The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Chicago Bears 27-9 on Saturday night at Paycor Stadium. While none of the projected starters played during the game, there were plenty of backups that showed they deserve a spot on the Bengals’ 53-man roster.
Connor Lew
Lew made his debut on Saturday night. This was his first game action since tearing his ACL in October while playing at Auburn. He played in only 18 total snaps on the night, but showed exactly why many people viewed him as a top 50 prospect prior to injury.
Lew has good athleticism, is a high-intelligence football player, and will not even turn 21 years old until August 30th. The Bengals have Ted Karras as their starting center for 2026, but Connor Lew is the center of the future. Landing him with a fourth-round draft selection will end up feeling like highway robbery. This guy is going to be a good one.
Colbie Young
The Bengals’ second selection in the fourth round was Colbie Young. He was impressive again this week. Finishing the game with three receptions, 48 yards, and a receiving touchdown. This guy has shown that he is a consistent chain mover, just like he was in college. His ability to gear down at the top of his breaks as a route runner with his size is a sight to behold.
The Bengals did not play Andrei Iosivas at all during the game, signaling that he will once again start the season as a starter at wide receiver. I have a hard time seeing him keeping that job all season long. Young and Dohnte Meyers should both get opportunities, and when they do, I think we’ll see a lot more Colbie Young as the year progresses.
Either way, Young will have opportunities this season, and he looks like a player with a bright future in Cincinnati.
Brian Parker II
I thought Bengals sixth-round selection Brian Parker II looked the part of a future starting offensive lineman again this week. He took snaps at both left and right guard, a week after playing both left guard and center. Primarily a right tackle at Duke, versatility is the calling card for Parker this upcoming season for the Bengals.
As he continues getting used to playing more on the interior, he has the luxury to learn from veterans like Ted Karras and Dalton Risner. That should only help him in the future. Already, he looks like a player who could start in Cincinnati for many, many years to come.
Jack Endries
Endries didn’t have as big of a standout performance catching the ball as he did during the first preseason game. He finished the night with just one reception for 7 yards. He was targeted three times during the night, with one of them turning into an underthrow that was intercepted by the Bears. He did finish the night with some respectable blocking grades, with a 67.6 pass-blocking grade and a 61.1 run-blocking grade.
Endries is still in a battle to make the 53-man roster. If the Bengals elect to keep just four tight ends, the final spot will likely come down to either Endries or Tanner Hudson. Hudson finished the night with two receptions for 17 yards and a receiving touchdown. I still feel like Endries finds his way on the roster, but a bigger game in the preseason finale on Thursday would boost his case even more.
