The Cincinnati Bengals moved to 2-0 in the preseason Saturday night, taking down the Chicago Bears 27-9 at Paycor Stadium. With Zac Taylor choosing to rest Cincinnati’s starters following Thursday’s joint practice, the game was primarily about giving the players fighting for roster spots another opportunity to make their case. They certainly took advantage of it. The Bengals’ backups held their own against a Bears team that played a number of its starters, and Cincinnati eventually pulled away for a convincing
victory.
One of the biggest stories was Dohnte Meyers, who continued his remarkable push for a roster spot, while Colbie Young also made an impact with a touchdown reception. The defense did its part as well, limiting Chicago to three field goals and nine total points, with rookie Landon Robinson among those making noise up front. Evan McPherson remained automatic, hitting both of his field-goal attempts—including a 58-yarder—and all three extra points.
But here’s the discussion topic: what do we make of Josh Johnson?
The 40-year-old veteran quarterback turned in one of the better performances of the night, completing 15 of 23 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He connected with Young for a 17-yard touchdown and later found Tanner Hudson for a six-yard score, helping Cincinnati take a 17-9 lead into halftime.
Obviously, nobody is suggesting Johnson is going to challenge Joe Burrow for the starting job. But the Bengals brought him back because of his experience, knowledge of NFL offenses and ability to step into a difficult situation if needed. And if Cincinnati is looking for a veteran No. 3 quarterback who can keep the offense functional in an emergency, Johnson’s performance Saturday certainly didn’t hurt his case.
In fact, considering how well he operated the offense and the fact that Cincinnati’s other veteran quarterback, Joe Flacco, remains ahead of him on the depth chart, it’s worth asking whether Johnson has already done enough to secure his roster spot.
What did you think of Josh Johnson’s performance against Chicago? Is he a lock for the 53-man roster, or is the quarterback room, or might they go light there (just Joe Burrow and Joe Flacco) to bolster other deep positions?
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