The Bengals were quick to act following the conclusion of the draft, snagging up 14 undrafted free agents. Austin McNamara is probably the biggest name of the bunch, though Cole Burgess also had some fans during the pre draft process. In any event, with a punter topping the crop of UDFA’s, it goes without saying that they didn’t land the highest priority free agents. Still, you often see guys come out of nowhere to make a name for themselves. In this article, I will dive into each UDFA that the Bengals signed. As well, there were a handful of late round picks that I did not get a chance to watch or include in my pre-draft scouting reports. I will also discuss what they may bring to the table.
CB, Josh Newton (5th Round)
5’11”, 190 lbs
Newton has some scrappiness to him, and enough size to not get pushed around. He is at his best playing press coverage, where his physicality is able to disrupt the routes of his opponent. I also like the willingness that he shows in run support. Overall, he is a strong tackler.
Athleticism is where Newton falls short. His backpedal is choppy and speed will expose him, opening up some deep shots for the opposing offense. He’ll likely be exclusively a slot guy at the next level, and new teammate Mike Hilton is someone that he could model his game after.
Newton’s upside doesn’t seem to be too high, but with development, he has the chance to be a solid depth player and special teamer.
DE, Cedric Johnson (6th Round)
6’3”, 260
Johnson has a good build, and the athleticism to pair with it, which makes him a worthwhile developmental prospect. He gets around the edge with good speed, and has enough bend to turn the corner. I like his tenacity as a pass rusher, and he does well to convert speed to power. Against the run, he seems to be a reliable tackler, making sure to wrap up and secure his target.
Technique is where he falls short as a pass rusher. You don’t often see rush moves or counters, as he usually relies on his physical traits to get to the QB. This will be a problem if it continues in the NFL. He will need to diversify his attack and improve his hand usage. Johnson is a good tackler, can sometimes leave a lot to be desired against the run, as he can have some difficulty getting off blocks. You don’t always see the same kind of strength in this phase that he shows as a pass rusher.
The traits are there, and Johnson could provide some snaps as a situational pass rusher. However, it seems like he’ll need some time before we start to see what the ceiling may look like.ike.
S, Daijahn Anthony (7th Round)
6’0”, 195 lbs
Anthony is a versatile safety who also brings some size to the secondary. He has experience playing up high and manned up in the slot. As well, Anthony has played closer towards the line of scrimmage, and has the demeanour to lay some solid hits. He is willing to help in the run game, and his skill set should make him an option on special teams.
Unfortunately, he isn’t the best athlete you’ll see, and teams can sometimes take advantage of a mismatch. His backpedal is clunky, and he can be very slow to flip his hips. This leaves him vulnerable to speed over the top, and he has been beaten. Anthony could also stand to improve his angles when defending the run, which could yield more consistency.
I’m not super high on the upside here, overall. Athletic limitations will make it tough for him. Versatility seems to be his calling card, which isn’t necessarily bad for a depth guy who will be battling for his spot. But a backup/depth guy seems to be the ceiling.
C, Matt Lee (7th Round)
6’4”, 301 lbs
Lee isn’t the biggest guy for an offensive lineman, but is stronger than his size would suggest. He is consistently able to anchor in pass protection, and his ability to use leverage and strength to open up running lanes does not go unnoticed. Lee’s low centre of gravity and generally clean technique is what allows him to win with leverage, even in some unfavourable matchups. Strong hands and powerful jabs help, as well. I also liked what I saw from him athletically. He is quick enough laterally, and has the speed to block in space. Lee is a smart player with an aggressive mindset. He’ll finish off blocks, and then look for work.
Lee didn’t let his size cause too many issues for him in college, and he played against some good competition. However, you still have to be cautious, given the jump in talent he’ll be facing at the NFL level. Having him pack on more muscle will still be a plan for the Bengals. I don’t mind what he brings athletically, but there are instances where maybe his footwork could be a bit cleaner when he is redirecting. Arm length seems to be his biggest issue. He did a good job of mitigating it in college, but he’ll have to continue to overcome some negative matchups in the NFL
Overall, Lee is someone who has starter potential. I didn’t scout or grade him prior to the draft, hence why I’m talking about him in the UDFA article. Based on his tape, I believe a 4th or even 3rd round pick could have been justified. The Bengals are in a good spot with Karras as the starter, which will allow Lee to sit and develop behind the scenes. Not a guaranteed prospect by any means, but the upside is there. And if he doesn’t end up starting one day, he could certainly offer valuable depth.
