The Bengals continue the busy start to their week with some additional transactions after yesterday’s. WR Trenton Irwin has been signed off the practice squad to the active roster, and OT Isaiah Prince has been waived. Additionally, DE Khalid Kareem has been poached off of the Bengals practice squad by the Indianapolis Colts.
In recent weeks, Mike Thomas has fallen down the depth chart, and this led to him being waived yesterday. Meanwhile, Irwin’s good performance on Sunday against the Steelers has earned him a promotion from the practice squad to the roster. In that game, he went for 42 yards and his first career TD. Impressive for him, considering he had 41 yards on the season, entering Sunday’s game.
Prince was activated off IR yesterday, but the Bengals decided to waive him to make room for Irwin on the roster. The fact that the Bengals chose to activate him before waiving him shows that they intend on keeping him on the practice squad. Had they not activated him, the other alternative would have been to release him with an injury settlement. Doing so would have prohibited them from bringing him back.
Kareem, meanwhile, has been a solid depth piece for the Bengals, but unfortunately has been stuck on the practice squad this year. With the Colts offering a roster spot, it doesn’t come as a surprise to see him accept it. The Bengals could have blocked this from going through by signing Kareem to their roster. However, that would have meant cutting someone else loose.
The Bengals now have two open spots on the practice squad. Assuming they both clear waivers, the expectation is that Mike Thomas (WR) and Isaiah Prince will fill those spots.
