Training camp and the preseason have concluded. Before we begin thinking about the regular season, the 53 man roster and practice squad must be constructed. The Bengals have until the Tuesday deadline to make their roster cuts. I will take a crack at predicting who makes the roster and practice squad.
QB (2):
9. Joe Burrow
6. Jake Browning
Burrow is the starter, that goes without saying. The backup situation is a bit middier. Browning seems to have beaten out Siemian, and is the choice if it is between those two. However, an outside addition is possible. If that happens, Browning goes to the practice squad. Should Browning make the roster, I don’t see them keeping Siemian on the practice squad. An outside addition is likely in this scenario.
RB (3):
28. Joe Mixon
25. Chris Evans
30. Chase Brown
Mixon is the clear starter here. In my opinion, Evans earned the 3rd down role with his strong performances in the preseason, especially as a pass blocker. He has also performed well in limited regular season snaps over the past couple of years and looks like the best player after Mixon. Brown had a solid preseason, but I don’t think it was enough to earn the number 2 spot. Based on his heavy workload late into the preseason, it seems that the third spot is as high as he can go for now. Trayveon Williams was injured early in camp, and unfortunately unable to play in the preseason. He might make the roster, as the staff does like him a lot. However, keeping 4 RB’s isn’t the best asset management, so I put Williams on the practice squad.
WR (6):
1. Ja’Marr Chase
85. Tee Higgins
83. Tyler Boyd
16. Trenton Irwin
80. Andrei Iosivas
15. Charlie Jones
Entering the offseason, Chase, Higgins, and Boyd were locks, while Iosivas and Jones were pretty close to being locks. Those remain locked in. Irwin I think did have to earn his spot on the roster, and it seems as though he did that, and more. Irwin will be the WR4, it looks like. Stanley Morgan got some consideration for his special teams ability, but with the emergence of other players in that role, combined with Morgan’s lack of ability as a receiver, I think this is the time he gets cut. Jackson was the clear choice for a spot on the practice squad. The Bengals do often keep multiple receivers on the practice squad, and it came down to Kwamie Lassiter and Malachi Carter for that spot. It could go either way, but for me, Carter’s performance in the preseason finale gives him the edge. Lassiter has flashed here and there, but I’m not sure it was enough.
TE (4):
81. Irv Smith
89. Drew Sample
87. Tanner Hudson
84. Mitchell Wilcox
Smith is locked in as the starter. Sample likely makes it as well, given that he is the team’s best blocking TE. Beyond that, it was a wide open competition entering the offseason. Tanner Hudson made the most of his opportunities in camp and the preseason. He makes it as the TE3. Wilcox was the 53rd player I added onto the roster. He squeaks in for his special teams ability. As well, for a TE4, he is solid enough both as a blocker and receiver.
OT (5):
75. Orlando Brown
73. Jonah Williams
79. Jackson Carman
70. D’Ante Smith
77. Hakeem Adeniji
Orlando Brown was given a big contract this offseason to be the LT. Jonah Williams slid over to the right side and had to “compete” for the starting spot, though that might have been one of the looser uses of the word when it comes to these camp battles. He was always the likely starter, and that is now officially the case. As far as the depth options go, the order on the depth chart can be debated, but I think Carman, Smith, and Adeniji all make it. Carman and Smith both have had ups and downs, but have shown enough flashes to be kept around in depth positions. Adeniji isn’t quite as flashy, but has been a relatively decent backup over the past couple of years. All are best on the outside, but have experience playing G as well. Given the scarcity of OL depth, it is hard to see them being cut, though a trade is possible, should the right offer come along. La’el Collins, meanwhile, is stuck on the PUP list for the time being. When he is activated, I’d expect him to be the primary backup at RT. Cody Ford didn’t perform well in the preseason, but with Devin Cochran on IR, I kept him on the practice squad. However, it is possible we see a new face at the position land on the practice squad.
G (3):
65. Alex Cappa
67. Cordell Volson
74. Max Scharping
Cappa is locked in as the starting RG, and Volson will start at LG. Scharping has been the best of the interior depth and should be first off the bench at both G positions. Further, he has gotten a lot of work at C this offseason, and very well could be first off the bench at that position. That is the assumption I made in these predictions. Nate Gilliam had a solid preseason. I kept him on the practice squad.
C (1):
64. Ted Karras
Carrying on from what was mentioned above, it seems as though Scharping has a good chance to be the backup C. With that being the assumption, Ted Karras is the only true C on the roster. Ben Brown makes the practice squad, and Trey Hill is cut after a rough preseason.
