{"id":986066,"date":"2026-08-29T04:24:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T04:24:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/986066\/"},"modified":"2026-08-29T04:24:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T04:24:17","slug":"the-bengals-have-some-very-good-problems-to-solve-before-final-cuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/986066\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bengals have some very good problems to solve before final cuts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">For years, one of the biggest questions surrounding the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cincyjungle.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Cincinnati Bengals<\/a> has been whether the team has enough depth behind its established stars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">That question feels a lot different heading into 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">After finishing the preseason with a perfect 3-0 record, capped by Friday night\u2019s convincing 30-13 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Bengals have something that NFL teams generally don\u2019t complain about: too many players making legitimate cases for roster spots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">That\u2019s not to say Cincinnati\u2019s roster is perfect. There are still questions to answer before the 53-man roster is finalized, and some players who have performed well this summer are inevitably going to wind up on the outside looking in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">But that\u2019s precisely what makes this year\u2019s preseason so encouraging.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">As we discussed on the Orange &amp; Black Insider, several of Cincinnati\u2019s most difficult roster decisions aren\u2019t necessarily the result of a lack of talent. They\u2019re the result of the Bengals having more viable options than available spots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">And the preseason finale against Philadelphia only reinforced that point.<\/p>\n<p>The defensive line might be the biggest \u201cgood problem\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">It\u2019s difficult to find a position group that has changed more dramatically than Cincinnati\u2019s defensive line.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Bengals entered the offseason needing to improve their interior pass rush and overall defensive-front depth. They responded by adding significant veteran talent, including Dexter Lawrence, while continuing to develop younger players such as Kris Jenkins, McKinnley Jackson, and others.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Then came the emergence of players such as Landon Robinson.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Suddenly, Cincinnati has a defensive line where some talented players could find themselves fighting simply to make the roster. The preseason finale offered another glimpse of that depth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Isaiah Foskey and Antwaun Powell-Ryland combined for a sack on Philadelphia\u2019s opening possession, with Powell-Ryland getting credit for the sack after the play. The Bengals\u2019 defense consistently disrupted the Eagles early, holding Philadelphia without a touchdown until well into the second half.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Foskey, in particular, has made a strong case throughout the preseason. That\u2019s the kind of competition Cincinnati desperately needed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">A year ago, the questions may have been whether the Bengals had enough pass-rush depth, as well as concerns surrounding the secondary and offensive line.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Now the question is: Who doesn\u2019t make the team?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">That\u2019s a considerably better problem.<\/p>\n<p>Dohnte Meyers may have eliminated one of the biggest roster questions<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Few players have benefited more from the preseason than Dohnte Meyers. He entered training camp as a relatively unknown player who was trying to establish himself after playing in the CFL.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">However, he leaves the preseason looking like a player the Bengals would be taking an enormous risk by trying to sneak onto the practice squad. Meyers played early on Friday night, but he made it count and exited early as well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The receiver caught three passes for 51 yards on three targets, accounting for 51 of Cincinnati\u2019s 60 yards on its opening drive. His catches went for nine, 17 and 25 yards. Then the Bengals wisely took him out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Meyers finished the preseason with 11 catches for 121 yards, while also contributing 22 rushing yards, 54 kickoff-return yards and 45 punt-return yards during the preseason. At some point, the question stopped being whether Meyers could make the roster.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Now it\u2019s more about how Cincinnati plans to use him. And that creates another good problem.<\/p>\n<p>The final receiver spots could be extremely difficult<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Meyers isn\u2019t the only player who has made things complicated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Ke\u2019Shawn Williams caught a touchdown pass from Sean Clifford in the second half Friday night, while Charlie Jones continued to demonstrate his value as a returner and receiver. Jones had a 31-yard punt return and caught two passes for 36 yards against Philadelphia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Williams, meanwhile, caught the 11-yard touchdown from Clifford, providing another significant moment in a preseason filled with competition for the final receiver spots. Then there are Mitchell Tinsley, Charlie Jones, Andre Iosivas, and the other receivers who have been competing for roles behind Ja\u2019Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Bengals don\u2019t simply have to determine who can catch passes.<\/p>\n<p>Who contributes on special teams?Who can play multiple receiver positions?Who blocks?Who can return kicks or punts?Who has the most developmental upside?Who can help immediately if an injury strikes?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">That\u2019s why this isn\u2019t simply a statistical competition. It\u2019s a roster-construction puzzle. And the Bengals have several pieces that could fit.<\/p>\n<p>Josh Johnson and Sean Clifford have made the quarterback decision fascinating<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Perhaps no player has done more to complicate an otherwise straightforward roster decision than Josh Johnson. The Bengals entered camp with Joe Burrow and Joe Flacco firmly established as the top two quarterbacks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The question was whether Cincinnati would keep a third quarterback on the 53-man roster or attempt to develop one on the practice squad. Johnson has made that decision considerably more difficult.