The Bengals offseason roster is just about set for camp with 89/90 roster spots filled. However, with a number of solid free agents remaining on the market, looking into some of them, whether for depth, or more, would not be a bad idea. Especially as they look to perfect their roster and make another run towards a Super Bowl. These are some of the remaining free agents that may fit with the Bengals in some capacity.
G, Dalton Risner
Risner hasn’t been a star, per se, but has been a reliable starter since being drafted in the 2nd round by the Broncos in 2019. The Bengals offensive line is certainly in a better place these days, and 2022 4th rounder Cordell Volson was solid as a rookie starter at LG. That said, adding competition should help elevate the performance of everyone involved. Even if he doesn’t win the competition, Risner would be a huge boost to the G depth, which currently has Max Scharping listed as the primary backup.
DT, Ndamukong Suh
BJ Hill has been a solid player for the Bengals since they traded for him, but things looked better when he was rotating with Larry Ogunjobi. Last year, the Bengals were lacking in pressure from the interior. Suh isn’t the player he was in his prime, but can still get after the QB. A 1 year deal is likely what he will sign, which works with the Bengals plans — they’ll need money in upcoming years to keep several of their top players. Suh, at this point, might be chasing another ring, and the Bengals could use help at his position. A deal makes sense for both sides. Though, earlier on, he did state his lack of desire to participate in a training camp, so this signing would probably happen early in September, if it were to come to fruition.
TE, Cameron Brate
Irv Smith is penciled in as the starter at TE, but things are thin behind him. Drew Sample is mainly a blocker, and Asiasi has played sparingly in his career. Brate isn’t as dynamic as he once was, but would offer a bit more as a receiver in the TE2 position. The veteran did deal with head and neck injuries last season. Though he returned later on, there was then some retirement speculation early in this offseason. Since then, however, there has been no word on that. If interested in playing, a 1 year deal for Brate would make sense.
TE, Jalen Wydermyer
After going undrafted last year, Wydermyer spent time with the Bills, Patriots, and Colts, but failed to crack a 53 man roster. A poor combine performance is part of what tanked his draft stock, prior to the 2022 draft. While he hasn’t been able to catch on so far, Wydermyer has quite a bit of receiving talent, even if he might not be the best athlete. He showed the ability, in college, to make some tough grabs up high. With the Bengals lack of depth at TE, I wouldn’t mind giving him a shot in camp.
OT, Yodny Cajuste
Cajuste was a high upside player in the 2019 draft, but the eventual 3rd rounder had his first two seasons derailed by injuries. Over the last two years, he has been up and down in limited playing time, but the flashes are enough to be worth a look. Adeniji is a solid backup, even if not the most popular name, while Jackson Carman seems to have taken a step forward last year. Still, adding someone like Cajuste to the camp battle could be a good idea.
QB, Jacob Eason
Eason isn’t athletic, but has one of the strongest arms you’ll see. He showed a lot of potential in college, but has since bounced around the league quite a bit. The Bengals typically carry at least 4 QB’s in the offseason, but only have 3 at the moment. Eason is worth a look, at the very least, as a camp arm. He has his flaws, but if they are able to develop him, he has the upside to be better than your typical backup QB.
Modified Featured Via: Pete Sheffield (CC)