Bengals Beat: Bengals 2023 Camp 53-man Projection 4.0: Safety Key Focus As Packers Come Calling

CINCINNATI – The Bengals can finally focus on hitting players not in their own uniform.

That’s a big deal when not only evaluating the trenches and the run game, but it’s vitally important to have full contact with another team to evaluate the safety and linebacker positions, that rely heavily on point-of-contact, wrapping and bringing the opponent to the turf.

With a joint practice in full pads with the Green Bay Packers Wednesday, starters will get a good run at each other, as will the 2s and 3s.

The second and third teams will then serve as the primary combatants on Friday night in the preseason opener between the two teams inside Paycor Stadium.

Keep in mind, every NFL team needs to cut from a maximum of 90 players to 53 by Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 4 p.m. ET. The opener is Sunday, Sept. 10 at Cleveland.

Two players – DT Devonnsha Maxwell and OL Devin Cochran are on season-ending IR.

Two others are currently on the physically unable to perform – offensive linemen La’el Collins and tight end Mitchell Wilcox, with Wilcox not expected to stay on PUP very long.

• Key Additions:

Free agents: Orlando Brown Jr., Nick Scott, Cody Ford, Sidney Jones IV, Tarell Basham, Irv Smith Jr.
Draft: Myles Murphy, DJ Turner II, Jordan Battle, Charlie Jones, Chase Brown, Brad Robbins, Andrei Iosivas, DJ Ivey

• Key Losses:

Free agents: Jessie Bates III (Atlanta), Vonn Bell (Carolina), Eli Apple (Miami), Hayden Hurst (Carolina), Samaje Perine (Denver)
Retired: Kevin Huber

WHAT TO WATCH IN THIS SHORT WEEK:

The safeties: Zac Taylor said it’s difficult to evaluate the unit as part of the secondary until they start physically engaging. The focus to this point has been making sure the communication is clean, namely between Dax Hill and Nick Scott and the rest of the secondary. This might be the most noticeable fall-off from Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell early on in preseason and could drag into the regular season. Also, keep a close eye on rookie Jordan Battle out of Alabama and Tycen Anderson, now healthy, this will serve essentially as his rookie season. As was the case with Joseph Ossai last year, when he missed all of 2021, Anderson will get big-time run in scrimmage and in the preseason games.

Chase Brown: What will the rookie back out of Illinois flash when he starts playing real snaps in scrimmage and games? How will he improve his blitz pick-up? (Something many rookie running backs struggle with early on in their careers.) Can he be a reliable option behind Joe Mixon and the dinged up Trayveon Williams. With Williams nursing his right ankle back to 100 percent and Mixon resting in games, Brown will get big-time reps in the backfield and on special teams as a coverage specialist.

Chris Evans: The third-year back out of Michigan needs to use this camp to show he’s taken another step in his career. He has flashed at moments over his career in preseason and in a couple of regular season games. But the Bengals drafted him to be more. This might be his final chance to show the explosive speed he displayed at Michigan as an all-purpose back.

Right tackle: Nothing has happened so far to make anyone think that Jonah Williams won’t be the starting right tackle on Sept. 10 in Cleveland. The bigger question might be whether Jackson Carman has done enough to show something as a third tackle. Also, this is a huge camp for third-year tackle D’Ante Smith out of East Carolina. Carman figures to get big-time reps in the preseason to show he’s taken the next step. Same for Smith.

Offensive line juggling: Trey Hill figures to get some reps at right guard, along with Max Scharping and Jaxson Kirkland. Kirkland could also see work on the outside, as he’s seen both in camp. Four centers were spotted snapping the ball Monday in camp, Ted Karras, Trey Hill, Max Scharping and Nate Gilliam.

Without further ado, we present 2023 Bengals 53-man roster projection 4.0.

OFFENSE (25):

• Quarterback (2):

Joe Burrow, Trevor Siemian:
In the running: Jake Browning, Reid Sinnett

Trags take: Siemian’s lead over Browning may not be sizeable, depending on who you ask inside or outside the organization. The dynamic here might have changed if you read anything into who is taking which reps. That’s precisely what Zac Taylor has cautioned against but still you can’t help but think something’s up when Jake Browning gets the first-team reps to start over Trevor Siemian with Burrow out. Siemian will get his chance in camp and in the preseason with the first team but the back-up spot is no longer the slam dunk we once thought. Reid Sinnett, the QB who carved up the Bengals in the 2021 preseason finale for Miami, will get his reps as the third quarterback, signed off the street this week. He has XFL experience with San Antonio.

• Running back (3):

Joe Mixon, Trayveon Williams, Chase Brown,
In the running: Chris Evans, Calvin Tyler Jr., Jacob Saylors

Trags take: Williams has returned to the practice field, if only to rehab his right ankle. There’s no rush to get him back with Chase Brown and Chris Evans, as well as Tyler and Saylors getting reps.

• Tight end (3):

Irv Smith Jr., Drew Sample, Mitchell Wilcox (PUP)
In the running: Tanner Hudson, Nick Bowers, Christian Trahan, Devin Asiasi

Trags take: Will Irv Smith Jr. be the latest tight end to find new life with golden touch of Joe Burrow? He never reached his full potential in Minnesota in three seasons (one injury year in 2021). The Bengals are very high on him and he flashed a lot of potential in OTAs. Keep a very close eye on Tanner Hudson. He could challenge with a strong camp and preseason, and he was the long snapper in OTAs while Cal Adomitis nursed a minor foot injury. Drew Sample is coming back from a right knee injury last year while Devin Asiasi is considered a valuable blocking tight end who can catch. Wilcox’s return will make things more difficult for Asiasi. But competition is always a good thing.

