Bengals (2-0, Beat Lions 16-14, Beat Bears 27-9) at Eagles (0-2, Loss to Ravens 24-7, Loss to Patriots 24-21), Friday, Aug. 28 at Lincoln Financial Field 8 p.m. ET, CBS TV (National), WKRC-TV, Ch. 12 (Cincinnati), WHIO-TV, Ch. 7 Dayton: Andrew Catalon, Ross Tucker, AJ Ross. Radio: Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham, Tony Pike. 700 WLW-AM, WEBN-FM (102.7 FM), ESPN1530
PHILADELPHIA – Consider this the closing arguments portion of the trial for players trying to make their case to be on an NFL roster.
From Josh Newton battling Ja’Sir Taylor and Bralyn Lux in the secondary for a cornerback job, to Russ Yeast competing with PJ Jules and Daijahn Anthony at the safety position, to Javon Foster and Jalen Rivers trying to convince offensive line coach Scott Peters that they are worthy of that swing tackle/third tackle position, there are still decisions to be made.
It’s not just the Bengals’ 53-man roster at stake here, players in this game are playing to show they belong somewhere in the NFL, if not in Cincinnati then on another team if they are cut before Sunday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline. If they show enough in Philly and have shown potential in five weeks of camp, then the Bengals certainly would consider them for the 16-man practice squad, if they clear waivers after the cutdown.
Zac Taylor announced Monday that there would be no regulars playing in this final preseason exhibition in Philadelphia, as was the case last Saturday against the Bears. The next meaningful snaps for Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Chase Brown, Dexter Lawrence II, etc. will come in Week 1 against Tampa Bay.
Speaking of Chase, the Bengals certainly appeared to have dodged a major bullet on Tuesday when the star receiver walked off the field under his own power and sustained only a moderate hyperextension of his left knee on the second play of 11v11s in practice, going up in the air with DJ Turner for a long Burrow pass down the right sideline. Chase insisted after practice that if this were a regular season game, he’d be playing with no problems.
In addition to the starters, do not expect to see any of the draft picks playing deep into this game. If you don’t see Endries playing, it’s a pretty good indication he’s on the roster, though that would leave the Bengals with just two tight ends. The Bengals need some tight ends to get through the game, so you could see Endries, Cam Grandy and Josh Kattus in action. While Erick All Jr. could use more game reps, it’s unlikely they would want to expose him in a game like this. It just depends on how much they feel he needs the live action.
No two players have had better camps than receiver Dohnte Meyers and seventh round rookie defensive tackle Landon Robinson. Both are now considered virtual locks for the roster after what they’ve shown not just in the games but consistently through camp practices. Don’t expect to see either in the game.
Setting the scene: The Bengals wrap up the preseason the same way they opened the 2025 preseason – with a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday night. Cincinnati improved to 2-0 in the preseason with a 27-9 home win over Chicago last Saturday at Paycor. The victory was spearheaded by splash plays in all three phases, highlighting a complete effort that head coach Zac Taylor lauded in his postgame comments.
“I thought we played well,” Taylor said. “I thought we tackled well on defense and special teams. I thought on offense, we pass protected well, gave the quarterbacks a great chance to make good decisions and make plays in the pass game. On special teams, we really stepped up in all phases. I thought we got a chance to work on some stuff and guys really stepped up. It was good to see.”
The Bengals now look to carry the momentum over to Friday night in Philadelphia, where they have the chance to finish the preseason undefeated for the first time since 2006. The Eagles enter at 0-2 in the preseason, with road losses against Baltimore and New England.
While essentially all of the team’s projected offensive starters were rested for the game, several of the young players battling for spots on the 53-man roster showcased their skill set. Namely, Meyers continued his impressive training camp performance, as he finished with 138 all-purpose yards (41 receiving, nine rushing, 54 kickoff return, 34 punt return). Fellow rookie receiver Colbie Young, a fourth-round draft choice of the Bengals this past April, led the team with 48 receiving yards including a 17-yard TD catch to pull Cincinnati ahead in the second quarter. Young’s former teammate at the University of Georgia, Noah Thomas, also found the end zone with a 20-yard scoring reception early in the second half.
The offensive operation proved to be efficient throughout the game, as Cincinnati converted six of 13 third downs and scored TDs on two out of three red zone trips — all of which Taylor pointed to as driving forces in the outcome.
“All around, they did a good job,” said Taylor on the receiving corps against the Bears. “They made plays. The quarterbacks were decisive, made really good decisions. They were good with the operation, getting out of the huddle, utilizing the play clock, utilizing the different (calls) to get to our second plays.”
