers.
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Every day in practice, Turner gets the opportunity to test himself against one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks and arguably its best wide receiver. If Burrow believes Turner has taken his game “to a new level,” and Chase sees a more confident cornerback embracing his own style, those are endorsements worth paying attention to.
