Of the many stock up, stock down notes to comb over after the preseason debut for the Cincinnati Bengals, one of the downward trends sticks out the most.
Former waiver wire claim Isaiah Williams struggled against the Philadelphia Eagles, getting just one target on the night.
And as The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. excellently writes, what Williams did with that target really stuck out as a problem:
“Williams had just one target on Thursday night. No, the lack of volume wasn’t the issue. It was what happened on that one target. Jake Browning did a decent job getting the ball off to him in traffic on third down. It might not have been the most advisable pass, but it hit Williams right in the hands, went through them and bounced off his helmet into the air. It should have been intercepted, but it fell to the ground.”
RELATED: Bengals quietly have a problem brewing on the offensive line again
Williams had a tough path to a final roster spot on a depth chart that includes Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas and Jermaine Burton at the top. Tack on Charlie Jones for his juice as a returner and Kendric Pryor as a quality depth guy.
But Williams made some headway for himself last season after arrival, proving capable as a returner, too.
After some training camp hype, though, Williams will need to make it translate to the remaining preseason games to have a chance.
RELATED: Bengals’ Tee Higgins playing key role in mentoring Jermaine Burton