Jake Elliott is still kicking as a Bengal as club forms practice squad.
In a move that seemed to take everybody by surprise Sunday, rookie kicker Jake Elliott went unclaimed and now sits on the Bengals practice squad.
Both Elliott and special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons thought the loser of the kicking derby between Elliott, a fifth-rounder out of Memphis, and the veteran Randy Bullock would end up on an Opening Day roster.
The other fifth-round pick, Utah guard-center J.J. Dielman, did get claimed and is headed to the Rams. Undrafted Michigan State safety Demetrious Cox also got claimed by Carolina.
They may have been ticketed to the practice squad, which is two players shy of the maximum of ten. All eight were here during the preseason, anchored by defensive tackle DeShawn Williams. Williams spent all of his rookie year of 2015 on the practice squad before being on last season's roster for all but one week, when he was waived to make room for an extra long snapper.
The other seven are rookies, including sixth-rounder Brandon Wilson, a safety from Houston who didn't begin practice until last week after coming back from a knee injury. After keeping seven wide receivers on the roster, the Bengals are starting anew with just one receiver on the squad in Florida State rookie Kermit Whitfield, who flashed all camp with a 30-yard catch and a 16-yarder in the last two pre-season games.
The list:
LB Brandon Bell (Penn State), K Jake Elliott (Memphis); OT Kent Perkins (Texas); DT Josh Tupou (Colorado); WR Kermit Whitfield (Florida State); DT DeShawn Williams (Clemson); RB Jarveon Williams (Texas-San Antonio); S Brandon Wilson (Houston)
