The Bengals have concluded both training camp and the preseason, and are now shifting focus. The new season is right around the corner, but before that, each team has until tomorrow to trim the roster down to 53 players. The Bengals have gotten a head start already, by releasing 11 players the other day. Here, I take a stab at the rest of it.
QB (2):
9. Joe Burrow
6. Jake Browning
Burrow is the starter, Browning the backup. The status of Browning for the season opener is a bit up in the air. He still has a couple of weeks to get healthy, but if he is not, Logan Woodside likely fills in. That could be via a practice squad elevation, or they could choose to include Woodside on the initial roster, and cut him when Browning returns.
RB (3):
31. Zack Moss
30. Chase Brown
32. Trayveon Williams
Moss and Brown will form the top two. We didn’t get to see Moss in the preseason, but I still think he is the opening day starter, with Brown operating as the passing back. Williams makes it as the RB3 in this scenario. Things will get interesting if the Broncos cut Samaje Perine. Do the Bengals bring him back? And if so, does it push Williams out, or do they keep 4.
WR (6):
1. Ja’Marr Chase
5. Tee Higgins
81. Jermaine Burton
80. Andrei Iosivas
16. Trenton Irwin
15. Charlie Jones
Not a lot going on at the WR position. There were battles for depth positions, but not really for roster spots this year. The top 6 were pretty much set in stone. There is a slight chance they keep 7, as they have in the past. Kendric Pryor or Shedrick Jackson, maybe? Practice squad seems most likely for them, however.
TE (5):
88. Mike Gesicki
89. Drew Sample
87. Tanner Hudson
83. Erick All
84. Tanner McLachlan
TE is an interesting one this year. Gesicki was a higher profile signing, Hudson performed well last season, Sample is the blocking TE, while All and McLachlan are two high upside rookies. With Hudson nearing 30, maybe he is a trade candidate. But I wouldn’t really like to cut him, even though 5 TE’s isn’t ideal numerically.
OT(4):
75. Orlando Brown
77. Trent Brown
71. Amarius Mims
60. Jaxson Kirkland
The top 3 are locked in at the tackle position. Jackson Carman was cut, and D’Ante Smith is on IR. Jaxson Kirkland, meanwhile, has earned this spot, based on the current roster makeup. It is possible, however, that the Bengals make an addition via the waiver wire. But regardless, I do think Kirkland deserves a roster spot.
G (3):
65. Alex Cappa
67. Cordell Volson
61. Cody Ford
Cappa and Volson are the starters. Ford isn’t the most ideal backup, but is the best of the bunch. Perhaps a waiver wire addition will be made.
C (2):
64. Ted Karras
62. Matt Lee
Karras remains the starter, and one of the team’s biggest leaders. Lee was battling Trey Hill for the backup C job, and dominated that battle. No doubt, he has won this position. A 7th round steal for the Bengals.
DE (5):
91. Trey Hendrickson
94. Sam Hubbard
99. Myles Murphy
58. Joseph Ossai
52. Cedric Johnson
Hendrickson and Hubbard will continue to start, while Murphy should be the next guy after them. He will miss some time to start the season, but I don’t see him starting on IR. He’ll be on the roster. Ossai has been solid in the preseason, and a step forward from him would be nice. Johnson rounds out the group. This last spot would have been a tough decision, had Cam Sample been healthy. But with Sample on IR, it becomes pretty cut and dry.
DT (5):
98. Sheldon Rankins
92. BJ Hill
90. Kris Jenkins
68. McKinnley Jackson
97. Jay Tufele
Rankins and Hill are the top two players for the Bengals at DT. Both play primarily 3T, so it will be interesting to see how the snaps are split. Jenkins and Jackson make the team as rookie, and can hopefully help the run defence and pass rush in rotational roles. Tufele is someone who is on the bubble. I think he squeaks in, given the team’s lack of depth here. Maybe someone like Zach Carter gets in instead, for his draft pedigree, but Tufele has looked the best out of the remaining DT’s.
LB (5):
55. Logan Wilson
57. Germaine Pratt
59. Akeem Davis-Gaither
49. Joe Bachie
50. Shaka Heyward
The top 3 were all locked into roster spots, while Bachie was pretty close to that as well. My assumption is that the Bengals will keep 5 LB’s. If that is the case, the last spot comes down to Heyward and Njongmeta. Both had good preseasons, but Heyward is a much better athlete and can contribute in coverage, which gives him the edge. Njongmeta is instinctive and a very good run defender between the tackles, but his subpar athleticism puts a big cap on his upside. Still, I’d like to keep him on the practice squad.
CB (6):
29. Cam Taylor-Britt
23. Daxton Hill
21. Mike Hilton
20. DJ Turner
35. Jalen Davis
28. Josh Newton
Things at CB are also pretty straightforward. There was a battle for CB2 between Hill and Turner, one which Hill seems to have come out of on top. But both were always going to make the team, as well as Taylor-Britt as the CB1 and Hilton in the slot. Jalen Davis had another solid preseason, and is reliable depth in the slot. Newton had some ups and downs, but showed some great flashes throughout camp. If Ivey was healthy, he might have challenged for the last spot, but he remains on the PUP list, as of the writing of this article.
S (4):
22. Geno Stone
24. Vonn Bell
27. Jordan Battle
33. Daijahn Anthony
Stone and Bell are the two starters, and I do expect Battle to rotate in quite a bit. Anthony was making plays in camp, so I think he makes it as the fourth guy. I do believe they still like Tycen Anderson, but the numbers game will make it hard for them to keep five. I have him on the practice squad.
Special Teams (3):
2. Evan McPherson (K)
8. Ryan Rehkow (P)
48. Cal Adomitis (LS)
McPherson and domitis are locks. Rehkow makes it due to Robbins’ injury. He had some ups and downs, but is a talented punter, and I think it is worth going through the growing pains to develop him. Robbins isn’t out long term so he doesn’t end up on the injured list. I kept him on the practice squad as a fall back option in case Rehkow significantly struggles.
PUP (1):
38. DJ Ivey (CB)
IR (3):
25. Chris Evans (RB)
70. D’Ante Smith (OT)
96. Cam Sample (DE)
Practice Squad (16):
11. Logan Woodside (QB)
34. Elijah Collins (RB)
19. Kendric Pryor (WR)
12. Shedrick Jackson (WR)
76. Devin Cochran (OT)
74. Eric Miller (OT)
66. Nate Gilliam (C)
51. Justin Blazek (DE)
73. Carlos Davis (DT)
72. Domenique Davis (DT)
45. Maema Njongmeta (LB)
56. Devin Harper (LB)
41. Nate Brooks (CB)
37. PJ Jules (S)
26. Tycen Anderson (S)
10. Brad Robbins (P)
Cut (6):
17. Cole Burgess (WR)
85. Cam Grandy (TE)
63. Trey Hill (C)
95. Zach Carter (DT)
53. Travis Bell (DT)
39. Lance Robinson (CB)
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