Bengals Beat: Defensive End, Punter In Spotlight In Final 53-man roster in Projection 5.0

CINCINNATI – The final cuts are coming Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET. And the Bengals have made their initial moves to get the 53-man limit.

On Friday, 12 hours after dropping the preseason finale to the Colts, 27-14, the Bengals waived 11 players, bringing the roster down to 75. The Bengals cut WR Hakeem Butler, HB Noah Cain, OT Jackson Carman, DE Andre Carter, LB Aaron Casey, S Michael Dowell, CB Allan George, WR Kwamie Lassiter II, QB Rocky Lombardi, G Eric Miller and DT Joshua Pryor.

The biggest questions revolve around how the Bengals want to structure different areas of the roster, including defense end, interior defensive line, punter and the running back room.

Injuries to Cam Sample (season-ending IR) and Myles Murphy (week-to-week) have cut deeply into depth on the edge.

Brad Robbins was injured for the last two weeks, allowing rookie free agent Ryan Rehkow ample opportunity to compete for the starting punting job.

The Bengals can place two players on IR on Tuesday and pull them through onto the active roster later, a change from the past where even if a player was injured, the team could not place them onto injured reserve until the day after cutdown day. If they placed them on IR before or on the day of the cutdowns, they would lose that player for the season.

Each team is allowed eight instances each year of a player designated for return from IR. If a team uses two on cutdown day, it counts toward that eight maximum limit for the season.

Still, if a player goes on IR, they are lost to the team for a minimum of four weeks.

Another factor to keep in mind that could impact the Bengals roster is the physically unable to perform active designation. The Bengals have defensive back DJ Ivey who was placed on that list to start camp and could be pulled through onto the roster at some point and not lost to the team if the team so designates to start the season.

• Key Additions:

Free agents: Geno Stone, Vonn Bell, Sheldon Rankins, Trent Brown, Zack Moss, Mike Gesicki
Draft: Amarius Mims, Kris Jenkins Jr., Jermaine Burton, McKinnley Jackson, Erick All, Josh Newton, Tanner McLachlin, Cedric Johnson, Daijahn Anthony, Matt Lee

• Second-year risers:

Myles Murphy, DJ Turner II, Jordan Battle, Charlie Jones, Chase Brown, Brad Robbins, Andrei Iosivas, DJ Ivey, Shedrick Jackson

• Key Losses:

Free agents: Jonah Williams (Arizona), DJ Reader (Detroit), Tyler Boyd (Tennessee), Chidobe Awuzie (Tennessee), Nick Scott (Carolina), Mitchell Wilcox (New England)
Traded: Joe Mixon (Houston)
Injury: Cam Sample
Retired: Jeff Gunter

Without further ado, we present the final 2024 Bengals 53-man roster projection before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.

OFFENSE (24):

• Quarterback (2):

Joe Burrow, Jake Browning
Cuts: Logan Woodside

Trags take: It’s assumed that Jake Browning’s rib injury will not keep him from starting the season as the backup to Joe Burrow. Logan Woodside had a couple of nice moments, tossing a pair of touchdowns to rookie Jermaine Burton. But Browning should be ready to go to start the season as Burrow’s backup.

• Running back (3):

Zack Moss, Chase Brown, Trayveon Williams
Cut: Elijah Collins
Season-Ending Injured Reserve: Chris Evans

Trags take: These three are locks, though Trayveon Williams played into the fourth quarter Thursday. The Bengals could add on the waiver wire. There was some speculation that KC might release Clyde Edwards-Helaire and he would become available on the market. But that’s looking less and less likely.

• Tight end (4):

Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson, Erick All Jr.
Cuts: Tanner McLachlin, Cam Grandy

Trags take: Rookie Erick All Jr. continues to amass more playing time. He shows he can block and catch. Tanner McLachlin figures to be one of those rarities, a draft pick that doesn’t make the roster. But certainly a practice squad developmental candidate. This room is set.