DE (6):
91. Trey Hendrickson
94. Sam Hubbard
58. Joseph Ossai
96. Cam Sample
99. Myles Murphy
56. Raymond Johnson
Entering the offseason, there were 4 locks at the DE position, them being Hendrickson, Hubbard, Ossai, and Murphy. Sample, meanwhile, was unlikely to miss out. I think in most cases, the roster would have already been settled in this situation. As I mentioned in my DE breakdown earlier this offseason, the numbers game made it tough for the other players competing in the offseason. However, Raymond Johnson put up a very strong performance in the preseason opener. He did it again in week 2, and then again in the finale. I think he has forced his way onto the roster, meaning that I had to keep 6 DE’s, something I wouldn’t normally do. Owen Carney also had a strong preseason. I think he earned a place on the practice squad. I also found just enough room for Jeffrey Gunter on the practice squad.
DT (5):
92. BJ Hill
98. DJ Reader
95. Zach Carter
68. Josh Tupou
97. Jay Tufele
Hill is the starting 3T, while Reader is one of the top NT’s in the game. They are locked into their spots. Carter had a strong preseason and may see an increase in snaps this year. Tupou is the backup to Reader, and should make the team. Tufele, meanwhile, has a lot of potential as a pass rusher, and has also shown flashes as a run defender. It would be a mistake to let him go. After a solid preseason, Domenique Davis is kept around on the practice squad.
LB (5):
55. Logan Wilson
57. Germaine Pratt
59. Akeem Davis-Gaither
51. Markus Bailey
49. Joe Bachie
Not a lot going on at this position. Wilson and Pratt are the starters, while Davis-Gaither will play in sub packages, and is the primary backup. Bailey and Bachie will back up as well, but their main role will come on special teams. Shaka Heyward is someone who has potential. I had him on the roster in my early predictions back in May, but have left him off after a quiet preseason. For the upside, I still kept him on the practice squad. Tyler Murray also has some upside, so I kept him as well. That said, it could be Keandre Jones who makes it instead.
CB (6):
22. Chidobe Awuzie
29. Cam Taylor-Britt
21. Mike Hilton
20. DJ Turner
35. Jalen Davis
38. DJ Ivey
Awuzie got in some practices last week, and is progressing nicely in his recovery from a torn ACL. It looks like he will be ready to go for week 1, and will start on the boundary if that is the case. Taylor-Britt is the starter opposite Awuzie, while Hilton will start in the slot. Jalen Davis will back up Hilton in the slot. Turner makes it as the team’s 2nd round pick. He could be the primary backup for both boundary positions. Ivey makes the team as the final CB. There were some ups and downs, but the flashes were enough for me. He beats out Sidney Jones and Allan George. George sticks around on the practice squad.
S (4):
23. Daxton Hill
33. Nick Scott
26. Tycen Anderson
27. Jordan Battle
Hill is locked in as the starting FS, and has some high expectations as the Jessie Bates replacement. Scott might have been battling with Jordan Battle for the SS position, but with Battle having some growing pains, Scott wins by default. Anderson, meanwhile, was fighting for a roster spot with Michael Thomas, entering the offseason. He blew up in the preseason opener, and seems to have a spot locked up. Thomas is still a valuable guy to have in the room. I kept the veteran on the practice squad. I also thought Larry Brooks was quietly pretty solid as a tackler and in run support. Decided to keep him on the practice squad too.
Special Teams (3):
2. Evan McPherson (K)
10. Brad Robbins (P)
48. Cal Adomitis (LS)
McPherson and Adomitis were the only ones on the roster at their respective positions. They are locked in. Robbins had to battle Chrisman, but as a recent draft pick, it was always unlikely that he would lose that battle. His hang time was as advertised. Chrisman may stick around on the practice squad. I left him out, though. I saw more value in keeping an extra player at another position.
PUP (1):
71. La’el Collins (OT)
IR (2):
76. Devin Cochran (OT)
69. Devonnsha Maxwell (DT)
Practice Squad (16):
–. Player TBD (QB)
32. Trayveon Williams (RB)
12. Shedrick Jackson (WR)
88. Malachi Carter (WR)
86. Devin Asiasi (TE)
61. Cody Ford (OT)
66. Nate Gilliam (G)
62. Ben Brown (C)
72. Domenique Davis (DT)
90. Owen Carney (DE)
93. Jeffrey Gunter (DE)
50. Shaka Heyward (LB)
45. Tyler Murray (LB)
42. Allan George (CB)
31. Michael Thomas (S)
40. Larry Brooks (S)
Cut (19):
19. Trevor Siemian (QB)
7. Reid Sinnett (QB)
34. Jacob Saylors (RB)
36. Calvin Tyler (RB)
18. Kwamie Lassiter (WR)
11. Trent Taylor (WR)
17. Stanley Morgan (WR)
14. Mac Hippenhammer (WR)
82. Nick Bowers (TE)
85. Christian Trahan (TE)
63. Trey Hill (C)
53. Tautala Pesefea (DT)
47. Keandre Jones (LB)
44. Jaylen Moody (LB)
24. Sidney Jones (CB)
39. Marvell Tell (CB)
37. Yusuf Corker (S)
4. Drue Chrisman (P)
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