Bengals Roster Breakdown: WR
Players:
1. Ja’Marr Chase
85. Tee Higgins
83. Tyler Boyd
15. Charlie Jones
80. Andrei Iosivas
16. Trenton Irwin
11. Trent Taylor
17. Stanley Morgan
18. Kwamie Lassiter
14. Mac Hippenhammer
12. Shedrick Jackson
88. Malachi Carter
On opening day, the Bengals WR unit should look a little different than it did last year, given the two draft picks used at the position. Still, the top remains the same, with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins starting on the boundary. The only question is if we will see Higgins extended this summer.
Tyler Boyd’s future with the Bengals beyond 2023 is in question, given his contract status, but barring an uncharacteristic trade by the Bengals, he remains penciled into his spot in the slot. Rookie Charlie Jones, meanwhile, seems to have been drafted as his eventual replacement. For this year, Jones is likely backing up Boyd, and is probably battling to be the primary backup for the two boundary spots as well.
Fellow rookie Andrei Iosivas will also look to be challenging for one of the backup positions on the boundary. He is a size/speed prospect, but his ability to move up the depth chart will depend on how far along he is when it comes to the technical and mental parts of his game. The preseason will be big for him to earn the trust of his coaches.
With the rookies injected into the roster, veterans like Trenton Irwin, Trent Taylor, and Stanley Morgan have somewhat been forgotten about. At this point, you have to figure that Jones and Iosivas are roster locks. Depending on if the Bengals keep 6 or 7 WR’s, these guys are likely fighting for one or two spots.
The battle between Irwin, Taylor, and Morgan will be an interesting one, as each brings different things to the table. I’m looking at Irwin as being the leader going in, as he saw a decent amount of playing time towards the end of last season, and his production wasn’t bad for a depth guy. Taylor is solid in the slot, but his main value has been as a returner. If Jones pushes him out of that role, Taylor might be on the outside looking in. As for Morgan, it may be “now or never” time for him to show something as a receiver, as his special teams ability might not be enough on its own anymore.
Not to be forgotten, Kwamie Lassiter quietly had a solid preseason last year. If there are a couple of open spots at the end of a roster, a big preseason could give him a shot to snatch one up. But he’s a longer shot, going in. He is someone I would expect back on the practice squad, barring a great preseason that leads to a roster spot, or a terrible one that leads to his release.
The rookie undrafted free agents round out the list. I have learned to never completely count anyone out when it comes to roster battles. But they will be in for a tough one. Most likely, they are battling it out for a potential practice squad spot. Hippenhammer is my favourite, based on college tape. He is on the smaller side, but plays with a lot of compete. He also has the quickness to be effective out of the slot and on jet sweeps. Jackson has blazing speed, but is raw. If he can take steps forward technically, he has a shot. Carter, meanwhile, isn’t a great athlete. His bid for a spot will rely on his ability to use his size to win through the air.
Modified Featured Image Via: Alexander Jonesi (CC)