The Bengals begin prepping for Tuesday's joint practice with the visiting Colts riding a strong defensive effort by their backups during last Saturday's preseason game in Chicago.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has indicated the workout on the Kettering Health Practice Fields could be the last time his starters are seen before the Sept. 8 opener at Paycor Stadium against the New England Patriots.
The backups get their final shot to make the roster in Thursday's preseason finale (8 p.m.-Prime Video) against the Colts at Paycor with the final cuts for the 53-man roster coming the following Tuesday.
In a game where the Bengals played the Bears' offensive starters and overall No. 1 pick Caleb Williams for a half, Cincinnati held Chicago to fewer than 300 yards and 3.8 yards per 24 rushes.
Standouts included second-round defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr., undrafted linebacker Maema Njongmeta and former practice squad linebacker Shaka Heyward, vying for a spot on the 53.
Saturday's action looked to tighten both that competition for the fifth and final backer spot and the battles along the offensive line. That's where two more developing young players staked their claims for the roster.
Jaxson Kirkland, another practice squad player from last season, moved out from left guard to play all but ten snaps of Saturday's game at left tackle and put himself firmly in the mix for a swing role. Rookie Matt Lee, their last pick in the seventh round, played all 63 snaps at center and didn't allow a pressure, per Pro Football Focus.
A look at the roster. (NFL seasons in parentheses:)
QUARTERBACKS (4)
Joe Burrow (5), Logan Woodside (5), Jake Browning (2), Rocky Lombardi (R)
Not a great week to throw in the Windy City. Burrow had to deal with a few soaked and tipped drops in practice, and Woodside went through a driving rain in the game. It sounds like they're being cautious with Browning (rib) and he'll be ready for the opener. If past is prologue, they'll keep Burrow and Browning on the roster.
Burrow says he's ready for the Patriots on Sept. 8x, and you have to believe him. When he goes through Tuesday's workout with the Colts, it gives him the heaviest training camp load of his pro career. Under his belt will be two joint practices, one touchdown drive in a preseason game and 16 practices of reps.
WIDE RECEIVERS (11)
Tee Higgins (5), Trenton Irwin (5), Ja'Marr Chase (4), Hakeem Butler (2), Andrei Iosivas (2), Charlie Jones (2), Kendric Pryor (2), Shed Jackson (1), Kwamie Lassiter II (1), Cole Burgess (R), Jermaine Burton (R).
Jones (knee) looks like he's progressing well. If he can't go in the practice against the Colts, he'll certainly be ready for the opener, where he'll return punts and kicks. The way it's breaking down with injuries, they figure to keep six receivers with really the only question if all are going to be active on game day.
For the second straight game, Burton had their longest play, this one for 19 yards on third down. How about what he did Saturday, returning punts and kicks for the first time in his life in a game on sheer talent? With some reps, he really could be dangerous. He's still developing, but the potential is obvious. From scrimmage or on teams.
TIGHT ENDS (6)
Mike Gesicki (7), Drew Sample (6), Tanner Hudson (5), Erick All Jr. (R), Cam Gandy (R), Tanner McLachlan (R)
Tough room. All signs point to them keeping four. With All taking 36 of the snaps Saturday, he'll be one of them with his ACL rehab behind him. The other two rookies, McLachlan and Gandy, have flashed in games. Pro Football Focus graded McLachlan, a sixth-round pick, as the Bengals' highest-graded offensive player. But he played only 19 snaps. The undrafted Gandy played fewer than that on a depth chart led by Gesicki, Sample and Hudson.
RUNNING BACKS (6)
Trayveon Williams (6), Zack Moss (5), Chris Evans (4), Chase Brown (2), Noah Cain (R), Elijah Collins (R)
According to reports, Evans (knee) suffered a season-ending injury during Thursday's practice, and that would seem to cement the decision to go with three running backs. Of course, they could always re-set. But in the meantime, Williams showed you in Saturday's game why he's been here six seasons. He converted a fourth-and-one with a resourceful catch, displaying his reliability and versatility.
OFFENSIVE LINE (15)
RT Trent Brown (10), C Ted Karras (9), LT Orlando Brown Jr. (7), RG Alex Cappa (7), G-T Cody Ford (6), T Jackson Carman (4), C-G Trey Hill (4), T D'Ante Smith (4), LG Cordell Volson (3), T Devin Cochran (2), C Nate Gilliam (1), G Jaxson Kirkland (1), C Matt Lee (R), RT Eric Miller (R), RT Amarius Mims (R).
The young guys who needed a big outing in their roster bids came through. Just look at PFF's two top blocking grades for Saturday. Kirkland shot out from left guard to left tackle for all but 10 of the 63 snaps to take the top spot, and Lee played every snap and graded out at No. 2.
Kirkland, who played left tackle at Washington before spending his rookie year last season on the Bengals' practice squad, made his mark here by mixing it up at guard with a physical game. But against the Bears, he impressed in his effort to lock up a swing roster spot when he went outside and allowed one hurry, no hits and no sacks in 33 pass blocks (via PFF), several against the Chicago Ones. One of his foes, end DeMarcus Walker, has 23 career sacks.