WR, Cole Burgess
6’0”, 200 lbs
Okay. Now we are onto the UDFA’s. Burgess is a quick, shifty receiver, who has inside/outside versatility. His speed is solid, but his quick feet have allowed him to create separation on a variety of different routes, all over the field. Burgess has reliable hands and can make catches away from his frame, whether low, high, or to the side. His versatility on offense (outside, slot, gadget) is something coaches will like, and his experience returning kicks could be big for him, as well.
Burgess isn’t small, but isn’t big either. Physicality can sometimes be a disruption for him, whether he is fighting it at the line, or at the catch point. I’d like to see him get stronger. Quickness is his calling card, but his short steps may be creating an illusion of more than he actually has. And I don’t say that with an implication that he isn’t quick. But cutting out inefficient movement could help him reach another level. Burgess is on the older side for a prospect, and his route running is still very raw. Raw and overage are never a good combination. Also, the fact that he was playing way down in a lower tier of college football means that he will be facing a huge adjustment in the NFL.
I like the quickness and overall athleticism that Burgess brings to the table. His lack of physicality to me makes him project best in the slot, but his experience playing all round is still good. The tools are intriguing, and if he never starts, he could contribute some as a gadget guy or returner. However, his unrefined route running, older age for a prospect, and lack of experience against better competition all make it tough to project him as more than that.
DE, Justin Blazek
6’3”, 252 lbs
Blazek was an OLB in college, serving as a stand up rusher while also dropping into coverage on occasion. It is a nod to his athleticism, which was visible on tape. As a pass rusher, he bursts off the edge and can beat tackles around the corner with speed. His high motor is a desirable quality, and was equally responsible for a lot of the plays he was able to make. Blazek Will chase down ball carriers from behind, and does not give up when in pursuit.
While Blazek is a good athlete, I don’t see him spending much time in coverage at the NFL level. That being said, we have seen less athletic players, like Cam Sample and Khalid Kareem, occasionally drop into coverage for the Bengals, so who knows. Regardless of that, size will be the big issue for him. He feasted on lesser competition at a smaller school, but will face significantly tougher challenges at the NFL level. He is more likely to be engulfed by some of the bigger OT’s in the league. Further, he won’t be able to rely exclusively on physical traits to win, and will need to incorporate more technique.
Blazek has athleticism that will have him a chance at success. However, his size and lack of refinement will pose challenges. I’d expect more issues against the run, and more inconsistencies as a pass rusher will show if he doesn’t make the necessary adjustments for this level. Even if all goes well, his ceiling projects as a situational pass rusher, with a full time position being a long shot.
LB, Aaron Casey
6’1”, 231 lbs
Casey was used in a variety of ways, but was easily at his best when shooting inside gaps to stop the run. His burst in these short areas is pretty good, and boy is he a thumper. Casey routinely stonewalls opponents at the line of scrimmage, and his hunter-like mentality helps him enter the backfield quite a bit, as well. This mentality also makes him an option to play on special teams.
While Casey was used in different situations, his skill set is actually quite limited. When deployed in zone coverage, confusion would set in, often leaving him out of position. And although he played in man coverage a fair bit, I don’t think he has the athleticism for it. Or zone, for that matter. His limited athleticism exposes him to outside runs. Worsening things is his tendency to take poor angles to the ball. Missed tackles happen too frequently, especially given the strong suits of his game.
If Casey is to make it in the NFL, his ceiling projects as a 2 down thumper. I don’t think he has the athleticism to cover, or be too effective stopping outside runs. Despite these kinds of limitations, similar players have carved out roles as depth guys/special teamers in the past. Perhaps Casey can do the same. But I don’t see much more.
P, Austin McNamara
6’4”, 204 lbs
McNamara has a strong leg, showcasing the ability to get distance on his punts and flip the field. Closer to midfield, he is generally good when it comes to placing shorter kicks and pinning teams deep. His kicks have a good amount of backspin in these situations, helping to prevent a touchback. Overall, his kicking motion and technique is very clean, and he gets his punts off quickly.
I don’t have too many issues with his game. The main thing with McNamara is the odd time where he will outkick his coverage.
McNamara possesses the tools and ability to be a team’s punter on day 1. He has some things to clean up a little, but I like both his floor and ceiling.
