Bengals Roster Breakdown: DT
Players:
92. BJ Hill
98. DJ Reader
97. Jay Tufele
68. Josh Tupou
95. Zach Carter
72. Domenique Davis
69. Devonnsha Maxwell
53. Tautala Pesefea
The Bengals return mostly the same DT unit from last year, but with the addition of a couple of UDFA signings. The iDL played the run well last year, but the coaching staff will be hoping for a bit more effectiveness from this unit when it comes to rushing the passer.
BJ Hill is penciled in as the starting 3T. It is him in particular who will need to step it up as a pass rusher this year. While he is solid all around, his play as a pass rusher seemed to be better in 2021, when rotating with Larry Ogunjobi, who is a bit more dynamic in this regard. If Hill can get back to that form, increased disruption from the interior, along with the threats coming off both edges will lead to a lot of pressure, and help a secondary that has gotten quite a bit younger this year.
DJ Reader will start next to Hill in the NT position. He won’t be relied on too much for pass rush productivity. Instead, his role is to stop the run. Reader has been among the league’s elites in this role, and will be one of the most important pieces of the Bengals defence this year.
The camp battles begin after Reader and Hill, and they really seem to be wide open. Jay Tufele was a waiver claim last year, and really started to come into his own. He was a highly rated prospect not long ago, and another leap forward could earn him a big chunk of the rotational snaps.
Josh Tupou is one of those guys who you always seem to forget about, but then he quietly does his job when called upon. He is a NT, like Reader, and I think there is a good chance that he makes it again as Reader’s direct backup, unless his play really drops off, or one of the rookie UDFA’s are able to step up and claim a spot.
Zach Carter is entering his second year after a relatively quiet rookie year. I wouldn’t consider him a roster lock, but the former 3rd rounder does seem like a good bet to make it, if anything else, just based on the draft capital they used on him. After showing a few flashes as a pass rusher, it would be nice to see him take the next step forward, and play with a bit more consistency. There are snaps up for grabs, and showing in the preseason that he can be relied on will help earn him more regular season snaps.
The Bengals signed Domenique Davis last year, following a stint in the USFL. He spent most of last year on the practice squad, after a solid preseason. However, he did manage to get into a couple of games as a call-up, making 2 total tackles. With the back-end depth the Bengals have at the position, a roster spot will be tough. But Davis should be in the mix for a practice squad spot once again.
Down to the UDFA’s now, Deveonnsha Maxwell was a productive pass rusher in college. Though quite undersized by NFL standards, his technique is advanced for a rookie. He will need to use that to his advantage in order to challenge for a spot. You never want to completely count out these rookies, and with a great showing, he does have an outside shot at making the roster. Given his potential, the practice squad is very much in play if he can’t crack the 53.
Tautala Pesefea rounds out the group. Like Maxwell, he is a rookie UDFA. Pesefea is a big space eating NT, but based on college tape, may lack the strength and athleticism to become more than a depth player at the position. With Reader locked in, and Tupou possessing a pretty solid hold of his own as a NT, it will be tougher for Pesefea to climb the depth chart. But if he can get stronger and improve his technique, he may have a shot.
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