Defensively, the Bengals held Chicago to just two third-down conversions on 14 attempts. Rookie DT Landon Robinson, who Cincinnati drafted in the seventh round this year, collected 1.5 sacks in the second half to help spurn a comeback effort. Third-round draft pick Bobo Davis, a corner out of the University of Washington, who did not play in the preseason opener against Detroit due to an injury, led the Bengals with seven tackles.
On special teams, sixth-year Evan McPherson continued his brilliance in preseason play, as he knocked through both of his FG attempts including a 58-yarder with room to spare. It marked the 13th made field goal from 50 or more yards in his preseason career, the most by any NFL kicker since he entered the league in 2021. Third-year punter Ryan Rehkow saw four of his five punts downed inside the Bears’ 20-yard line, highlighted by a 51-yarder that landed out of bounds at the Chicago five.
The series: The Eagles lead the preseason series between the two teams 6-5 after earning a 34-27 preseason win vs. the Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field last year.
In regular season, the Bengals lead 9-4-2. Cincinnati’s .667 winning percentage against the Eagles is tied for its second-highest against NFL opponents. The Bengals have the same .667 winning percentage against Atlanta (10-5-0) and Dallas (10-5-0). Cincinnati’s only higher regular-season winning percentage has come against Detroit (.714; 10-4-0).
Here’s what to look for:
- When the Bengals have the ball:
Josh Johnson, Sean Clifford:
Zac Taylor indicated that the plan with both Johnson (first half) and Clifford (second half) would be similar to the Chicago game last Saturday. Both showed very good command of the offense, which is always a good sign.
Receiving corps:
Andrei Iosivas and Colbie Young appear locked into the third and fourth spots. As mentioned above, it would seem Meyers has done enough to warrant a spot on the 53-man unit. If you see Charlie Jones in this game, it means he’s more likely than not playing for a job on the practice squad to start the season. If you don’t, his future might still be up in the air. The same could be said for Mitchell Tinsley. The practice squad possibilities in this room are plentiful. Jones, Noah Thomas, Ke’Shawn Williams.
Offensive line:
Jacob Bayer showed very well in the preseason opener against the Lions. He very likely could be on the 53-man roster to start the season as a back-up center if the Bengals feel he would be scooped up if exposed. Brian Parker II and Connor Lew showed very well in the preseason against Chicago for the first time together. They could play early against the Eagles but they could also be on the sideline the whole game if the team decides to protect them. This is really a game to watch Jalen Rivers, Javon Foster, Andrew Coker, Liam Brown and Christian Jones.
Running backs/Tight ends:
Would be surprised to see Tahj Brooks get any significant run in this game. There are plenty of backs to go around for reps, including Gary Brightwell, Kendall Milton, Jamal Haynes and Kentrel Bullock.
- When the Eagles have the ball:
Defensive line: The Bengals will have to dress three defensive tackles in this game, just for rotation, and expect those three to be McKinnley Jackson, Jordan Jefferson and Howard Cross III. Would not expect Landon Robinson to play in this game. No reason to at this point. He looks like a beast in the making. Zero reason to expose him to risk of injury. If Kris Jenkins Jr. is trade bait, no reason to dress him either.
Linebackers: Swayze Bozeman is the player to consider here. If the Bengals have seen enough from him, it might be a time to get Shaka Heyward, Liam Anderson, Eric Gentry and Jack Dingle some reps. Has Bozeman done enough to beat out Joe Giles-Harris or Shaka Heyward?
Defensive backs: Josh Newton is making a late push for the nickel spot behind Jalen Davis and Ja’Sir Taylor. If Newton plays well in this game, both he and Bralyn Lux are definite practice squad candidates. Matthew McDoom, the Bearcats product, will see his first action of the preseason since taking the place of Ceyair Wright, who left the team to pursue an acting career. Jalen Kimber will also get significant run. The final safety position is down to Russ Yeast, PJ Jules and Daijahn Anthony. Figure to see a lot of Yeast and Anthony in this game.
Evan McPherson The Bengals kicker has been perfect in the preseason, hitting all five field goals, including connections from 56 and last week from 58 yards. He’s also 4-for-4 on PATs. There are no replacements for the specialists so McPherson, Rehkow and LS Will Wagner are scheduled to play the entire game.
- Bottom Line:
Bengals second and third-stringers get one more chance to shine and look for them to cap off what has been an impressive display of depth in camp and preseason. In preseason Week 1, they beat a Lions team that figures to make a charge back to the top of the NFC North, albeit reserves. In Week 2, they beat a Bears team that reached the second week of the playoffs last year. And now they get a chance to beat a perennial NFC power and Super Bowl LIX champion.
Bengals 20, Eagles 17
