For years, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals has been whether the team has enough depth behind its established stars.
That question feels a lot different heading into 2026.
After finishing the preseason with a perfect 3-0 record, capped by Friday night’s convincing 30-13 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Bengals have something that NFL teams generally don’t complain about: too many players making legitimate cases for roster spots.
That’s not to say Cincinnati’s
roster is perfect. There are still questions to answer before the 53-man roster is finalized, and some players who have performed well this summer are inevitably going to wind up on the outside looking in.
But that’s precisely what makes this year’s preseason so encouraging.
As we discussed on the Orange & Black Insider, several of Cincinnati’s most difficult roster decisions aren’t necessarily the result of a lack of talent. They’re the result of the Bengals having more viable options than available spots.
And the preseason finale against Philadelphia only reinforced that point.
The defensive line might be the biggest “good problem”
It’s difficult to find a position group that has changed more dramatically than Cincinnati’s defensive line.
The Bengals entered the offseason needing to improve their interior pass rush and overall defensive-front depth. They responded by adding significant veteran talent, including Dexter Lawrence, while continuing to develop younger players such as Kris Jenkins, McKinnley Jackson, and others.
Then came the emergence of players such as Landon Robinson.
Suddenly, Cincinnati has a defensive line where some talented players could find themselves fighting simply to make the roster. The preseason finale offered another glimpse of that depth.
Isaiah Foskey and Antwaun Powell-Ryland combined for a sack on Philadelphia’s opening possession, with Powell-Ryland getting credit for the sack after the play. The Bengals’ defense consistently disrupted the Eagles early, holding Philadelphia without a touchdown until well into the second half.
Foskey, in particular, has made a strong case throughout the preseason. That’s the kind of competition Cincinnati desperately needed.
A year ago, the questions may have been whether the Bengals had enough pass-rush depth, as well as concerns surrounding the secondary and offensive line.
Now the question is: Who doesn’t make the team?
That’s a considerably better problem.
Dohnte Meyers may have eliminated one of the biggest roster questions
Few players have benefited more from the preseason than Dohnte Meyers. He entered training camp as a relatively unknown player who was trying to establish himself after playing in the CFL.
However, he leaves the preseason looking like a player the Bengals would be taking an enormous risk by trying to sneak onto the practice squad. Meyers played early on Friday night, but he made it count and exited early as well.
The receiver caught three passes for 51 yards on three targets, accounting for 51 of Cincinnati’s 60 yards on its opening drive. His catches went for nine, 17 and 25 yards. Then the Bengals wisely took him out.
Meyers finished the preseason with 11 catches for 121 yards, while also contributing 22 rushing yards, 54 kickoff-return yards and 45 punt-return yards during the preseason. At some point, the question stopped being whether Meyers could make the roster.
Now it’s more about how Cincinnati plans to use him. And that creates another good problem.
The final receiver spots could be extremely difficult
Meyers isn’t the only player who has made things complicated.
Ke’Shawn Williams caught a touchdown pass from Sean Clifford in the second half Friday night, while Charlie Jones continued to demonstrate his value as a returner and receiver. Jones had a 31-yard punt return and caught two passes for 36 yards against Philadelphia.
Williams, meanwhile, caught the 11-yard touchdown from Clifford, providing another significant moment in a preseason filled with competition for the final receiver spots. Then there are Mitchell Tinsley, Charlie Jones, Andre Iosivas, and the other receivers who have been competing for roles behind Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
The Bengals don’t simply have to determine who can catch passes.
They have to consider:
- Who contributes on special teams?
- Who can play multiple receiver positions?
- Who blocks?
- Who can return kicks or punts?
- Who has the most developmental upside?
- Who can help immediately if an injury strikes?
That’s why this isn’t simply a statistical competition. It’s a roster-construction puzzle. And the Bengals have several pieces that could fit.
Josh Johnson and Sean Clifford have made the quarterback decision fascinating
Perhaps no player has done more to complicate an otherwise straightforward roster decision than Josh Johnson. The Bengals entered camp with Joe Burrow and Joe Flacco firmly established as the top two quarterbacks.
The question was whether Cincinnati would keep a third quarterback on the 53-man roster or attempt to develop one on the practice squad. Johnson has made that decision considerably more difficult.
The 40-year-old veteran started the preseason finale and completed 12 of 19 passes for 156 yards, helping Cincinnati put nine points on the board during his first-half appearance. He had also already made a strong impression against Chicago, throwing for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Bengals’ second preseason game.
Then there’s Sean Clifford, who took over in the second half against Philadelphia and led three scoring drives, including a touchdown pass to Williams. He also looked solid against the Bears.
The Bengals probably don’t want to devote a 53-man roster spot to both (or maybe even one of them, despite the recent roster rule change on the position). But the fact that this is even a legitimate debate is another sign of the depth Cincinnati has accumulated.
The tight end room is another fascinating puzzle
The Bengals also have an unusually deep collection of tight ends.
Mike Gesicki remains a legitimate receiving threat. Drew Sample provides veteran blocking and versatility. Tanner Hudson has been a productive depth option. Jack Endries flashed during the preseason opener. And, perhaps most importantly, Erick All is attempting to return to the field and establish himself as another weapon.
The Bengals don’t necessarily need one player to dominate this position. They can potentially use the different skill sets to create matchup problems.
A healthy All could give Cincinnati another athletic option who can line up in different places, while Gesicki’s receiving ability creates another target for Joe Burrow.
The question isn’t necessarily whether Cincinnati has enough talent at tight end. It’s how many of them the Bengals can realistically keep.
The secondary has quietly created another roster battle
The preseason finale also provided another strong showing from rookie cornerback Tacario Davis.
Davis broke up a pass on Philadelphia’s opening possession and later intercepted Tanner McKee after the ball bounced off Makai Lemon. He also made a strong tackle against Carson Steele and finished with four tackles and an interception.
That’s another position where Cincinnati appears to have developed meaningful depth. Davis isn’t the only young corner competing for playing time, either.
The Bengals have veterans and young players battling for the final spots, while special teams contributions could ultimately determine which players survive the final cuts. And again, that’s the theme.
It’s not necessarily: “Do the Bengals have enough corners?”
It’s: “Which corners deserve to be here?”
Evan McPherson is another preseason winner
One position where the Bengals appear to have removed virtually all uncertainty is kicker.
Evan McPherson continued his excellent preseason Friday night, going 3-for-3 on field goals, including another 58-yarder. He also remained perfect on his extra-point attempts. That 58-yard make is particularly notable because McPherson had already connected from 58 yards against Chicago.
After a few seasons of inconsistency, McPherson appears to be entering 2026 with his confidence and long-range consistency restored. That’s another preseason storyline that should make Bengals fans feel considerably better heading into the regular season.
The most important thing about the preseason may be the depth
The Bengals’ 3-0 preseason record ultimately won’t mean much once Cincinnati opens the regular season against Tampa Bay. But the way the Bengals got there matters.
They won without relying heavily on their starters. They saw young players emerge. They watched veterans fight for roster spots. They discovered legitimate depth at positions that have been problematic in previous years.
And now comes the difficult part.
Cincinnati has to cut the roster down to 53. That means some good players won’t make it.
Some could wind up on the practice squad. Others could be claimed by another team. A few could become trade candidates. But that is the price of building a deeper roster.
The Bengals aren’t entering the final days before roster cuts desperately searching for players who can fill holes. They’re trying to figure out which players are simply too good to let go. That is a very different problem than Cincinnati has dealt with in recent years.
And if the Bengals can navigate those decisions correctly, it could become one of the biggest reasons this team is capable of taking another step in 2026.