CB, Lance Robinson
5’10, 185 lbs
Robinson has decent enough athleticism to make it, but I wouldn’t say he is a high end athlete. Where he does stand out is his mental game. Robinson can read routes nicely, joining the receiver at the break and almost running the rest of the route for them. He has been able to snag some interceptions and breakup passes.
Robinson played a lot in off coverage, and a lot of the time, seemed to give too much cushion. There were times where he allowed the receiver to make catches too easily. Perhaps he didn’t trust his athleticism, and judging from his tape, I don’t know if he has the speed to blanked faster receivers. Tackling was a big problem. His form is terrible, and he missed more than he made in my exposures. I also didn’t think he showed much enthusiasm in run support.
Robinson has shown some flashes, and his instincts in coverage are something to work with. However, his shortcomings as a tackler and run defender will hurt his chances if they continue. As well, coverages outside of off-man may put him outside his comfort zone.
OT, Eric Miller
6’8”, 311
Miller is a towering OT. Though he doesn’t have the most mass for a guy his height, strength doesn’t seem to be an issue on tape. He generally handles power moves pretty well, and his hands are strong enough to disrupt his opponent. Miller uses his long reach to tilt leverage battles in his favour. He can pave open lanes in the run game, sustaining his block long enough for the RB to get through.
Though he is on the light side for his size, Miller still isn’t a great athlete. Especially laterally, where he can be a bit sluggish. Speed around the edge gives him the most problems. While he did seem to improve last season, he has generally allowed a lot of pressure. In the run game, he is capable of blocking in space, but to me he looked a lot better closer to home.
Miller has some likeable traits and is a worthwhile project as an undrafted free agent. He is a bit limited athletically. However, his long reach is a nice advantage to have. As well, it is encouraging that he is as strong as he is, despite his frame not being totally filled out. This suggests that there could be some additional upside. He may take some time on the practice squad, but Miller could one day find his way onto the roster if his development can keep progressing.
WR, Tre Mosley
6’1”, 196 lbs
Mosley played 5 years in college, entering with plenty of experience. He uses some deception as a route runner, and his quickness seems to be a bit underrated at times. Mosley has some build up speed that is noticeable in some instances. He does well to find soft spots in zone coverage, and can pick up some yards after the catch.
He has his good moments, but I don’t know if his athleticism is anything better than average. There are a lot of times where he struggles to separate against man coverage, with the CB being able to blanket him. For a 5th year guy, his production was low.
Mosley has a few flashes on tape that might point to some potential. But his trouble separating and limited production don’t project favourably to the NFL. He’ll be battling for a practice squad spot.
LB, Maema Njongmeta
6’0”, 229 lbs
Njongmeta plays an old school brand of football. He likes to get downhill fast and make plays on the ball carrier. There are some flashy plays in between the tackles on tape. And his instincts look good, allowing him to make it to his intended spot a tad earlier than he otherwise would.
The mentality is good, but Njongmeta is lacking when it comes to physical traits. He is a sluggish athlete, which leaves him exposed in coverage, both zone and man. As well, even despite his good instincts, he is late getting to where he needs to on outside runs. His lack of size further hurts his play, as he can sometimes have a tough time getting off blocks. Missed tackles due to bad length also were present on tape.
Overall, Njongmeta has the instincts and mentality that you like. Maybe he can make it as a two down thumper, but his lack of size will make it tough. His athletic shortcomings almost completely rule out any other kind of role, so he will likely have to scratch and claw in any hopes of cracking the roster, even as a special teamer.
RB, Noah Cain
5’11”, 220 lbs
Cain is a well built, powerful runner. You can see the toughness on every carry. He keeps his feet moving through contact, making him tough to bring down, and the willingness is there to lower his shoulder and force his way forward for extra yards. Cain is an effective short yardage back, with good vision between the tackles, in addition to his power. His hands are soft enough to make contributions in the quick passing game.
Cain plays a powerful game, but lacks high end athletic traits to make him a viable option outside of short yardage situations. The majority of his runs were perfectly north/south between the tackles, and even when he broke into the backfield, he rarely tried to make cuts or bounce things outside. With this in mind, I don’t see his skill set translating too much as a pass catcher, even if he did display soft hands.
The Bengals seem to like their blue collar RB’s, so you probably can’t count him out. But the absolute ceiling here seems to be a Samaje Petrine type, and even that will be a tough bar to reach. Cain’s athletic limitations likely prevent him from securing a top 2-3 spot on a depth chart at any point, but if a team sees enough value in his short yardage abilities, he could carve out a career as a RB3-4 who sees some situational snaps.