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The 40-year-old veteran started the preseason finale and completed 12 of 19 passes for 156 yards, helping Cincinnati put nine points on the board during his first-half appearance. He had also already made a strong impression against Chicago, throwing for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Bengals\u2019 second preseason game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Then there\u2019s Sean Clifford, who took over in the second half against Philadelphia and led three scoring drives, including a touchdown pass to Williams. He also looked solid against the Bears.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Bengals probably don\u2019t want to devote a 53-man roster spot to both (or maybe even one of them, despite the recent roster rule change on the position). But the fact that this is even a legitimate debate is another sign of the depth Cincinnati has accumulated.<\/p>\n<p>The tight end room is another fascinating puzzle<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Bengals also have an unusually deep collection of tight ends.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Mike Gesicki remains a legitimate receiving threat. Drew Sample provides veteran blocking and versatility. Tanner Hudson has been a productive depth option. Jack Endries flashed during the preseason opener. And, perhaps most importantly, Erick All is attempting to return to the field and establish himself as another weapon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Bengals don\u2019t necessarily need one player to dominate this position. They can potentially use the different skill sets to create matchup problems.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">A healthy All could give Cincinnati another athletic option who can line up in different places, while Gesicki\u2019s receiving ability creates another target for Joe Burrow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The question isn\u2019t necessarily whether Cincinnati has enough talent at tight end. It\u2019s how many of them the Bengals can realistically keep.<\/p>\n<p>The secondary has quietly created another roster battle<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The preseason finale also provided another strong showing from rookie cornerback Tacario Davis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Davis broke up a pass on Philadelphia\u2019s opening possession and later intercepted Tanner McKee after the ball bounced off Makai Lemon. He also made a strong tackle against Carson Steele and finished with four tackles and an interception.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">That\u2019s another position where Cincinnati appears to have developed meaningful depth. Davis isn\u2019t the only young corner competing for playing time, either.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Bengals have veterans and young players battling for the final spots, while special teams contributions could ultimately determine which players survive the final cuts. And again, that\u2019s the theme.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">It\u2019s not necessarily: \u201cDo the Bengals have enough corners?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">It\u2019s: \u201cWhich corners deserve to be here?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Evan McPherson is another preseason winner<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">One position where the Bengals appear to have removed virtually all uncertainty is kicker.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Evan McPherson continued his excellent preseason Friday night, going 3-for-3 on field goals, including another 58-yarder. He also remained perfect on his extra-point attempts. That 58-yard make is particularly notable because McPherson had already connected from 58 yards against Chicago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">After a few seasons of inconsistency, McPherson appears to be entering 2026 with his confidence and long-range consistency restored. That\u2019s another preseason storyline that should make Bengals fans feel considerably better heading into the regular season.<\/p>\n<p>The most important thing about the preseason may be the depth<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Bengals\u2019 3-0 preseason record ultimately won\u2019t mean much once Cincinnati opens the regular season against Tampa Bay. But the way the Bengals got there matters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">They won without relying heavily on their starters. They saw young players emerge. They watched veterans fight for roster spots. They discovered legitimate depth at positions that have been problematic in previous years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">And now comes the difficult part.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Cincinnati has to cut the roster down to 53. That means some good players won\u2019t make it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">Some could wind up on the practice squad. Others could be claimed by another team. A few could become trade candidates. But that is the price of building a deeper roster.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">The Bengals aren\u2019t entering the final days before roster cuts desperately searching for players who can fill holes. They\u2019re trying to figure out which players are simply too good to let go. That is a very different problem than Cincinnati has dealt with in recent years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1upudxki _174s0un1 _174s0un0 _1mt21p01\">And if the Bengals can navigate those decisions correctly, it could become one of the biggest reasons this team is capable of taking another step in 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For years, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals has been whether the team has enough&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":986067,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2053],"tags":[228,227,256,87463,64765,55526,4226,10212,4228,6977,2296,7,6],"class_list":["post-986066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cincinnati-bengals","tag-bengals","tag-cincinnati","tag-cincinnati-bengals","tag-cincinnati-bengals-discussion","tag-cincinnati-bengals-podcast-the-orange-black-insider","tag-cincinnati-bengals-preseason","tag-cincinnati-bengals-analysis","tag-cincinnati-bengals-depth-chart","tag-cincinnati-bengals-podcasts","tag-cincinnati-bengals-roster","tag-cincinnatibengals","tag-football","tag-nfl"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/117176897578208474","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=986066"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986066\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/986067"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=986066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=986066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=986066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}