Bengals Beat: With Plenty To Sort Out After First Preseason Game, 2025 Camp 53-man Projection 1.0

CINCINNATI – The first preseason game is in the books and there’s a critical week of practice coming up for the Bengals – per Zac Taylor – before they take the field again.

As we look back on Thursday night in Philadelphia and ahead to Washington on Monday, Aug. 18, it’s time to start working out a projected roster for what the Bengals might look like come Sept. 7 in Cleveland.

• Key Additions:

Free agents: T.J. Slaton, Lucas Patrick, Samaje Perine, Noah Fant, Oren Burks, Joe Giles-Harris, Taven Bryan, Desmond Ridder

Draft: Shemar Stewart, Demetrius Knight Jr., Dylan Fairchild, Barrett Carter, Jalen Rivers, Tahj Brooks

Undrafted rookie and second-year free agents: Mitchell Tinsley Andrew Raym, Jamoi Mayes, Jordan Moore, Bralyn Lux, Shaquan Loyal

• Second-year risers:

Amarius Mims, Kris Jenkins Jr., Jermaine Burton, McKinnley Jackson, Josh Newton, Cedric Johnson, Daijahn Anthony, Matt Lee

• Key Losses:

Free agents: Alex Cappa (Las Vegas), Vonn Bell, Germaine Pratt (Las Vegas), Akeem Davis-Gaither (Arizona), Zack Moss (neck injury), Trayveon Williams (Cleveland), Trenton Irwin (Jacksonville), Sam Hubbard (retired), Mike Hilton (Miami)

Without further ado, we present the first 2025 Bengals 53-man roster projection.

OFFENSE (25):

• Quarterback (2):

Joe Burrow, Jake Browning
Getting reps: Desmond Ridder, Payton Thorne

Trags take: Burrow certainly looks ready after what he called an “average” performance against the Eagles, during which he completed his final nine attempts, finishing 9-of-10 for 123 yards and touchdowns of 12 yards to Tanner Hudson and 36 to Ja’Marr Chase. He also had a 12-yard TD strike to Chase wiped out on a chop block called on Lucas Patrick. He is ready to go already. The same cannot be said of Jake Browning, who needs the rest of the preseason to get back to the point where he was last season and in 2023 when he finished with a flourish. On Thursday, he was just 6-of-14 for 62 yards, no touchdowns and an interception, with two other deflected passes nearly picked. After a terrific punt return by Jermaine Burton inside the Eagles 25, he couldn’t generate a first down and the Bengals settled for an Evan McPherson field goal. Desmond Ridder was slightly better, completing 7-of-16 for 91 yards, including a beauty of a strike for 48 yards to fellow former Bearcat Jamoi Mayes on a go-ball. But like Browning, he was presented a golden opportunity inside the Philly 40 after a Joe Giles-Harris interception but couldn’t get a first down. Thorne did not play against Philadelphia.

• Running back (3):

Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, Tahj Brooks
Getting reps: Kendall Milton, Gary Brightwell, Quali Conley

Trags take: The top three are set in stone. Gary Brightwell showed explosion in the return game in the first half against the Eagles. Keep an eye on him as he tries to impress on special teams and with the reps he gets in the second half of the remaining preseason games.

• Tight end (4):

Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, Noah Fant, Tanner Hudson
Getting reps: Cam Grandy, Tanner McLachlan

Trags take: The top three on this list are locks. Tanner Hudson scored twice in the preseason opener. He’s a reliable receiving target that Burrow trusts. Erick All Jr. begins training camp on PUP and will start season on IR as he returns from his second ACL rehab in three years.

• Wide Receiver (6):

Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Jermaine Burton, Charlie Jones, Isaiah Williams
Getting reps:Kendric Pryor, Mitchell Tinsley, Rashod Owens, Jordan Moore, Jamoi Mayes

Trags take: The top five here are locks. The real battle is for that sixth spot. Some might argue that Burton has a lot to prove in training camp and preseason but so far, he’s taken the second chance from last year’s immaturity and made the most of showing the Bengals he’s serious. He has way too much talent to give up on if he demonstrates he’s committed to his job. Charlie Jones is a reliable backup and that’s worth a lot to Burrow, if needed in a pinch. Williams appears to have the edge right now but there’s a lot that could happen between now and the end of the preseason.

• Offensive line (10):

Orlando Brown Jr., Amarius Mims, Matt Lee, Ted Karras, Lucas Patrick, Dylan Fairchild, Cody Ford, Cordell Volson, Jalen Rivers, Seth McLaughlin
Getting reps: Devin Cochran, Jaxson Kirkland, Andrew Stueber, Andrew Raym, Caleb Etienne, Andrew Coker

Trags take: The tackles are the cornerstone of this group along with center Ted Karras. The battle in camp is Lucas Patrick vs. Cody Ford at right guard. Rookie Dylan Fairchild is the starting left guard, barring injury. Seth McLaughlin has a spot as the Bengals feel they got a steal by signing him as a free agent from Ohio State. The question is whether Cordell Volson is battling for a spot on this roster. How he performs in preseason is likely to answer that question better.

