Cincinnati Bengals 2022 Position Overview: Special Teams
Players:
2. Evan McPherson (K)
10. Kevin Huber (P)
4. Drue Chrisman (P)
46. Clark Harris (LS)
48. Cal Adomitis (LS)
The Bengals, over the past decade or so, have been pretty well set when it comes to special teamers. This is especially true for the punter and long snapper positions, as Kevin Huber and Clark Harris have each been with the team for over 10 years. However, with those guys ageing, and new faces being brought in, we might see more competition at those spots than we are used to.
Kicker is the simplest position to go through when analysing the Bengals special teams unit. Evan McPherson is the only kicker on the roster, and will obviously be the guy. Despite going into only his second season, McPherson is already budding into one of the best kickers in the game.
Punter has usually been straight forward in the same way, but not this year. Kevin Huber was re-signed to a 1 year contract, but that wasn’t done until after the draft. Darrin Simmons mentioned that Huber must continue to prove himself, after some downward stretches last year. Drue Chrisman, meanwhile, is going into his second year in the Bengals organisation. The Ohio State product has a booming leg. If he can show improvements in his directional punting, the Bengals may decide that it is time for Huber to pass the torch.
The long snapper position is in a similar boat to that of the punter position. Clark Harris is getting up there in age. As well, the Bengals signed Cal Adomitis as an undrafted free agent. This is significant because he was widely considered to be the best long snapper in the draft. However, unlike Huber, Harris has not yet shown any decline in his game. As a result, it should be tough to beat him out.
Both Chrisman and Adomitis have a shot at making a roster spot. However, should one or both of the veterans retain their starting positions, it is possible that the young guys still end up on the practice squad. That is, if the Bengals feel that they can potentially be the long term solution at each respective position.