• Wide Receiver (7):

Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Trenton Irwin, Charlie Jones, Andrei Iosivas, Trent Taylor
In the running:Stanley Morgan, Kwamie Lassiter II, Shedrick Jackson, Malachi Carter, Mac Hippenhammer

Trags take: Trenton Irwin has all but sealed his spot on the roster, showing he is a very reliable backup in waiting with spectacular performances and the catch of camp last Thursday. The big question here is whether the Bengals believe Stanley Morgan will get through the waiver wire, allowing him to be placed on the practice squad. He is an old reliable but there are just so many spots and keeping seven is already a tall ask. Trent Taylor could be in the same conversation.

• Offensive line (10):

Orlando Brown Jr., Jonah Williams, Jackson Carman, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, La’el Collins (PUP), Jaxson Kirkland, Max Scharping, Cordell Volson, Trey Hill
In the running: Hakeem Adeniji, Cody Ford, D’Ante Smith, Ben Brown, Nate Gilliam, Devin Cochran (IR)

Trags take: The big take here – literally – is the improvement and flash of 6-foot-7, 310-pounder Jaxson Kirkland out of Washington. Could he pass through waivers? He went undrafted but offensive line coach Frank Pollack has been really impressed with his size and coach-ability. We put him in here for now over Cody Ford.

DEFENSE(25):

• Edge (6):

Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy, Tarell Basham, Cam Sample
In the running: Jeff Gunter, Owen Carney, Raymond Johnson III

Trags take: Injury to Tarell Basham came at a bad time for him. They did sign him for a reason as a free agent. The final battle spot right now in this group is between Sample, Basham and Gunter. At least two practice squad spots here. Murphy will get lots of looks outside and inside in practice. Will the Bengals show him inside in games and put it on film? Stay tuned.

• IDL (4):

DJ Reader, B.J. Hill, Zach Carter, Josh Tupou
In the running: Jay Tufele, Domenique Davis, Tautala Pesefea Jr., Devonnsha Maxwell (IR)

Trags take: Davis, who shined last year in preseason, and Tufele will push for an added spot but the competition in the secondary will likely mean both are left off to begin. Tufele is a third-year talent out of USC who had quality snaps last year. Reader and Hill are the class of this group and the undeniable leaders. Carter is a second-year player capable of making significant improvement this year.

• Linebackers (5):

Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Joe Bachie, Markus Bailey
In the running: Keandre Jones, Shaka Heyward, Jaylen Moody, Tyler Murray

Trags take: This is as competitive a group on the back end as you will find on the roster. Wilson, Pratt and ADG are locks. Bachie is a glue guy. Bailey and Keandre Jones figure to battle for that final spot and a place on Simmons’ special teams unit.

• Cornerbacks (6):

Chidobe Awuzie, Mike Hilton, Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner II, DJ Ivey, Jalen Davis
In the running: Allan George, Marvell Tell III, Sidney Jones IV,

Trags take: Davis over Jones here because of Davis’ value as a back-up nickel corner (filled in for Mike Hilton twice last year) and his value on special teams.

• Safeties (4):

Nick Scott, Dax Hill, Jordan Battle, Tycen Anderson
In the running: Yusef Corker, Larry Brooks, Michael Thomas

Trags take: The drama – and leadership – of Bates and Bell are gone to Atlanta and Carolina, respectively. Michael Thomas is a leader but won’t see the field as a safety but rather as a core special teams leader and likely captain. Tycen Anderson, a fifth rounder out of Toledo, needs to impress in camp and the preseason as number crunching in other areas of the roster could impact him. Or, he could wind up on the practice squad. Anderson did enough in first week of camp and has raw athletic talent that bumps him ahead of veteran Michael Thomas.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3):

• Kicker (1):

Evan McPherson
In the running: None

Trags take: Again, not much to say if Shooter is healthy. Money Mac was 24-of-29 last year on field goals, including a perfect 5-for-5 from 50-plus. 40-of-44 on PATs. He is a perfect 19-for-19 on field goal attempts in two playoff seasons. He’s missed one postseason kick in 32 chances. McPherson did miss from 67 yards at the end of “Back Together” Saturday at Paycor, not quite matching his 65-yarder at the end of BT Saturday in 2022. McPherson had a very strong day of kicks on Monday.

• Punter/Holder(1):

Brad Robbins
In the running: Drue Chrisman

Trags take: Robbins hit his stride this week, booming punt after punt after an uneven first week, not unusual for rookies. Chrisman, back from his medical issue, is waiting for his turn to get back on the field after punting before practice on Monday.

• Long snapper (1):

Cal Adomitis
In the running: None

Trags take: Yes, Tanner Hudson was snapped for Adomitis in OTAs for a couple of practices but don’t read anything into that. Adomitis was called into service after Clark Harris injured himself in the opener last year against the Steelers, forcing Mitchell Wilcox into the role because Adomitis wasn’t active. After that, no one really noticed Adomitis, which means he did his job well. He was the top long snapper in college (Pitt) in 2021 and signed on with the Bengals. Another savvy move for Duke Tobin.