The Cincinnati Bengals trimmed the roster to 53 players over the weekend and formed a smaller-than-expected practice squad.
More moves are on the way from the offices at Paycor Stadium, no doubt. But Joe Burrow’s Bengals have the foundation in place with an emphasis on leadership and upside after the all-in offseason built around moves like the Dexter Lawrence trade.
Here’s a quick look at some winners and lingering questions around the Bengals before Week 1.
Bengals winners from final cuts, practice squad
Dohnte Meyers and Landon Robinson
How about this fan favorite duo?
Dohnte Meyers’ stunning rise to the Bengals’ final roster is one of the best overall stories of training camp around the NFL. After a quiet career turned into CFL work and eventually a chance in the NFL, Meyers is suddenly cracking depth charts with names like
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Not bad.
Then there’s Landon Robinson, the rookie out of Navy who cracked the same depth chart as Jonathan Allen and Dexter Lawrence despite being a seventh-round pick. He bullied his way onto a roster that wasn’t necessarily ready to give up on the McKinnley Jackson era, among others.
Jacob Bayer and Javon Foster
Two offensive linemen who weren’t locks at all to make the 53 did just that. Javon Foster’s rise was so solid that coaches cut Cody Ford loose early. And Jacob Bayer was pretty undeniable as an interior lineman this summer, to the point that he looked like he might have some trade value. Instead, the Bengals have some long-term options now that solid-looking rookie Brian Parker starts the year on injured reserve.
Swayze Bozeman
Who? Might be the reaction even for Bengals faithful. The club quietly added Swayze Bozeman in May via waiver wire claim. All he did was flash in camp and preseason when asked, knocking names like Shaka Heyward off the roster. He’ll need to fight if the Bengals add more help soon, but he’s been more than capable in a scrap so far.
Biggest questions remaining around Bengals
Will the Bengals add more running backs?
The Bengals kept three backs on the final roster: Samaje Perine, Chase Brown, Tahj Brooks.
Is that enough?
Keep in mind, the Bengals had an iffy looking bit of depth at the spot in 2024 and by November had to pull off a rare trade to find emergency help. They have Kentrel Bullock and Kendall Milton on the initial practice squad right now, but it’s worth wondering if they don’t keep an eye on waivers and free agency for more immediate help.
Bengals linebacker depth: Weakness again?
The Swayze Bozeman story is fun. But so was signing Oren Burks one year ago and calling it a day on pretty shaky-looking linebacker depth. Logan Wilson demanded his trade and the backups, nor Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter, were ready.
Now, the Bengals are all-in on Knight and Carter. But keeping just four linebackers on the roster, three from last year and one unknown surprise, feels like repeating the same mistakes. The room wouldn’t cut it for nearly 31 other teams.
Who joins the Bengals practice squad?
Right now, the Bengals have the following names on the practice squad:
- --HB Kentrel Bullock
- --QB Sean Clifford
- --DT Howard Cross III
- --DE Isaiah Foskey
- --LB Joe Giles-Harris
- --LB Shaka Heyward
- --CB Bralyn Lux
- --HB Kendall Milton
- --WR Jordan Moore
- --WR Noah Thomas
- --S Russ Yeast
The Bengals can add five more. They might be waiting to see where some of their cut players land, if anywhere. Guys like Mitchell Tinsley have already joined other teams with more immediate paths to 53 spots and playing time, though.
This isn’t an emergency thing, but the Bengals will want to fill the squad out with guys they can call up in a pinch.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: 5 winners and 3 questions from Bengals’ final cuts, practice squad