DEFENSE(25):

• Edge (6):

Trey Hendrickson, Joseph Ossai, Shemar Stewart, Myles Murphy, Cedric Johnson, Cam Sample
Getting reps: Isaiah Thomas, Raymond Johnson III

Trags take: Obviously, this assumes Hendrickson (extension or not) is on the field. Shemar Stewart takes the spot and role of Sam Hubbard. Ossai is back. Murphy has lots and lots to prove. He did not have the strongest debut in the preseason opener, getting pinched by a rookie tackle on Will Shipley’s 38-yard burst off the right side. Cedric Johnson is a sixth-round pick from 2024. Thomas and Raymond Johnson III are longshots here but could push Cedric Johnson.

• IDL (4):

T.J. Slaton, BJ Hill, Kris Jenkins Jr., McKinnley Jackson
Getting reps: Taven Bryan, McTelvin Agim, Eric Gregory, Howard Cross III

Trags take: Slaton looked solid and played with force on Thursday, and will be a welcome addition next to BJ Hill. The fact that Stewart can play inside helps greatly. Kris Jenkins has looked more active and is getting more push and looks more and more comfortable in his role. McKinnley Jackson has the size and quickness. He has lots to prove in the preseason that he can be a rotational piece in Jerry Montgomery’s front. Bryan got significant time Thursday ahead of Jackson and is in the battle to push Jackson at this stage. But Jackson is the still the favorite.

• Linebackers (5):

Logan Wilson, Demetrius Knight Jr., Barrett Carter, Oren Burks, Joe Giles-Harris
Getting reps: Maema Njongmeta, Shaka Heyward, Craig Young

Trags take: The room has been overhauled and remade with four new faces that all figure to stick. Giles-Harris popped on Thursday and was impressive. He could be a sneaky impact player to watch the rest of camp and preseason. Maema Njongmeta, a terrific story from 2024, appears to be odd man out, even with special teams play. But there’s still three weeks to go in camp and anything can happen. Logan Wilson hit the wrong gap on Will Shipley’s 38-yard run Thursday. He has a good relationship with Al Golden so he would appear to be safe in spot and could even be voted a captain for the season but still lots for Wilson to prove in the rest of preseason and camp.

• Cornerbacks (6):

Dax Hill, Cam Taylor-Britt, Marco Wilson, DJ Turner II, DJ Ivey, Josh Newton
Getting reps: Jalen Davis, Bralyn Lux, Shaquan Loyal, Nate Brooks

Trags take: Hill, Taylor-Britt and Newton are locks. DJ Ivey would appear to have a solid place given his special teams contributions, which are significant. Then there are Turner and Wilson. Davis and Lux could be stiff competition, with Davis having nickel experience and a place on special teams. Loyal and Brooks will get their chance to impress. Could Hill start at nickel? There is a lot to be determined based on what we see from this unit against Washington and the rest of camp and this unit needs to improve upon its effort against the Eagles.

• Safeties (4):

Geno Stone, Jordan Battle, Tycen Anderson, Daijahn Anthony
Getting reps: Shaquan Loyal, PJ Jules, Jaylen Key

Trags take: Pretty straightforward here. Barring injury, the Bengals are happy with the safety room, despite outside calls from some fans and experts that a veteran safety add would’ve helped. The key here is special teams, where Tycen Anderson is a critical.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3):

• Kicker (1):

Evan McPherson
Getting reps: None

Trags take: McPherson nailed kicks of 38 and 51 yards for field goals and converted all three extra points Thursday as he aims to return to his form of 2021-23 that earned him a three-year extension before last season. The key here is staying healthy, which McPherson says he’s been working on with new routines before each practice and game.

• Punter/Holder(1):

Ryan Rehkow
Getting reps:

Trags take: Ryan Rehkow had a great coffin corner kick early Thursday that pinned the Eagles at their four and was unreturnable. But just before halftime, he booted a 54-yarder down the middle that was returned 46 yards and led to an Eagles touchdown before the half. Some of that certainly was on the coverage team but the punt was not close enough to the sideline to help the coverage team cut down angles. His five punts averaged 45.2 yards but netted only 33 and only two of the five were inside the 20. He needs to improve the last two numbers the rest of camp.

• Long snapper (1):

Cal Adomitis
Getting reps: William Wagner

Trags take: Wagner, an undrafted rookie out of Michigan, is battling Adomitis for this spot and it’s too close to call at this stage. ST coach Darrin Simmons would like some continuity for Evan McPherson but more than that, he would like more consistency from the snapper position. This is something worth watching each time there’s a punt or a kick the rest of the preseason.