Training camp and the preseason have now concluded, with many roster battles having taken place over the last month or so. Cutdown day is on Tuesday, and the Bengals will be finalizing their decisions over the next day. I made some early predictions at the beginning of last month, and I will now take one last crack at predicting the 53 man roster and practice squad. Of course, potential waiver claims and other signings (hopefully Dalton Rosner) could factor into how the roster ends up taking shape. But for the exercise here, I will only be including players who are currently on the offseason 90 man roster.
QB (2):
9. Joe Burrow
6. Jake Browning
Needless to say, Burrow is the starter. After Browning’s poor performance in the preseason opener, there was some fan chatter that Desmond Ridder might challenge him for the number 2 spot. However, I don’t think that was something the Bengals were ever considering. Browning will retain his job as the backup.
RB (3):
30. Chase Brown
34. Samaje Perine
25. Tahj Brooks
Brown enters the season as the bellcow. It is expected that he’ll be a big contributor, both in the run game and as a pass catcher. I’d expect Perine to get some work in the passing game as well, but Brooks could challenge him for snaps at some point. Both should end up on the roster, regardless of who comes out ahead on the depth chart.
WR (6):
1. Ja’Marr Chase
5. Tee Higgins
80. Andrei Iosivas
81. Jermaine Burton
82. Mitchell Tinsley
15. Charlie Jones
Chase, Higgins, and Iosivas are all locks. Injuries ruined Burton’s camp, but the effort seems to have been better this offseason. He is talented, so I’d be surprised if they let him go. Tinsley burst onto the scene during the preseason. He was on the bubble entering the offseason, but earned his spot on the team. Jones, meanwhile, also had a solid offseason, and can contribute in the return game. I considered Isaiah Williams for a potential 7th spot, but decided to use the spot on another position, with Williams being retained on the practice squad.
TE (4):
88. Mike Gesicki
89. Drew Sample
86. Noah Fant
87. Tanner Hudson
I don’t think there is too much to debate here. Gesicki is mainly a weapon in the passing game, often being split out into the slot, while Sample is the blocker. Fant’s ability to make plays in space will also be utilized. Hudson, I suppose, could be debated, but he had a good preseason, and the team seems to like him. He is reliable enough as a pass catcher, and I think he will still have a small role. I’d be surprised if he is cut.
OT (4):
75. Orlando Brown
71. Amarius Mims
76. Devin Cochran
79. Andrew Coker
Brown and Mims are the starters at LT and RT, respectively. Cochran got a spot start last year and was half decent after some early struggles. He also has desirable traits, which give him a chance to stick around on the roster. Coker, meanwhile, deserves to make it, in my opinion, based on his play in the preseason. Somewhat came out of nowhere, but I was happy with his consistency, and don’t mind him as a back-end depth guy.
G (4):
63. Dylan Fairchild
62. Lucas Patrick
61. Cody Ford
74. Jalen Rivers
I was skeptical of how ready Fairchild would be as a rookie, but he more than earned his spot. He came in and looked like a much improved player from the one he was at Georgia. Patrick may lose his spot if the Bengals sign Dalton Risner, but for now, he seems to be the default RG. Rivers could eventually push for it. His reps at G during the preseason were good. However, it is hard to see the Bengals starting two rookies at G. Ford is the other G on the roster, but his versatility is why he is here. He potentially could be first off the bench at G or OT. With Rivers showing promise and the potential of signing/claim at G, this isn’t a given, however. But I do think he is the definite first off the bench at OT.
C (2):
64. Ted Karras
65. Matt Lee
Not much to see here. Karras is locked into his starting spot for the Bengals. Lee was always expected to be the backup, but his lack of reps due to injury left some wondering if Seth McLaughlin might swoop in and take the job. But Lee was able to return for the third preseason game, and put those questions to rest. He could be a starter at some point in the more distant future.
