Predicting the Cincinnati Bengals’ Final 53-Man Roster

The Cincinnati Bengals finished up their preseason schedule last night in Philadelphia, giving coaches one last look at players still fighting for roster spots.

With roster cuts having to be made by Aug. 30 at 6 p.m., it’s time to take a look at the projected 53-man roster following the conclusion of the preseason.

Quarterback (2): Joe Burrow, Joe Flacco

Both Josh Johnson and Sean Clifford played well enough over the last few weeks to earn a practice squad spot, but with how Flacco played last season in relief, there’s no reason for the Bengals to keep more than two QBs.

Running back (3): Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, Tahj Brooks

Brown will be the workhorse back of this room. Perine will likely be used on passing downs and a little bit in short-yardage situations, and Brooks has shown himself to be an explosive option to have on the bench if another back gets banged up.

Wide receiver (6): Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Colbie Young, Dohnte Meyers, Charlie Jones

Young and Meyers flashed a lot in training camp and throughout the preseason, allowing them to fully lock down a spot on the main roster. It’s a toss-up between Jones and Mitchell Tinsley for that final spot, but I went with Jones because of his bigger role on special teams.

Tight end (5): Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson, Erick All Jr., Jack Endries

Endries came out and shined as a rookie in the preseason, earning him a spot with All, who is returning from injury, and the three veterans at the position.

Offensive line (9): Orlando Brown Jr., Dalton Risner, Ted Karras, Dylan Fairchild, Amarius Mims, Connor Lew, Brian Parker, Jalen Rivers, Andrew Coker

I would have had Cody Ford on the list, but he was released earlier in the week, giving Coker his first look on the main roster. Should a starter go down, it could be interesting to see who steps in from the bench and where.

Defensive line (10): Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, Cashius Howell, Shemar Stewart, Myles Murphy, B.J. Hill, Landon Robinson, T.J. Slaton Jr., Kris Jenkins Jr.

This one was pretty easy for me because of the new additions pushing people out. I think all 10 will see the field at some point, and the Bengals will use a lot of guys to keep everyone fresh on Sundays. Robinson is an under-the-radar name to watch for earning a bigger role.

Linebacker (4): Barrett Carter, Demetrius Knight Jr., Oren Burks, Swayze Bozeman

As someone who covered Jack Dingle at UC, it was tough to cut him, but Swayze Bozeman quietly played himself into a second-string role throughout training camp.

Cornerback (7): Dax Hill, D.J. Turner II, Jalen Davis, Josh Newton, Tacario Davis, D.J. Ivey, Ja’Sir Taylor

This is another group that was fairly easy to cut down. Hill, Turner and Davis will see the bulk of the work this year, but look for Tacario Davis to come on and challenge for playing time.

Safety (4): Bryan Cook, Jordan Battle, Kyle Duggar, PJ Jules

Cook was a huge addition to the secondary over the offseason, but the Bengals still need Battle to take that next step to keep his starting role. Duggar will see the field in coverage-heavy packages, and Jules will likely be on special teams.

Special teams (3): Evan McPherson, Ryan Rehkow, William Wagner

The special teams will round out the 53-man roster. All three guys are back for another season, giving the roster some stability on the place-kicking and punt teams.