The Cincinnati Bengals started training camp on July 27th, and we’ve seen a few back of the roster guys open some eyes during the practices since. The Bengals front office and coaching staff will have some difficult decisions when it comes time to cut the roster down to 53 men. Let’s take a closer look at some of the players that will make those decisions so difficult.
Quarterback
The quarterback room has some intrigue now that fourth-round pick Ryan Finley is in the mix. He hasn’t been very impressive so far in camp, but the Bengals moved up in the fourth round to draft him so he’s going to make the final roster. The question is how many quarterbacks the Bengals decide to roster.
Jeff Driskel struggled while filling in for Dalton last season, but I’m not sure the Bengals feel comfortable with Finley as the primary backup just yet. There is also some speculation out there that Zac Taylor might use Driskel in a Taysom Hill-type role.
Jake Dolegala is another guy in the mix here as an UDFA. He’s a long shot to leapfrog Finley and Driskel, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bengals stash him on the practice squad. He’s a strong-armed quarterback who has a lot of upside. He could be a potential contributor as a backup down the road.
Final Prediction: Andy Dalton, Ryan Finley and Jeff Driskel
Running Back
The Bengals invested heavily in the running back position during the draft. They took Trayveon Williams and Rodney Anderson in the sixth round. It seemed clear which backs would be on the final roster less than a week ago. However, things got interesting when the Bengals announced that Rodney Anderson passed his physical and was cleared for practice.
Joe Mixon is going to be the main guy in the backfield, but I think Zac Taylor will spread out the carries amongst his running backs more than Bengals coaches have done in the past. I think it’s conceivable that the Bengals keep four running backs on their final roster.
Final Prediction: Joe Mixon, Giovani Bernard, Trayveon Williams and Rodney Anderson
Wide Receiver
The wide receiver group is the most intriguing to me. A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, and John Ross are locks to make the roster. Josh Malone and Alex Erickson appear to be safe bets to make it as well, based on what we’re hearing in camp. We might even see an expanded role for Erickson this season in Zac Taylor’s new offense. However, the rest of the wide receiver room is going to be in a tight battle for those final two spots (assuming they decide to keep seven).
Cody Core, Damion Willis, Stanley Morgan Jr, and Auden Tate are all trying to prove they’re worthy of spot on the 53-man roster.
Cody Core has had a lackluster career as a receiver to this point, but he provides a lot of value on special teams. That’s something that’s very important to coaches when they’re deciding on back of the roster guys.
Damion Willis has been the talk of Bengals camp so far. It seems like he’s creating a new highlight every day in practice. He needs to continue to flash during the preseason games coming up, but the Bengals might have themselves a hidden gem in Willis.
Stanley Morgan Jr. was immediately pegged as an UDFA who could crack the 53-man roster when he was signed. He’s been overshadowed by the emergence of Willis, but that doesn’t mean he’s played poorly. Those who have watched practice have stated that he looks like he belongs out there. Morgan Jr. will have an opportunity to prove it throughout the preseason.
Auden Tate is a guy who the fans want to see make the roster. It seemed as though Marvin Lewis wasn’t a big fan of Tate and didn’t give him a lot of opportunities. Hopefully he embraces a fresh start with Zac Taylor. Tate is a big receiver who catches almost every ball he can get his hands on. However, he’s going to have to prove he can separate and contribute on special teams if he’s going to make the final roster.
Final Prediction: A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, John Ross, Alex Erickson, Josh Malone, Damion Willis and Cody Core
Tight End
This is the first position group we’re going to cover that is cut and dry. Tyler Eifert, C.J. Uzomah, and Drew Sample are going to be the three guys who make the final 53. There are guys like Jordan Franks and Mason Schreck who end up on the practice squad, but the top three guys are Eifert, Uzomah, and Sample.
Final Prediction: Tyler Eifert, CJ Uzomah and Drew Sample
Offensive Line
We have a good idea who four of the five starting offensive linemen will be for this Bengals team. The left guard position is the lone spot up for grabs. It’s a battle between Christian Westerman, John Jerry, Trey Hopkins, and Michael Jordan. Jerry appears to be the front runner by a small margin right now, but that could change over the course of training camp. If some of the back of the roster guys hope to make the team, it’s going to be as a depth piece.
One guy to watch out for is former Texas A&M guard O’Shea Dugas. He played for offensive line coach Jim Turner in college so he has an advantage in that regard. However, as an undrafted free agent, it’s going to be an uphill battle for him to make the roster.
Andre Smith is the guy who Dugas is going to have to outperform to crack the final 53 man roster. Smith was brought back yet again by the Bengals, who can’t seem to stop signing retreads for some reason. Smith likely earns a roster spot due to his experience. Dugas could possibly outperform him in pre-season and leapfrog him though. In my mind, Smith and Dugas are really going to be the two battling for that final roster spot.
Final Prediction: Cordy Glenn, Bobby Hart, John Miller, Billy Price, Christian Westerman, John Jerry, Michael Jordan, Trey Hopkins and Andre Smith