S, PJ Jules
6’0”, 203 lbs
Jules played primarily as a box S and slot CB in college. He is a scrappy player, and his aggressiveness in pursuit of the ball carrier is appreciated. Jules is generally a pretty solid tackler, often making sure to wrap up. He will sometimes also deliver a punishing blow by lowering the shoulder. His short area burst is good enough to play shallow zone, and he can get down in time to make a play on the ball.
Jules is limited athletically, and probably won’t see time as a single high in the NFL. He is capable in coverage, whether zone or man, but certain matchups will have him best often for big gains. In order to maximize his chances, Jules will have to improve his instincts and awareness in coverage. He sometimes gets caught watching the QB, and will have his man get by him.
At the NFL level, Jules has a chance to catch on as a special teamer. It is possible he makes it as a depth safety as well, but his athletic limitations will make it challenging. He will have to iron out some mental aspects of his game, continue to impress as a tackler, and most importantly, show that he can hold his own in coverage.
S, Michael Dowell
6’0”, 217 lbs
Dowell has a solid build, which suits his downhill style. He was used primarily as a box S/nickel hybrid, which meant that he also saw a lot of action manned up in the slot. His tackling is what I like best about his game. This not only helps him in run support, but makes him a viable option on special teams. The experience in coverage demonstrates some added versatility, and his physicality can have some effectiveness in shallower concepts.
I wouldn’t say he stands out in any way athletically. In fact, there seems to be some limitations. Especially when it comes to lateral movement, slick receivers can get him all mixed up, and he doesn’t have the movement skills to keep up with them and shadow their routes.
Although he saw his fair share of snaps in coverage, I’m weary about the upside in this area, due to athletic limitations. Tackling and special teams will probably need to be where he makes his money at the next level.
RB, Elijah Collins
6’0”, 212 lbs
Collins has a sturdy build, and his value in pass protection was evident in my exposures. He is able to take on blitzing LB’s and keep his QB clean. The awareness also seems to be there. As a runner, he plays with plenty of power, and can drag people forward for some extra yards.
I don’t see much to like when it comes to athleticism. Collins is a linear runner with not a lot of shiftiness. You won’t see him make too many people miss. Breakaway speed is also something he does not possess, and NFL defenders shouldn’t have a problem tracking him down if he makes it into the open field. Outside of pass protection, I wouldn’t expect much production in the passing game.
Overall, Collins doesn’t seem to have a ton of upside as a runner or pass catcher. He is a limited athlete, whose production instead will be as a result of the power that he brings. Perhaps he could carve out a situational role as a short yardage back, or find some extra snaps because of his pass protection. However, those uses alone might not be enough to justify a roster spot in the first place.
QB, Rocky Lombardi
6’3”, 223 lbs
Lombardi brings size, athleticism, and a touch as nails style of play. He can escape pressure and carry the ball, before lowering his shoulder and absorbing contact. Designed runs were present in his tape. I wouldn’t say he is overly agile (good enough for his size), but his speed is good. Lombardi has a strong arm and can make throws to various levels of the field. He has enough zip to make tight window passes.
Lombardi is an overage prospect who still has a ways to go in his development. Accuracy was off and on. There were some wide open misses on tape. As well, decision making could be a bit better. There were occasions where he tried to fit the ball into windows that were nonexistent.
The combination of overaged and developmental does not often bode well for a prospect’s chances. That said, Lombardi has likeable traits. The arm strength is there, as well as size and athleticism. If he can put it all together, there is a chance he can outperform his status as an undrafted free agent.
TE, Cam Grandy
6’4”, 255 lbs
Grandy is an in-line TE who put some good reps on tape as a blocker. His technique, both as a pass and run blocker, is already quite good. Further, he has the build to handle stronger opponents, and should be able to continue improving as he adds more strength. Grandy has reliable hands to make underneath catches. In contested situations, he showed good awareness in regards to body positioning and leverage, which helped him win some battles.
Athleticism is what will hold him back as a pass catcher. Despite having some skill as a pass catcher, I just don’t see him separating at all in the NFL. And contested situations will be a lot harder for him than they were previously as a small school college TE.
Grandy will have to make it as a blocking TE in order to stick around in the NFL. He has reliable hands and can take what the defence gives him, but he isn’t a threat down the field. He has the potential to carve out a place as a depth role player, but his limited skill set will make it tough if he is competing against other players with a more rounded game.
