How Re-Signing Super Sub Trenton Irwin Affects the Cincinnati Bengals’ WR Depth

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals are bringing back another trusted weapon for quarterback Joe Burrow with the re-signing of wide receiver Trenton Irwin.

It is a reported one-year, $2 million deal for Irwin, which is more than a 100% raise from the $940,000 the Stanford product made in 2023.

The Bengals signed Irwin to their practice squad midway through the 2019 season, and he’s developed into a reliable receiver, catching 38 passes for 547 yards and five touchdowns over the last two seasons.

His 25 catches and 316 yards in 2023 were career highs.

Bengals Re-Sign Trenton Irwin To Boost WR Depth

Irwin gives the Bengals another option in the slot with the expected departure of Tyler Boyd. In addition to Irwin, the Bengals have 2023 fourth-round pick Charlie Jones and tight ends Mike Gesicki and Tanner Hudson as options in the slot.

But Irwin’s value goes beyond what he can do in the slot. He has been most valuable when filling in for Tee Higgins when the Clemson product was forced to miss games.

In 2022, Irwin lined up in the slot on 139 of his 429 snaps (32%), while he was out wide 63% of the time (268 snaps).

#Bengals QB Joe Burrow throws a DART to Trenton Irwin 🎯#RuleTheJungle

pic.twitter.com/7bFlfIP6C0

— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 12, 2023

Irwin’s biggest game in 2023 came in Week 5 at Arizona. Higgins was out with a fractured rib, and the Cincinnati offense had been scuffling for four games as Burrow dealt with a calf injury.

With Higgins sidelined, Irwin set career highs in receptions (eight) and yards (60).

“Man, he was great. He was great today,” Burrow said of Irwin after the game. “We have so much depth in all positions across the team that I feel really good about. When you have a guy like Trenton come in when Tee goes down and come in and play the way that they did, it makes your job as a quarterback way easier because you know whatever the defense shows, you’ll be able to spread the ball around and get it to the guy you think is open.”

Irwin’s only touchdown of the season was a 32-yarder to open the scoring in a Week 10 game against the Houston Texans.

In Week 11 of 2022, Irwin started for an injured Ja’Marr Chase and caught three passes for 42 yards and a touchdown in a win at Pittsburgh. In Week 14 that year, Irwin started for a hobbled Higgins and again produced, catching two passes for a then-career-high 58 yards and a touchdown.

And in Week 16, he came off the bench when Boyd injured a finger and nabbed three receptions for 45 yards and a career-high two touchdowns.

With the way the group stands currently, Irwin would be one of the five receivers active on game day along with Chase, Higgins, Jones, and Andrei Iosivas.

Irwin will have to battle for an active spot each week if the Bengals use a high draft pick on a receiver, as expected, but his position on the 53-man roster as a quality depth piece should be secure.

KEEP READING: What Could the Cincinnati Bengals Get for Trading Wide Receiver Tee Higgins?

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