Bengals Roster Breakdown: LB
Players:
55. Logan Wilson
57. Germaine Pratt
59. Akeem Davis-Gaither
51. Markus Bailey
49. Joe Bachie
47. Keandre Jones
50. Shaka Heyward
49. Tyler Murray
44. Jaylen Moody
WR and DE are a couple of the deeper position groups for the Bengals that I have looked at so far, but LB is right up there with them. In addition to the high end starting lineup and quality depth that the Bengals already had, they managed to quietly add some UDFA’s that each have potential to rise up well above what you would expect from someone who went undrafted.
Starting at the top of the lineup, Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt will continue on as the starters. Wilson has worn the defensive headset for a while now, and his play in the middle has been, and will continue to be a big part of the defence. Pratt Has quietly developed into an elite coverage LB, while also using his size and speed to defend the run. He has somewhat gotten lost under Wilson’s shadow, but he is just as important, which led to 5e Bengals re-signing him this past March.
Akeem Davis-Gaithers slots in as the 3rd guy. In limited playing time, he has shown flashes in coverage, while also improving his play against the run. He should see a few rotational snaps on defence, while playing extensively on special teams. I would also expect him to be first off the bench in case of injury.
Markus Bailey is next up on the depth chart. He isn’t the athlete that Davis-Gaither is, but he is smart and can put in solid work against the run. Bailey has also developed into one of the better special teamers on the Bengals. He should be locked into his depth/special teams role once again.
Joe Bachie should be the favourite for the 5th spot, as he has been solid in limited relief duty, and is a good special teamer. Beyond this is where things really get interesting. I think Keandre Jones begins camp in the 6th spot as the veteran. But he hasn’t really stood out during his tenure with the Bengals thus far, and will need to elevate his game in order to fend off the three rookies that were brought in.
Of the three UDFA signings, Shaka Heyward looks to be the one with the best shot of cracking the roster. His instincts will need a lot of development, but he has the physical talent of a day 2 pick. If he can improve his ability to read plays, Hayward has a shot to make it.
Tyler Murray also brings some athleticism and coverage talent to the table. However, his lack of length and ability to finish plays hurt him in college. Even with the limitations, there is enough talent for him to potentially stick around in some capacity — most likely on the practice squad. His best shot might be proving that he has the potential to play in sub packages, unless his tackling can become more consistent.
Jaylen Moody rounds out the LB unit. For an undrafted free agent, he is actually a pretty solid signing. He brings intelligence to the table, can tackle and play the run, and do some stuff in shallow zone. However, his modest athleticism means that while he is capable in most areas, there isn’t a lot of room for his game to grow. Moody should be a good special teamer, which will help his case. But the decision for the Bengals may come down to whether they prefer the high ceiling of someone like Heyward, the athleticism of Murray, or someone like Moody, who might have a safer floor, but a lower ceiling.
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