Bengals 2022 Camp 53-man Projection 4.0: Jessie Bates Back, Kwamie Lassiter Steps Up Big

CINCINNATI – Jessie Bates was always going to be considered part of the 53-man Cincinnati Bengals roster for 2022. It was just a matter of timing as to when the safety and locker room leader would return.

Now that Bates has signed his $12.91 million franchise tender for this season, he can now formally begin to assimilate into Lou Anarumo’s defensive plans.

While Bates will step into the role he’s played for the Bengals since 2018, the bigger issue now becomes how Anarumo will deploy rookie Dax Hill, who in two preseason games has shown the speed, range and savvy that made him a first-round pick at No. 31.

With Vonn Bell assuming his strong safety spot, the Bengals can use Bell to play lower in the box and help in coverage on tight ends and bigger receivers while Hill can be used either as a corner or – more likely – as a true roaming defensive back playing a hybrid role that he displayed at a high level at Michigan.

With the clock ticking on the back end of the roster and cutdown coming on Aug. 30, here is your latest Bengals 53-man roster projection:

OFFENSE (24):

Quarterback (2):

Joe Burrow, Brandon Allen
In the running: Jake Browning

Trags take: Joe Burrow figures to take snaps with the first team offense this week against the Rams and is quickly getting back his weight and strength. Brandon Allen has presumably done enough to retain his job as backup, though that touchdown drive to open the second half against the Giants was likely of bigger significance than one might think. The first half was not good, especially the two drives that started inside the Giants 25 and resulted in two field goals. If one of those drives ends in a touchdown and not a field goal, the Bengals win the game. That should be a lesson for the Bengals going forward. Plitt was released Tuesday morning. If both Browning and Plitt make it through waivers, who will be kept on as a practice squad QB? Plitt was 7-for-8 in his chances this preseason while Browning looked good leading the Bengals down the field for the go-ahead drive Sunday night.

Running back (3):

Joe Mixon, Samaje Perine, Chris Evans
In the running: Jacques Patrick, Trayveon Williams
IR: Elilah Holyfield (out for season)

Trags take: Like last preseason, Evans has had trouble posting big numbers in the run game, mainly because the big holes haven’t been there from a makeshift offensive line. But his burst is more than evident on film. He had a 60-yard run and a 5-yard TD run against Arizona nullified by two Thaddeus Moss holds before breaking out for a 73-yard kickoff return Sunday night against the Giants. Mixon and Perine haven’t played in the preseason, telling you that they are virtual locks for team. Patrick, like last preseason, had a nice showing Sunday night, including a touchdown run as did Trayveon Williams. Williams may not make it through waivers for a team looking for RB depth.

Tight end (3):

Hayden Hurst, Mitchell Wilcox, Drew Sample
In the running: Justin Rigg, Nick Eubanks, Thaddeus Moss

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 had a nice rollout completion Sunday night

Wide Receiver (6):

Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Kwamie Lassiter II, Stanley Morgan, Mike Thomas
In the running: Trent Taylor, Trenton Irwin, Kendric Pryor

Trags take: This battle is fascinating. Lassiter had seven catches on seven targets Sunday night for 91 yards. Pryor had four more catches on six targets for 28 yards and has eight grabs on 13 preseason targets so far. Irwin and Pryor are all solid practice squad candidates. Taylor has shown great hands in the two preseason games.

Offensive line (10):

Jonah Williams, Jackson Carman, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, La’el Collins, D’Ante Smith, Cordell Volson, Trey Hill, Hakeem Adeniji, Lamont Gaillard
In the running:, Ben Brown, Desmond Noel, Devin Cochran, Nate Gilliam, Isaiah Prince

Trags take: Cordell Volson presumably did enough Sunday to prove he’s worthy of a starting job at left guard, even as a rookie, over Jackson Carman. The bigger watch here is whether the Bengals chose to keep five tackles and five interior or six interior and four tackles. If it’s the latter, then it comes down to Adeniji and Prince. Adeniji by the slimmest of margins here. If Gaillard is injured to begin season, then both Adeniji and Prince make it.

DEFENSE(26):

Edge (6):

Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, Cam Sample, Joseph Ossai, Khalid Kareem, Jeff Gunter
In the running: Raymond Johnson III, Noah Spence

Trags take: Ossai had a terrific stop on fourth-and-1 in the first quarter Sunday night. The Bengals continue to manage him carefully in the preseason. He’s a huge part of their plans come regular season. Gunter has shown well in the two preseason games.

IDL (5):

DJ Reader, B.J. Hill, Zach Carter, Josh Tupou, Domenique Davis
In the running: Tariqious Tisdale, Tyler Shelvin

Trags take: Carter with another good game on Sunday is a three-technique that will come in handy next to Reader and Hill or spell either one of them. Shelvin didn’t show up on the stat sheet Sunday night and while that’s certainly not everything, he needs to flash or he’s headed for the practice squad. Davis was in on two tackles and appears ahead of Tisdale by a narrow margin. Again, either could land on practice squad.

Linebackers (5):

Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Markus Bailey, Clay Johnston
In the running: Carson Wells, Keandre Jones, Clarence Hicks, Tegray Scales
PUP: Joe Bachie

Trags take: His spot on the roster was never in doubt but what Clay Johnston showed Sunday night with 20 tackles and a sack is that his desire is right at the top of the charts. He’s a valuable special teamer and a depth linebacker.

Cornerbacks (5):

Chidobe Awuzie, Eli Apple, Mike Hilton, Tre Flowers, Cam Taylor-Britt
In the running: Allan George, Delonte Hood, Javaris Davis

Trags take: The core injury to Taylor-Britt means Jalen Davis likely earns a spot to begin the season. Davis also is valuable to special teams and has experience there. George and Hood are PS candidates.

Safeties (5):

Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell, Michael Thomas, Dax Hill, Tycen Anderson
In the running: Trayvon Henderson
PUP: Brandon Wilson

Trags take: Bates is back and this group is firmly in place. Wilson was officially placed on PUP on Tuesday so he’s out the first four games. Michael Thomas has had a good camp and this group is primed to be among the best in the NFL with Bates, Bell and Hill on the field for many snaps at the same time.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3):

Kicker (1):

Evan McPherson
In the running: None

Trags take: Only thing that went wrong Sunday is a high snap on a 58-yard try that was wide left, his fourth attempt of the game. He was 6-for-6 in the preseason before that, with three good from 50-plus. He was denied a 61-yarder to tie the game at the gun when the offense committed a false start and Trenton Irwin fumbled trying to get out of bounds on a catch with nine seconds left.

Punter/Holder(1):

Kevin Huber
In the running: Drue Chrisman

Trags take: Chrisman made a solid statement Sunday with two punts over over 50 and a 48.3 gross average. But by his own admission, the hang time wasn’t there and both were returnable. One returned for 17, the other for 11, cutting his net down to 38 yards. He had one inside the 20, which was good. But was it enough? Another week of competition remains.

Long snapper (1):

Clark Harris
In the running: Cal Adomitis

Trags take: Harris was solid Sunday and Adomitis had a high snap on McPherson’s only miss. Adomitis has to be perfect here and even that might not be enough.