Bengals head coach Zac Taylor released his first depth chart of 2024 Monday, an exercise coaches like to say isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
So, for what it's worth, seniority carries the day, particularly on offense, where right tackle Trent Brown, running back Zack Moss, and tight end Drew Sample are listed as the starters and Trenton Irwin is the third wide receiver.
On defense, cornerback DJ Turner starts the season the way he ended the last, as the starter opposite No. 1 cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt. The free-agent safety tandem of Vonn Bell and Geno Stone replaces Dax Hill and Jordan Battle.
Hill, who made the switch to cornerback in the offseason, is listed behind Turner. Rookie Josh Newton, getting some snaps with the Ones, is listed with the third-team cornerbacks.
Battle is backing up Bell, the leader on the defense with 122 NFL games. Sheldon Rankins, the nine-year vet in his first season as a Bengal, is teamed with B.J. Hill at defensive tackle.
In the runup to Saturday's preseason opener against Tampa Bay at Paycor Stadium (7 p.m.-Cincinnati's FOX 19), Taylor has indicated with a healthy Joe Burrow at quarterback he'll do what he hasn't done since 2021 and play many of his offensive starters in the first game.
Although first-round pick Amarius Mims has been the rage of training camp at right tackle and Trent Brown is expected to practice for the first time as a Bengal Monday, Brown, a 10-year vet with a Super Bowl ring, got the call on the chart.
Moss, a free-agent on his third team heading into his fifth season, is backed up by the second-year Chase Brown. Irwin, embroiled in a terrific joust with sophomores Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones for the No. 3 receiver spot that could be by committee, is the most senior player in the receiver room with key catches for two playoff teams.
Mike Gesicki, the new tight end with three seasons of at least 50 catches and seven years in the league, is listed behind Sample, in his sixth season as a Bengal.
College free agent Austin McNamara, signed draft weekend, is No. 2 behind incumbent punter Brad Robbins. CFA Ryan Rehkow, who joined the club last week, is listed next.
Tycen Anderson, coming off ACL surgery, just started mixing in with team work as he starts his third season and is backing up Stone at safety ahead of a crop of rookies.
