The Cincinnati Bengals kick off their 2024 season on September 8th at home against the New England Patriots. With two weeks of preseason under their belt, it's a good time to see where everything stands on the 53-man roster. Many positions seem to be set, but spots like Wide receiver and cornerback still have a couple of questions to answer. One thing that the Bengals still need to answer is, who will be the starting punter? Nobody has stood out in camp or preseason, so that question needs to be answered.
Cincinnati Bengals Offense
Quarterbacks (2) - Joe Burrow, Jake Browning
Outside Looking In - Logan Woodside
There's no real surprise here; Burrow will need to stay healthy, but Browning proved to be one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league last year. Logan Woodside has seen a lot of pre-season playtime, but he has not been playing the best football. Woodside and fourth-string Rocky Lombardi could not muster up more than three points against the Bears, so neither have proven they are worthy of the third quarterback spot.
Running Backs (3) - Chase Brown, Zack Moss, Treyveon Williams
Outside looking in - Elijah Collins
Chase Brown and Zack Moss will be an excellent 1-2 punch for the Bengals this season. Brown has great speed on the outside, and Moss has the power to run up the middle. Treyveon Williams has been an outstanding kick returner and pass catcher in the preseason, but he will not see a ton of playtime in the regular season. Chris Evans would have certainly made the roster, but he suffered an ACL tear that will knock him out for the entire season.
Wide Receivers (6) - Jamarr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Jermaine Burton, Trenton Irwin, Charlie Jones
Outside Looking In - Kendrick Pryor, Shedrick Jackson
There are no shocks here; the six that will make the roster will significantly impact the team's success this year. Burton was returning kicks in the most recent preseason game against the Bears and looked like a reliable option. It seems like that is the spot where he will be making his impact. Pryor and Jackson have looked solid in the preseason, but don't think they will be able to steal a roster spot. Jones battled injuries all of last season, but if he can stay healthy this season, he will be a great slot receiver to try and fill the hole that Tyler Boyd left.
Tight Ends (4) - Mike Gesicki, Tanner Hudson, Drew Sample, Erick All Jr.
Outside Looking In - Tanner McLachlan
This group could be the best Tight end room that Joe Burrow has ever played with. Gesicki should be the starter, as he has proven to be a great pass catcher, but Drew Sample will be in to pass block. Tanner McLachlan has a chance to make the roster, but Erick All Jr. has shown more flashes in the preseason, and it seems he will have the upper hand.
Offensive Line (10) - Orlando Brown Jr., Cordell Volson, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, Trent Brown, Amarius Mims, Matt Lee, Cody Ford, Nate Gilliam, Jaxson Kirkland
Outside Looking in - Jackson Carman
The Bengals have a revamped offensive line for the second year in a row, and we can only hope that this will be the group that keeps Burrow Healthy for an entire season. The only starting spot up for grabs is the right tackle between Trent Brown and Amarius Mims. Mims has looked great in camp and the preseason, but he is currently battling an injury that will keep him sidelined for a few weeks. Brown is a veteran who seems like he will be a reliable tackle, but he must also try and stay healthy. Matt Lee has been absolutely fantastic in camp and will surely be the future starting center for the Bengals. Carman has entirely played himself off of the roster, as he has been dreadful in the preseason.
Cincinnati Bengals Special Teams
Specialist (3) - Evan Mcpherson, Cal Adomitis, Brad Robbins
Outside Looking In - Ryan Rehkow
McPherson just signed a three-year, 16.5-million-dollar extension, as he has proven to be a very reliable kicker the past three years. Cal Adomitis is a veteran and a roster lock, but the punting battle between Robbins and Rehkow will be close. Neither has pulled away and shown that they are great punters, but Robbins has the edge right now just based on experience. Rehkow was the starter against the Bears and did not have his best day punting.
Cincinnati Bengals Defense
Defensive Line (9) – Trey Hendrickson, BJ Hill, Sam Hubbard, Sheldon Rankins, Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai, Zach Carter, Kris Jenkins, McKinnley Jackson
Losing DJ Reader to the Lions in free agency is a massive loss for this defensive line, as Reader was a staple for this defense the past three seasons. Still, the Bengals attacked the interior D-line in the draft and picked up Rankins as a replacement in free agency. Hendrickson and Hubbard will continue to hold down the edge with Joseph Ossai and 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy backing them up. The rookie Kris Jenkins has shown flashes in the preseason and will impact this defensive line. They will have something to prove after only mustering up 44 sacks as a team last year.
Linebackers (5) – Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Joe Bachie, Maema Njongmeta
Outside Looking In - Devin Harper
Wilson and Pratt will return as one of the more underrated linebacker duos in the entire NFL. ADG and Joe Bachie have been great in the preseason, as they have been flying all around the field and playing great against the pass. Maema Njongmeta has been a fantastic surprise for the Bengals as he leads the defense in tackles through the preseason. If you tuned into either of the Bengals preseason games, you would have noticed Njognmeta, who has been involved in almost every play, making big hits and blowing up all run plays.
Cornerbacks (6) – Cam Taylor-Britt, Dj Turner II, Dax Hill, Mike Hilton, Josh Newton, Jalen Davis
Outside Looking In - Daijohn Anthony, Dj Ivey
One of the more interesting spots on this roster is the cornerbacks. The Bengals' secondary was weak last year, as many of the guys outside of Mike Hilton were young and made many mistakes. Cam Taylor-Britt might be one of the most underrated corners in the league, as he has proven outstanding against some of the best receivers, but he has to prove that he can be more consistent. Dax Hill switched from safety to corner, and it looked like a good move for him. Newton and Turner both showed flashes of star potential but were still young and had much to learn. Anthony and Ivey both have an excellent chance to make the roster, but Ivey is recovering from an ACL tear, and Anthony hasn't seen a ton of playtime other than on special teams.
Safeties (5) – Geno Stone, Vonn Bell, Jordan Battle, Tycen Anderson, Daijohn Anthony
Stone and Bell are expected to be the starters, as Stone signed to Cincinnati after leaving Baltimore, and Vonn Bell is back on the team after going for one season to join the Panthers. Jordan Battle has an actual argument to be a starter, as he had a solid 2023 season but did not prove to be the best in pass coverage. Tycen Anderson is back after an injury knocked him out of the 2023 season and hopes to make a name for himself this year. This is Daijohn Anthony's best shot to make the roster, as he is a Safety/corner hybrid but has proven to be better at safety. Anderson and Anthony might see more playtime on special teams, but they could also fill Trey Flowers' old spot as a tight-end eraser.
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