DE (5):
91. Trey Hendrickson
58. Joseph Ossai
99. Myles Murphy
97. Shemar Stewart
51. Isaiah Thomas
The contract dispute with Hendrickson is ongoing, as of the writing of this article. But he will be on the roster, unless a surprise trade takes place. Ossai and Murphy will be in the mix for snaps at DE, and I could see these two continuing to battle for playing time as the season progresses. Both will be on the roster. Stewart will also be on the roster, as a rookie 1st round pick, and should have a rotational role. Thomas isn’t someone I had making the roster in my early roster predictions last month. However, he was very disruptive during the preseason, especially as a pass rusher. I see more upside in keeping him than someone like Cam Sample. That being said, I do think the Bengals are higher on Sample than I am, so he is in play to grab that spot.
DT (5):
92. BJ Hill
98. TJ Slaton
90. Kris Jenkins
93. McKinnley Jackson
70. Taven Bryan
Hill and Slaton are the starters, while Jenkins and Jackson will both be heavily involved in the rotation. Bryan was a late signing, but impressed in the preseason with his ability to rush the passer. I think he earned his place. I also considered Howard Cross III for a spot here, but unfortunately, the numbers couldn’t quite be crunched enough for me to find room, so I stashed him on the practice squad.
LB (5):
55. Logan Wilson
42. Oren Burks
44. Demetrius Knight
49. Barrett Carter
50. Shaka Heyward
I went with 5 LB’s on the roster, and the top 4 should be locks. Wilson wears the headset on defence. Burks is a veteran who may end up starting. Knight and Carter, meanwhile, were high draft picks. They will make it. I suspect that Heyward, Njongmeta, and Giles-Harris were competing for a final spot. It is tough because they all bring something different to the table. In the end, I went with Heyward. I think he moves well and shows the most upside in coverage and against the run. He can also contribute against the run.
CB (6):
29. Cam Taylor-Britt
23. Daxton Hill
20. DJ Turner
28. Josh Newton
24. Marco Wilson
38. DJ Ivey
Taylor-Britt and Hill are both locks to start. I’d have Turner as the CB3 over Newton, but either way, both are roster locks. The last couple of spots at the position were up for grabs. Wilson made a few solid plays, and I think it was enough to land him a spot. Ivey was up and down a bit, but has athletic upside. This helps his cause, but I also think Jalen Davis’s struggles helped him too.
S (4):
22. Geno Stone
27. Jordan Battle
26. Tycen Anderson
33. Daijahn Anthony
This is a thin position. If things stay the same, Stone and Battle are the starters. Anderson and Anthony can play on special teams, and mix into a defensive rotation. However, I’m not sure I’d trust either to start. The Bengals might be looking at a potential waiver claim.
Special Teams (3):
2. Evan McPherson (K)
8. Ryan Rehkow (P)
48. Cal Adomitis (LS)
There were no battles at K and P. McPherson and Rehkow will take the spots again for the Bengals. There was a competition at LS, but it always felt like the job was for Adomitis to lose, and the only way Wagner could get in was through a mad mistake by Adomitis. I think they stick with the status quo here.
Practice Squad (16):
4. Desmond Ridder (QB)
36. Kendall Milton (RB)
18. Isaiah Williams (WR)
19. Kendric Pryor (WR)
84. Tanner McLachlan (TE)
85. Cam Grandy (TE)
77. Caleb Etienne (OT)
60. Jaxson Kirkland (G)
68. Seth McLaughlin (C)
96. Cam Sample (DE)
95. Howard Cross III (DT)
45. Maema Njongmeta (LB)
53. Joe Giles-Harris (LB)
21. Bralyn Lux (CB)
35. Jalen Davis (CB)
37. PJ Jules (S)
IR (1):
67. Cordell Volson (G)
PUP (1):
83. Erick All (TE)
Cut (19):
10. Payton Thorne (QB)
32. Gary Brightwell (RB)
40. Quali Conley (RB)
17. Cole Burgess (WR)
16. Jamoi Mayes (WR)
12. Rashod Owens (WR)
14. Jordan Moore (WR)
73. Andrew Stueber (OT)
66. Andrew Raym (C)
52. Cedric Johnson (DE)
56. Raymond Johnson (DE)
94. Eric Gregory (DT)
72. McTelvin Agim (DT)
59. Craig Young (LB)
39. Lance Robinson (CB)
41. Nate Brooks (CB)
47. Shaquan Loyal (S)
43. Jaylen Key (S)
46. William Wagner (LS)