• Wide Receiver (6):

Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Jermaine Burton, Trenton Irwin, Charlie Jones, Andrei Iosivas
Cuts: Cole Burgess, Kendric Pryor, Shedrick Jackson

Trags take: Nothing has changed about this list of six. With Charlie Jones dodging a bullet two weeks ago, the Bengals appear set to start the season with a versatile set of receivers. The only real storyline was whether Chase will begin practicing before the season. Then the Bengals put out a social post of Chase catches passes at a limited practice inside Paycor on Sunday.

• Offensive line (9):

Orlando Brown Jr., Trent Brown, Amarius Mims, Matt Lee, Jaxson Kirkland, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, Cody Ford, Cordell Volson
Cuts: Devin Cochran, Nate Gilliam, Trey Hill
Season-Ending Injured Reserve:D’Ante Smith

Trags take: Trey Hill will likely be one of the final cuts, if indeed he doesn’t make the initial 53. He is a candidate for the practice squad due to his versatility. Jaxson Kirkland and Cody Ford were solid throughout camp while rookie Matt Lee beat out Trey Hill as Ted Karras’ backup.

DEFENSE(26):

• Edge (5):

Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, Joseph Ossai, Cedric Johnson, TBD
Cut: Justin Blazek
Designated for return IR: Myles Murphy
Season-Ending Injured Reserve: Cam Sample
Retired: Jeff Gunter

Trags take: This is where the Bengals figure to be very active on the waiver wire or in contact with a free agent. Could they be in touch Tyus Bowser? Yannick Ngakoue is on the verge of signing with the Bears. Charles Harris, a 2017 first rounder is still out there. The Bengals need bodies here for insurance and rotation depth. Rookie Cedric Johnson has been steadily developing and popped on Thursday for three tackles, including one solo.

• IDL (5):

Sheldon Rankins, B.J. Hill, Kris Jenkins Jr., Zach Carter, Jay Tufele
Cuts: Domenique Davis, Travis Bell, Carlos Davis
Designated for Return IR: McKinnley Jackson

Trags take: McKinnley Jackson continues to rehab his right knee and will be out for several weeks. Carlos Davis showed up in film well. He is an ideal practice squad candidate. Bengals could add via waiver wire here also.

• Linebackers (5):

Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Joe Bachie, Maema Njongmeta
Getting reps: Devin Harper, Shaka Heyward

Trags take: Njongmeta is the final player to make the roster. And he’s earned it. Terrific hustle, attitude and production through preseason as the team’s leading tackler has led to the rookie free agent out of Wisconsin landing a spot.

• Cornerbacks (6):

Dax Hill, Mike Hilton, Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner II, Josh Newton, Jalen Davis
Cuts: Nate Brooks, Lance Robinson
PUP active: DJ Ivey

Trags take: Injuries elsewhere on the roster could allow the Bengals to keep six corners to start the season, protecting a commodity like Jalen Davis, who has served on special teams and Mike Hilton’s backup. With Hill moving to corner, Hill could also fill in for Hilton in a pinch, with Turner moving over to corner.

• Safeties (5):

Vonn Bell, Geno Stone, Jordan Battle, Daijahn Anthony, Tycen Anderson
Cut: PJ Jules

Trags take: Daijahn Anthony has been turning heads and has settled nicely into a safety role. He continues to get occasional run with the first team in dime looks. His versatility at corner and safety help him immensely. The story here is Tycen Anderson and his role. He is valuable on special teams and will get more time in preseason in Lou Anarumo’s defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3):

• Kicker (1):

Evan McPherson
Cut: None

Trags take: With a three-year, $16.5 million extension in the books, the drama around McPherson is gone.

• Punter/Holder(1):

Brad Robbins
Cut: Ryan Rehkow

Trags take: Undrafted rookie Ryan Rehkow (RICO) has been getting valuable opportunity in the last two weeks since Robbins went down with an injury. Rehkow had 15 preseason punts for a 39.6 net average (29th in NFL), including four inside the 20 and two touchbacks. This is one of the closer calls come this Tuesday. Would not be surprised to see Rehkow land on the practice squad.

• Long snapper (1):

Cal Adomitis
Cut: None

Trags take: Adomitis, entering his third season, has done very well so far following in the footsteps of Clark Harris. Reliable and consistent. All Darrin Simmons wants out of that position.