The Cincinnati Bengals have quite a few interesting undrafted free agents who might have the talent to push for a final roster spot.
But 2020 might not be kind to those undrafted players.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, NFL teams might elect to bring fewer than 90 players to training camp this year in an effort to reduce risk of COVID-19.
In Cincinnati’s case, they’re already hovering around the 84 mark — Schefter says he’s heard predictions of 80-player camps or even 75.
Should the Bengals choose to trim the list of permitted players on campus for camp, undrafted free agents are presumably the first names to go.
That’s a tough outlook for a talented linebacker like Marcel Spears, defensive lineman Tyler Clark or even edge defender Kendall Futrell.
It’ll be interesting to see if NFL teams come up with a workaround for this (such as splitting the 90ish players into two groups). But if it becomes the norm, the Bengals don’t figure to go away from what the majority of NFL teams are doing — which is why their rookies remain unsigned and Trae Waynes has yet to sign his free-agent contract.
Keep in mind with the preseason already cut by two games, there aren’t going to be a ton of reps for undrafted players as it is. Veterans like Waynes will need more time than usual to get in shape and all the reps need to go to the starters and immediate depth players.
For what it’s worth, there are at least five undrafted players who have a noteworthy shot of making the final roster in Cincinnati.
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