This Year’s Bengals 53-Man Roster Features Surprise Elements That Haven’t Been Seen in Nearly 2 Decades

CINCINNATI – All 10 Cincinnati Bengals draft picks — and one undrafted college free agent — have made the team’s 53-man roster.

In one of the biggest surprises to come from the announced cuts, the Bengals are carrying five tight ends so they don’t have to expose the rookie sixth-round pick Tanner McLachlan to waivers.

Cincinnati Bengals Announce Initial 53-Man Roster

Third-round defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson looked as though he could be headed to IR with a knee injury, but the Bengals used their two pre-cut IR spots on punter Brad Robbins and defensive end Myles Murphy.

Both players will miss a minimum of four games.

“It just gives them four weeks to get healthy, so those timelines were right there,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “I think that’s the best thing for our team right now.”

As for Jackson, Taylor said, “The timeline is a little more favorable there.”

The team’s biggest injury issue is rookie first-round pick Amarius Mims’ pectoral. Taylor initially listed a recovery time of “several weeks.”

By avoiding IR, Mims figures to be ready shortly after the season starts. But he’s not there yet.

“I don’t expect it to be this week (that he returns to practice), so we’ll just continue to take it week to week with him,” Taylor said. “We’ll get through the mini bye there, and we’ll see where next week brings us.”

Among the cuts are two veterans who will not need to clear waivers and are free to sign with other teams immediately — quarterback Logan Woodside and cornerback Jalen Davis.

Rookie fifth-round pick Josh Newton’s impressive summer and late immersion into the slot corner role made Davis expendable.

Here is the 53-man roster:

Quarterback (2)

Starter: Joe Burrow

Backup: Jake Browning

Cut: Logan Woodside, Rocky Lombardi

Analysis: Exactly as expected, even with Browning dealing with a rib injury.

“We’ll start to progress now into work this week,” Taylor said. “We’ll limit him early on to not over-do it, but things look encouraging with Jake. So I feel good about that No. 2 spot.”

Running Back (3)

Starter: Zack Moss

Starter Adjacent: Chase Brown

Backup: Trayveon Williams

Cut: Noah Cain, Elijah Collins

Analysis: This is one of the position groups that could look different tomorrow from how it appears today.

The Bengals played Williams into the fourth quarter in Thursday night’s preseason finale and gave him 16 touches (11 rushes, five receptions).

Samaje Perine’s release in Denver could lead to a reunion in Cincinnati.

Wide Receiver (6)

Starters: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas

Backups: Charlie Jones, Trenton Irwin, Jermaine Burton

Cut: Kendric Pryor, Shedrick Jackson, Kwamie Lassiter II, Cole Burgess, Hakeem Butler

Analysis: Another cut-and-dried position group, with the only question being the status of wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and his contract hold-in.

Chase returned to practice Sunday and Monday, and Taylor said he has “looked great.”

“It’s been good to have our full complements of weapons out there, Taylor said. “It gives you the visual of what it’s going to look like. The plan is for him to continue to practice.”

Asked if he is confident Chase will play Week 1, Taylor offered a definitive “yes.”

Tight End (5)

Starter: Mike Gesicki

Backups: Drew Sample, Erick All, Tanner Hudson, Tanner McLachlan

Cut: Cam Grandy

Analysis: I’ve been tracking the initial 53-man roster since 2006, and this is the first time the Bengals have kept five tight ends, although in 2017, they kept four and listed Ryan Hewitt as a fullback.

The only other years the team kept four tight ends were 2018, Marvin Lewis’ final year, and 2019, Taylor’s first season.

Offensive Line (9)

Starters: Orlando Brown Jr., Cordell Volson, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, Trent Brown

Backups: Amarius Mims, Cody Ford, Jaxson Kirkland, Matt Lee

IR: D’Ante Smith

Cut: Trey Hill, Jackson Carman, Devin Cochran, Nate Gilliam, Eric Miller

Analysis: Seventh-round pick Lee beat out Hill, but the 2021 sixth-round pick could be back on the practice squad.

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As far as Mims, who is dealing with a pectoral injury, Taylor said he doesn’t expect him to practice this week, and they will see where he’s at next week.

Trent Brown will start at right tackle against his former team, the New England Patriots, if Mims is unable to go, or perhaps even if he is.

Defensive Tackle (6)

Starters: Sheldon Rankins, B.J. Hill

Backups: Kris Jenkins, McKinnley Jackson, Zach Carter, Jay Tufele

Cut: Carlos Davis, Domenique Davis, Travis Bell, Josh Pryor,

Analysis: This is another unusually heavy position group as the Bengals keep six defensive tackles for the first time since at least 2006.

Tufele, a waiver claim two years ago, continues to stick around as a big-bodied nose tackle who can handle some reps until Jackson is healthy.

“There’s six guys in there that can help us. We’re excited about the opportunity that they bring. Sometimes, there are conversations that are affected by other positions as well, and we just felt like we had six guys we could keep in the mix there at D tackle.”

Edge Rusher (4)

Starters: Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard

Backups: Joseph Ossai, Cedric Johnson

IR-Return: Myles Murphy

IR: Cam Sample

Cut: Justin Blazek, Andre Carter

Analysis: There was some thought Murphy’s timeline of four to six weeks could help avoid IR-Return after suffering the knee injury in the joint practice with the Colts Aug. 27.

But the Bengals are playing it safe and giving Murphy the full among of time to ensure he’s 100% when he returns.

Rookie sixth-round pick Johnson’s performance in camp and the preseason games likely played a role in the decision, giving the organization confidence that he can be a solid part of the rotation until Murphy is back.

Linebacker (5)

Starters: Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt

Backups: Joe Bachie, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Maema Njongmeta

Cut: Devin Harper, Shaka Heyward, Aaron Casey

Analysis: Njongmeta was the star of the preseason, finishing with the second-most tackles of any player in the league to make the climb from UDFA to the 53-man roster.

“Perfect attitude, terrific effort,” Taylor said as he began explaining why the Wisconsin product made the team. “He’s really had a great understanding of our defense in the limited time he’s been here, and at the end of the day, you have to make plays. And I think in the preseason, everybody’s seen him make plays. He just keeps showing up.”

Cornerback (5)

Starters: Cam Taylor-Britt, Dax Hill, Mike Hilton

Backups: DJ Turner II, Josh Newton

Cut: Jalen Davis, Allan George, Lance Robinson, Nate Brooks

Reserve/PUP: DJ Ivey II

Analysis: Look for Davis, who Taylor called “one of the best 32 nickels in the league” last year, to return on the practice squad.

Safety (5)

Starters: Geno Stone, Vonn Bell

Backups: Jordan Battle, Daijahn Anthony, Tycen Anderson

Cut: PJ Jules, Michael Dowell

Analysis: Rookie sixth-round pick Anthony did everything he needed to do to earn the spot, from recording the defense’s first interception in camp to continuing to play well through the preseason finale.

It’s the first time since 2013 the Bengals have kept five safeties, although technically there were five in 2022 when Jessie Bates III was on a roster exemption.

Specialist (3)

Kicker: Evan McPherson

Punter: Ryan Rehkow

Long Snapper: Cal Adomitis

IR-Return: Brad Robbins

Analysis: Rehkow, the undrafted college free agent, is going to have another four weeks to prove he should be the team’s punter in 2024.

Taylor said the team would not bring in another punter to compete with Rehkow while Robbins mends from his hip flexor injury.