Bengals’ Keys: Finalize And Maintain Health Of 53-Man Roster
Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Cincinnati Bengals have started the preseason 0-2, and are welcoming the Indianapolis Colts to Paycor Stadium tonight to try and avoid ending the only mildly-dreaded winless preseason record. Yeah, these games are meaningless, but if they’re going to play them and we’re going to watch them, it’s better to get the “W,” yeah? Otherwise, what are we doing with our time?
Just in case the Bengals come out on the losing side, though, here are three things we’re looking for in tonight’s game. If these things happen, it’ll feel worth it to have watched the game, regardless of the final score.
Stay healthy
While injuries are a natural part of the game, the Bengals have seemingly had a bad run of luck with injuries to begin the preseason. Chris Evans and D’Ante Smith got the worst of it, as they both went down with the same season-ending injury on the same day.
Bengals officially place RB Chris Evans and OT D’Ante Smith on season-ending injured reserve after both injured their patella tendons during last week’s joint practice in Chicago.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) August 19, 2024
Elsewhere, Amarius Mims suffered a pectoral injury that will keep him out for several weeks to begin his rookie season. Also, second-year players Charlie Jones and Myles Murphy also suffered knee injury scares that, thankfully, turned out to not be serious.
The preseason’s finish line is within eyeshot. For the Bengals to walk away (relatively) unscathed is paramount, especially taking into account the fact that the Bengals are playing on a short week. While Zac Taylor has said most of the primary starters will not play in the preseason finale, there is one exception, leading us to…
Finalize the CB2 situation
Though his play has been inconsistent over his first two years, Dax Hill may finally have found a home at cornerback.
Dax Hill this preseason:
🐅 90.2 coverage grade
🐅 25 coverage snaps
🐅 4 targets
🐅 1 reception allowed
🐅 3 forced incompletions
🐅 56.3 passer rating allowed pic.twitter.com/MfNNTZjQSq— PFF CIN Bengals (@PFF_Bengals) August 21, 2024
Hill has been in a positional battle with 2023 second-round pick D.J. Turner all offseason to determine who will start opposite of Cam Taylor-Britt. The Bengals’ secondary was in limbo last season, as Hill and Nick Scott significantly struggled at the safety position.
Hill being a solid starter at CB2 would put the Bengals in a comfortable position for their defensive back group. With the acquisitions of Geno Stone and Vonn Bell, the emergence of Jordan Battle, and Hill’s strong offseason transitioning to cornerback, the Bengals have an opportunity to clean up one of their biggest weaknesses from last year.
Assuming Hill gets playing time on Thursday, he should have an opportunity to build off a strong joint practice with the Colts, and quite possibly cement his role as a starter in 2024.
Dax Hill in perfect coverage on a red zone incompletion to AD Mitchell
— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) August 20, 2024
Use Anthony Richardson As On-the-Job Training
As rough of a time as the Bengals had with Caleb Williams last week at the Bengals-Bears joint practice, they seemed to do a 180 when Anthony Richardson came into town.
BREAKING:
The Cincinnati Bengals defenders BLASTED Colts QB Anthony Richardson after a brutal day of joint practice.
Some quotes that were taken from the scene:
1. “Is that all he does is run?” – Cam Taylor-Britt
2. “He’s just throwing to spots, he doesn’t see his… pic.twitter.com/m9EAfmGFJO
— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) August 21, 2024
The Bengals face a healthy amount of dual-threat quarterbacks in 2024, including Lamar Jackson (twice), Jalen Hurts, and Jayden Daniels. Richardson’s style is akin to that of the aforementioned players, as he has a cannon for an arm and is dynamic on his feet. However, he’s an extremely raw prospect, as he only played four games as a rookie due to a season-ending shoulder injury he suffered in Week Five against the Titans.
While Williams made mincemeat of the Bengals, Cincinnati had no issue getting under Anthony Richardson’s skin at the joint practice.
#Colts’ first-team offense is struggling. No one looks comfortable, including Anthony Richardson. He’s 2/8 passing, and the #Bengals players are talking so much trash. Rightfully so.
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) August 20, 2024
Richardson will likely get a fair share of snaps in the preseason finale. With the Bengals getting under his skin at their joint practice, it’s an opportunity to give reps to defensive players on the rise to help them gain confidence heading into the regular season. How would they do that?
Let Cedric Johnson Cook
The Bengals have suffered injuries on their defensive line, with Cam Sample out for the year. While Murphy’s aforementioned injury isn’t serious, his immediate future remains uncertain. That gives the Bengals a need for depth on the edge. Rookie Cedric Johnson stepped up to fill in that void to the point that the Bengals may very likely have a role for him in 2024.
Cedric Johnson coming in clean for a pressure against the Bears starters pic.twitter.com/qXR16iN1g0
— mike (@bengals_sans) August 20, 2024
Cincinnati’s defensive line is fairly set in stone with Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard as the current starters on the edge. However, the only other healthy player on the depth chart with at least a fair share of playing experience is Joseph Ossai who, despite a healthy offseason, has a fair amount of injury baggage. That gives Johnson, who has six solo tackles and one sack this preseason, a prime opportunity to cement himself a spot in the DL rotation. All he has to do to grab it is keep cooking.
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