Lee, the seventh-rounder from the University of Miami, came full circle when he went all the way Saturday and made a bid for the No. 2 center job behind Karras. Lee showed real strength against the Bears' huge tackle regulars, among them old friend Andrew Billings, the former 6-1, 311-pound former Bengal. Lee allowed no pressures on 39 pass blocks, via PFF.
And if you listen to Lee on the Bengals' postgame radio show fluently speaking third-down protections with old Cincy center (and guard and tackle) Dave Lapham, you know why they think he's smart enough to make the jump.
It has been reported that Smith (knee) is lost for the year, a very tough injury to watch Thursday in Chicago. It looked like he was on the verge of being the 10th lineman, but now they'll probably stick with their usual 53-man complement of nine.
They seem pretty set at tackle even though it is unclear when they'll get back Mims (strained shoulder). They still have the two Browns, as well as Ford. If Kirkland makes it, he's another swing guard-tackle. As Lee made his run, Hill, an athletic depth piece for three seasons as a backup guard-center, suffered three different penalties Saturday.
DEFENSIVE LINE (18)
T Sheldon Rankins (9), E Trey Hendrickson (8), T B.J. Hill (7), E Sam Hubbard (7), E Joseph Ossai (4), T Jay Tufele (4), T Zach Carter (3), T Carlos Davis (3), T Travis Bell (2), T Devonnsha Maxwell (2), E Myles Murphy (2), T Joshua Pryor (2), T Domenique Davis (1), E Justin Blazek (R), E Andre Carter (R), T McKinnley Jackson (R), T Kris Jenkins Jr. (R), E Cedric Johnson (R).
Jenkins, the second-rounder and a guy they need to crack the regular rotation, keeps getting better and is playing more confidently. Signs on Saturday weren't only his spin-move sack against the Bears' starters, but he also proved effective gumming up Chicago's early run game. In his 14 snaps, PFF had him as the Bengals' highest-rated defensive lineman.
Jackson, the third-rounder, hasn't been able to play in the preseason games, but he probably makes the roster. The season-ending injury to tackle-end Cam Sample (Achilles) prevents a numbers crunch at this spot, so they'll most likely stick with the usual 10: five ends and five tackles.
The Sample injury also cut into the preseason playing time for Ossai and Murphy, who both had 14 snaps Saturday, most of them when the Bengals shut down the Bears Ones.
After Saturday's workman-like day, all signs point to the rookie Johnson being the fifth edge. He played 22 snaps on defense, where he had a tackle for a loss, and 10 more on special teams, where he had another tackle. Johnson keeps getting good rushes. PFF had him for two pressures on a dozen rushes, and he just missed a sack of the quarterback Williams.
LINEBACKERS (8)
Germaine Pratt (6), Joe Bachie (5), Akeem Davis-Gaither (5), Logan Wilson (5), Devin Harper (3), Shaka Heyward (1), Aaron Casey (R), Maema Njongmeta (R).
PFF's top three defensive players Saturday were Heyward, Bachie and Davis-Gaither. Bachie and Davis-Gaither showed why they're roster locks, and Heyward and Njongmeta showed why they're vying for that fifth spot. Is it Maema's to lose going into Thursday's finale?
He just keeps making plays. He's led the team in tackles both games, but it is plays like the one right after the Jenkins sack in the red zone Saturday that show his vision and anticipation. He instinctively saw a screen pass, swam through traffic and helped Carter drop fullback Khari Blasingame for nothing.
SECONDARY (17)
S Vonn Bell (9), CB Mike Hilton (8), CB Jalen Davis (5), S Geno Stone (5), S Tycen Anderson (3), CB Dax Hill (3), CB Cam Taylor-Britt (3), S Jordan Battle (2), CB Nate Brooks (2), CB DJ Ivey (2), CB DJ Turner II (2), CB Allan George (1), S Daijahn Anthony (R), S Michael Dowell (R), S PJ Jules (R), CB Josh Newton (R), CB Lance Robinson (R).
No surprise here if they go as many 11 DBs because they've got them.
No panic on Newton, who gave up some long balls Saturday, but that doesn't take away from his terrific camp. Typical rookie experience. Don't forget his play early in the game, when he was all over 1,300-yard receiver DJ Moore and cleanly knocked away a third-down slant.
Anthony had a rough penalty on the first punt of the game, when his facemask penalty negated Burton's 24-yard return, but he continues to do impressive things. He fought through 33 snaps Saturday (24 on defense) with a fractured nose and groin pull and didn't get a pass thrown his way in 15 coverage snaps. His versatility reminds them of former safety Tre Flowers and, like Flowers, he could have a niche as a tight ends specialist.
Anderson eased his way back in Saturday, playing his first 15 snaps since tearing his ACL last season. He also worked 10 in the kicking game, which is his specialty.
The Hill-Turner battle to see who is going to be the Opening Day cornerback opposite Taylor-Britt looks to be heading into Tuesday's practice against the Colts.
SPECIALISTS (4)
K Evan McPherson (4), LS Cal Adomitis (3), P Brad Robbins (2), P Ryan Rehkow (R)
Let's see. McPherson is averaging 120 points per year. At that pace, he'll have 834 career points at the end of his extension in 2027, behind only Jim Breech's 1,151 points in club annals. Given Robbins' hip injury, Rehkow is the leader for Opening Day. He had some mis-hits Saturday (41-yard net on six punts), but he's got the biggest leg they've had in years.
