CINCINNATI – We finally have some game film to consider and while most of what we saw in Friday’s 36-23 confirmed some depth spots, others are firmly up in the air.
Keep a close eye this week on Joe Burrow and Jessie Bates, as both could make moves to get ready for the regular season opener on Sept. 11.
Burrow ran sprints before Friday’s game and is making progress every day while Bates watched Friday’s game from a suite. That doesn’t seem like a small sign. It shows he cares about his teammates and wants to return sooner than later.
UPDATED:
The Bengals Sunday waived cornerback Abu Daramy-Swaray, running back Shermari Jones and receiver/returner Pooka Williams Jr. Daramy-Swaray and Jones are both rookies, and signed with the Bengals as free agents in May. Williams, a first-year player, originally was a college free agent signee of the Bengals in 2021.
The roster now stands at 87.
With the clock ticking on the back end of the roster, here is your latest Bengals 53-man roster projection:
OFFENSE (24):
Joe Burrow, Brandon Allen
In the running: Jake Browning, Drew Plitt
Trags take: Brandon Allen is expected to be fine following Friday’s first quarter sack that put him in concussion protocol after just one series. Jake Browning did generate three drives that led to three first half field goals and showed his ability to create on the run, running for his life as the offensive line struggled to hold protection. The real winner Friday was Drew Plitt. The Loveland High product was 6-for-6 for 76 yards and a perfect 25-yard touchdown pass to Kendric Pryor. Plitt kept the game ball that Pryor spun on the turf after the TD. Plitt should at least buy Pryor a nice lunch after his remarkable one-handed grab that kept Plitt perfect on the final drive. Plitt has raised some eyebrows since getting a look during a local tryout in April at Paycor Stadium. If nothing else, Plitt should get some more looks against the Giants this Sunday.
Joe Mixon, Samaje Perine, Chris Evans
In the running: Jacques Patrick, Trayveon Williams
IR: Elilah Holyfield
Trags take: Evans, who coaches wanted to see be more decisive this preseason, looked very good on Friday night. He showed the ability to bounce outside twice, once to the right side, when he got outside the edge for 60 yards on the first drive. The second came in the second quarter when he got to the left side for a five-yard TD run. Both were negated by Thaddeus Moss holds. He finished with eight carries for minus-3 yards but also had a very impressive 41-yard kickoff return. Jacques Patrick continued his preseason breakout from last year when he ran for a 1-yard TD and finished with 30 yards on nine carries.
Hayden Hurst, Drew Sample, Mitchell Wilcox
In the running: Thaddeus Moss, Justin Rigg, Scotty Washington, Nick Eubanks
Trags take: Sample and Wilcox have suffered camp injuries, with Wilcox turning his left ankle on Friday night. Could this give Moss a chance to make the roster out of camp if one or both start on IR? Moss needs to work on his blocking technique that twice resulted in costly holding calls.
Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Kwamie Lassiter II, Stanley Morgan, Mike Thomas
In the running: Trent Taylor, Trenton Irwin, Kendric Pryor, Jack Sorenson, Jaiyon Heilgh
Trags take: This is going to likely come down to who the Bengals think they can sneak through waivers and get to their practice squad. Lassiter handled two punt returns and two kickoff returns. He came up to field a punt and didn’t let it bounce further, netting only four yards but preventing lost yardage in field position. His kick returns could use some work as he took two out of the end zone but didn’t get to to the net-zero field position of the 25 either time. Pryor had the biggest impression Friday with a highlight reel catch and a 25-yard TD. He had four catches on seven targets for 89 yards.
Jonah Williams, Jackson Carman, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, La’el Collins, D’Ante Smith, Cordell Volson, Trey Hill, Isaiah Prince, Lamont Gailard
In the running: Hakeem Adeniji, Ben Brown, Desmond Noel, Devin Cochran
Trags take: Not a good start to preseason for Carman. He needs to show a better compete level against the Giants. Volson looked good on his reps and pancaked his man on his first series of the second half.
DEFENSE(26):
Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, Cam Sample, Joseph Ossai, Khalid Kareem, Jeff Gunter
In the running: Raymond Johnson III, Noah Spence
Trags take: Gunter showed that “chip on the shoulder” in the preseason opener, recording a sack that led to a punt. This group was fortified with the return of Khalid Kareem. Joseph Ossai, as Zac Taylor promised, was managed carefully, playing in just four snaps on the first defensive series Friday. Wyatt Hubert retired from the NFL on Saturday.
DJ Reader, B.J. Hill, Zach Carter, Josh Tupou, Domenique Davis
In the running: Tariqious Tisdale, Tyler Shelvin
Trags take: Carter was another rookie who showed well in terms of compete level Friday. Reader, Hill, Carter and Tupou are locks. Shelvin is slipping and played played just one snap Friday. Davis played 43 of 66 defensive snaps. Tisdale played five snaps.
Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Markus Bailey, Clay Johnston
In the running: Carson Wells, Keandre Jones, Clarence Hicks, Tegray Scales
IR/PUP: Joe Bachie
Trags take: Once Wilson comes back to full 11-on-11s, this group seems to be set. Pratt and Davis-Gaither have been the two three-down linebackers in Wilson’s absence. Davis-Gaither continues to look more and more like the playmaker they were hoping for when they took him in the fourth round in 2020. He played 17 snaps Friday. Bachie a strong and likely candidate for IR to start the season.
Chidobe Awuzie, Eli Apple, Mike Hilton, Tre Flowers, Cam Taylor-Britt
In the running: Allan George, Delonte Hood, Jalen Davis, Bookie Radley-Hiles
Trags take: The core injury to Taylor-Britt adds intrigue to this group. Tre Flowers played outside in his absence. Allan George was the only player to play all 66 defensive snaps Friday. He was beaten deep on the first series on a third down go-route down the right series and was called for clear defensive pass interference. He was also beaten cleanly on an inside slant that result on a Cardinals conversion to the Bengals 1.
Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell, Michael Thomas, Dax Hill, Tycen Anderson
In the running: Trayvon Henderson,
IR/PUP: Brandon Wilson
Trags take: Bates was in the building Friday night, watching from a suite on the 10-yard line on the Bengals side of the stadium. His return could be imminent to camp. In the meantime, rookie Dax Hill continues to impress. Tycen Anderson had an active game Friday at strong safety, playing 40 snaps.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3):
Evan McPherson
In the running: None
Trags take: What else needs to be said? Field goals from 58, 56 and 23 yards. 2-for-2 on PATs. And a kickoff through the uprights.
Kevin Huber
In the running: Drue Chrisman
Trags take: This is a tricky and interesting competition to watch. Huber got the better of the competition Friday, with his best kick coming on a 50-yarder inside the 20. His average was 47.7 on three punts to Chrisman’s 46.0 on two boots.
Clark Harris
In the running: Cal Adomitis
Trags take: Harris was solid in the first half and Adomitis likewise in the second half Friday. If this continues, Harris figures to keep his spot.
