Bengals Beat: Rookies In Spotlight In 2024 Camp 53-man Projection 1.0

CINCINNATI – After practicing for three straight days last week, the Bengals enter their first full week of training camp this week, with the first day of full pads practice set for Tuesday outside Paycor Stadium.

In the first projection of camp, we focus on some of the rookies who figure to play a prominent role in the formation of the 2024 roster.

The Bengals have been placing a priority on getting veteran players more rest in camp while allowing second and third-team players more looks. Sunday, for instance, Vonn Bell didn’t take part in 11s and 7s but watched from the sideline. Mike Hilton has been in the same boat on two occasions in the first week. Ja’Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson, presumably healthy, have also been sitting out, both coming in with contract issues with the team.

Sam Hubbard, another veteran coming off ankle surgery last season, dinged his left knee after shedding a block from Mike Gesicki on Sunday but is presumed to be OK. This is likely to give 2023 Myles Murphy more reps with the first team.

Keep in mind, every NFL team needs to cut from a maximum of 90 players to 53 by Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 4 p.m. ET. The opener is Sunday, Sept. 8 vs. New England at Paycor Stadium.

Tight end Erick All Jr. (the fourth round pick) came off the non-football injury list Sunday and has been cleared to practice. OT Trent Brown remains on the non-football injury list. Brown continues working out on the rehab field.

CB DJ Ivey and DT Devonnsha Maxwell begin on the Active PUP list.

• 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)

Without further ado, we present the first 2024 Bengals 53-man roster projection.

OFFENSE (25):

• Quarterback (2):

Joe Burrow, Jake Browning
Getting reps: Logan Woodside, Rocky Lombardi

Trags take: Burrow appears to be making all the throws in camp and in position to recover fully from his wrist surgery. It will be interesting to see how he fares in preseason game reps, now that the team has committed to playing him and other offensive starters in the preseason. Jake Browning proved last year he is a more-than-competent back-up. Barring injury, Woodside and Lombardi and just battling for a practice squad spot and preseason reps.

• Running back (3):

Zack Moss, Chase Brown, Trayveon Williams
Getting reps: Chris Evans, Noah Cain, Elijah Collins

Trags take: Moss has shown burst early in camp while Chase Brown has looked comfortable in pass game. These two figure to alternate reps and it will be interesting to see who emerges as the third down back. Chris Evans could raise his game in preseason and camp, and still is likely to be on the outside looking in at this point.

• Tight end (4):

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

Trags take: Will All coming off the NFI Sunday, it would appear that the Bengals have every intention of taking both draft picks into the season, in All and McLachlin. Sample signed an extension in the offseason and Mike Gesicki is a lock.

• Wide Receiver (6):

Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Jermaine Burton, Trenton Irwin, Charlie Jones, Andrei Iosivas
Getting reps:Kwamie Lassiter II, Cole Burgess, Kendric Pryor, Hakeem Butler, Tre Mosley, Shedrick Jackson

Trags take: The top six here see locked in, with Trenton Irwin one of Burrow’s most dependable targets rounding out the unit. This is as deep as it gets. Lots of talent battling for practice squad spots.

• Offensive line (10):

Orlando Brown Jr., Trent Brown, Amarius Mims, Matt Lee, Jaxson Kirkland, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, Cody Ford, Cordell Volson, Trey Hill
Getting reps: Jackson Carman, Devin Cochran, D’Ante Smith, Nate Gilliam, Eric Miller

Trags take: This unit is locked in for the starters but the back-ups could offer some interesting competition. Amarius Mims is getting the looks at starting right tackle and could emerge out of camp if he continues to make progress. Trent Brown is on the rehab field. Jackson Carman starts on the outside looking in and will have to flash strong in preseason to prove worthy of a spot.

DEFENSE(25):

• Edge (6):

Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy, Cedric Johnson, Cam Sample
Getting reps: Jeff Gunter, Justin Blazek

Trags take: Hubbard tweaked his knee in the fourth practice of camp but appears to have avoided serious injury. Hendrickson appears to be joining Ja’Marr Chase in a “hold-in”, attending camp but not participating. Joseph Ossai is as healthy as he’s been with the Bengals and figures to be part of a rotation now with Myles Murphy and Cam Sample. Bengals like the athletic Cedric Johnson as a rookie. He will get lots of reps in camp and preseason.

• IDL (4):

Sheldon Rankins, B.J. Hill, Kris Jenkins Jr., McKinnley Jackson
Getting reps: Zach Carter, Domenique Davis, Travis Bell, Jay Tufele

Trags take: The key player here to watch is Jackson. If the rookie progresses in camp and preseason, this drastically changes how defensive line coach Marion Hobby and coordinator Lou Anarumo look at the rotation, which they desperately wanted to deepen in the offseason. Also, Ossai as an interior pass rusher is not out of the question. If you want to keep six on the edge, then only four interior make it with depth pushed to practice squad.

• Linebackers (5):

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

Trags take: Again, another veteran group, with the top five spots between starters and special teams contributions, appears to be set.

• Cornerbacks (6):

Dax Hill, Mike Hilton, Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner II, DJ Ivey, Josh Newton
Getting reps: Jalen Davis, Allan George, Nate Brooks, Daijahn Anthony, Lance Robinson

Trags take: While everyone is focused on Hill v. Turner for that second CB starting spot, both are locks to make the roster. Assuming DJ Ivey can return from his ACL injury and starts the season active, this group is also very deep, so deep that a quality back in Jalen Davis could get bumped off. The battle here, from a roster perspective, is between Ivey and Davis. There will be some great stories to watch, like Nate Brooks, Allan George and Daijahn Anthony, drafted in the seventh round but could wind up on the practice squad if he clears waivers.

• Safeties (4):

Vonn Bell, Geno Stone, Jordan Battle, Tycen Anderson
Getting reps: Michael Dowell, PJ Jules

Trags take: 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
Getting reps: None

Trags take: Went 5-of-6 Sunday in practice. He is as much of a lock as it gets and could be on the verge of a contract extension from his rookie year deal. He’s earned it in the eyes of the front office as one of the most dependable players on the roster.

• Punter/Holder(1):

Brad Robbins
Getting reps: Austin McNamara, Ryan Rehkow

Trags take: This is where it gets interesting. For the first time in recent memory, the Bengals have three punters in camp battling for one spot. Robbins’ struggles with consistency in his 2023 rookie season are well-documented. That’s why they brought in McNamara from Texas Tech. But then, in a twist (and with a 90-man roster spot to spare) they brought in Rehkow a 6-5 rookie out of BYU who signed with Kansas City as a college free agent in May, then was waived by the Chiefs in June. He played in 50 games during his collegiate career at BYU, and recorded 176 punts with a gross average of 47.4 yards and 74 downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. His first day was impressive. This is wide open.

• Long snapper (1):

Cal Adomitis
Getting reps: 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.