Over the next few days, the Bengals will be sorting out the team they plan to go into battle with to start the regular season, but also they are trying to predict which players will clear waivers and be possible practice squad signees and which guys might be available as possible additions for them through claims.
Injuries exposed some needs at defensive line, offensive line and running back.
Here’s a final 53-man roster prediction, as the Bengals prepare to make cuts (*-indicates players who were wavied Friday):
QUARTERBACK (2)
In: Joe Burrow, Jake Browning
Out: Logan Woodside, Rocky Lombardi*
Burrow made it through his first full training camp and looks ready to go Week 1, as Bengals coach Zac Taylor said the joint practice with the Colts on Tuesday was “one of his best of the year.” Browning finished camp sidelined by a rib injury, but it was not expected to be a long-term issue. Logan Woodside struggled to move the ball Thursday and is not a lock for a practice squad spot if the Bengals can explore options elsewhere.
RUNNING BACK (3)
In: Zack Moss, Chase Brown, Trayveon Williams
Injured reserve: Chris Evans
Out: Noah Cain*, Elijah Collins
The Bengals normally keep four running backs, but there is depth at other positions that would be more valuable to keep, and it’s possible the front office will be exploring outside options to add. Trayveon Williams, who has been a mainstay on special teams, surprisingly played the entire game Thursday while most experienced backups were either limited or did not play at all. For some reason, that wasn’t the case for Williams, but Taylor only shared that he “deserved the opportunity.”
WIDE RECEIVER (6)
In: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Trenton Irwin, Charlie Jones, Jermaine Burton
Out: Cole Burgess, Hakeem Butler*, Shedrick Jackson, Kwamie Lassiter II*, Kendric Pryor
Iosivas seems to have earned the WR3 spot vacated by Tyler Boyd’s departure, but otherwise, the group that entered camp as the projected six wideouts for the roster remains unchanged. Burton is clearly a talented prospect for this team but hasn’t earned the trust of the staff or Burrow quite yet. He’s got time to prove himself still but won’t have a big role right away. Chase didn’t participate in a single practice and is still on contract extension watch.
TIGHT END (4)
In: Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson, Erick All
Out: Tanner McLachlan, Cam Grandy
All, the Fairfield High School product, came back from his 2023 knee injury in a strong way this summer and has shown plenty of glimpses into why experts have suggested he could end up being the most complete tight end on this roster. Fellow rookie McLachlan could still be a prospect for the future but seems destined for the practice squad, if the Bengals are able to tuck him there. Cincinnati already knows what it has in Sample and Hudson, and Gesicki is looking like the impact player that was missing here last year.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9)
In: LT Orlando Brown Jr., LG Cordell Volson, C Ted Karras, RG Alex Cappa, RT Trent Brown, OT Amarius Mims, G/T Cody Ford, C Matt Lee, G/T Jaxson Kirkland
Injured reserve: D’Ante Smith
Out: Jackson Carman*, Devin Cochran, Trey Hill, Nate Gilliam, Eric Miller*
Mims’ pectoral muscle strain means Trent Brown holds the starting job at right tackle for now, but the depth behind him is a concern. Ford and Kirkland did well against Chicago’s starting defense but struggled against the Colts’ starters. Neither went into camp as projected backups at tackle (Ford is more of a guard, Kirkland is flexible but started further down the depth chart) but emerged as the best options and their flexibility makes them valuable. Lee, the rookie seventh-round pick, seems to have beaten out Hill as the backup center. Taylor said earlier this year it’s not as necessary to keep so many offensive linemen as it was in the past because of game-day elevations allowed from the practice squad, so it seems likely the Bengals bring Hill back to the practice squad instead.
DEFENSIVE LINE (11)
In: DE Sam Hubbard, DT Sheldon Rankins, DT B.J. Hill, DE Trey Hendrickson, DT Zach Carter, DT Kris Jenkins, DE Myles Murphy, DE Joseph Ossai, DE Cedric Johnson, DT Jay Tufele, DT McKinnley Jackson
Injured reserve: DE Cam Sample
Out: Travis Bell, Justin Blazek, Domenique Davis, Devonnsha Maxwell, Josh Pryor*, Andre Carter*, Carlos Davis, Jeff Gunter (retired)
Murphy’s strained knee puts his status in the air to open the season, but Taylor said he’s “week to week.” That injury and the loss of Cam Sample opened the door for Johnson, a sixth-round draft pick, to earn a spot, and he seemed to take advantage of the opportunity. Tufele could be the one left out if the Bengals want to take a chance on Carlos Davis, who flashed at times this preseason but didn’t play football last year.
LINEBACKER (5)
In: Germaine Pratt, Logan Wilson, Joe Bachie, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Maema Njongmeta
Out: Aaron Casey*, Shaka Heyward, Devin Harper
The top four linebackers were always clear, but Njongmeta emerged as the strongest option for that fifth spot after a standout preseason. The undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin is a ball hawk and exciting playmaker. He recorded nine tackles Thursday, and he added two on special teams, which is the area that he needed to improve the most. That likely will have the most impact on whether he makes the team over a guy like Harper, who is the most experienced of the group.
DEFENSIVE BACK (10)
In: SS Vonn Bell, CB Cam Taylor-Britt, NCB Mike Hilton, FS Geno Stone, CB Dax Hill, S Tycen Anderson, S Jordan Battle, CB Josh Newton, CB DJ Turner, S Daijahn Anthony
Reserve/PUP: DJ Ivey
Out: Michael Dowell*, Allan George*, P.J. Jules, Lance Robinson, Jalen Davis, Nate Brooks
Dax Hill seems to have won the starting cornerback spot opposite Taylor-Britt, but DJ Turner and Josh Newton will still play roles. Battle showed big progress in camp but will back up the veteran Bell, and the Bengals can feel much better about the depth at safety going into this season. Anthony, the seventh-round pick out of Ole Miss, had an impressive camp and could even be a starter in the Bengals’ dime package if the preseason opener against Tampa Bay was an indication of the kind of role he could have.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3)
In: K Evan McPherson, P Brad Robbins, LS Cal Adomitis
Out: Ryan Rehkow (punter)
Rehkow demonstrated a strong leg but couldn’t get the consistency down to push Robbins out of his job, even while Robbins was sidelined by a hip flexor issue. The 2023 draft pick will have to show continued improvement this season but has the job for now.
About the Author