The Bengals will have a few roster spots up for grabs for young players to take advantage of this summer.
Quarterback (2)
Joe Burrow, Jake Browning
Cincinnati will have the same quarterback room they did in 2024 with Jake Browning backup up Joe Burrow, while Logan Woodside will be the No. 3 quarterback and likely stay on the practice squad.
Running back (4)
Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, Zack Moss, Tahj Brooks (R)
Samaje Perine is back with the Bengals, and his effectiveness as a pass blocker should get him on the field a decent amount behind Chase Brown. It’s possible Zack Moss or sixth-round rookie Tahj Brooks doesn’t make the team, but Cincinnati has shown they’ll keep four backs on the roster.
Wide receiver (6)
Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Charlie Jones, Jermaine Burton, Isaiah Williams
Jermaine Burton needs to show up focused to avoid his career from completely going up in smoke despite being a third-round pick in 2024. Charlie Jones should be safe based on his return value and untapped potential at wide receiver, though Isaiah Williams could make him expendable if only five wideouts are kept.
Tight end (3)
Mike Gesicki, Tanner Hudson, Drew Sample
Erick All Jr. unfortunately doesn’t factor in here and is expected to miss the entire 2026 season with complications from a torn ACL suffered as a rookie, so last year’s sixth-round pick Tanner McLachlan has a better shot to stick—but he may need Cincinnati to keep four tight ends.
Offensive tackle (3)
Orlando Brown Jr., Amarius Mims, Jalen Rivers (R)
The offensive line has room for players to emerge this summer, and Devin Cochran is first off the roster with Andrew Stueber and others pushing to make it, too. We could see the Bengals opt to keep three offensive tackles, though, and rookie Jalen Rivers would be the swing option with projected starting right guard Cody Ford having outside versatility as well.
Interior offensive line (6)
Cordell Volson, Ted Karras, Cody Ford, Dylan Fairchild (R), Lucas Patrick, Seth McLaughlin (R)
Third-round pick Dylan Fairchild might push for a starting job at left or right guard from Day 1, and we like undrafted rookie Seth McLaughlin to earn a roster spot as the backup center in a battle with Matt Lee. There is also a definite chance of veteran Lucas Patrick starting at guard after doing so with the Bears and Saints over the past two years, and Cincinnati is banking on competition to bring out the best in the group.
Defensive tackle (5)
B.J. Hill, T.J. Slaton Jr., Kris Jenkins Jr., McKinnley Jackson, Howard Cross III (R)
Howard Cross III is another undrafted rookie that could make the roster if the Bengals keep a fifth defensive tackle, but they need Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson to step up in Year 2. If not, T.J. Slaton Jr. comes over from Green Bay on a two-year deal to help out B.J. Hill on the interior.
Defensive end (6)
Trey Hendrickson, Shemar Stewart (R), Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy, Cam Sample, Cedric Johnson
One of the big storylines in the entire NFL over the next few months will be the status of Trey Hendrickson, and he should probably be written in with very light pencil to be on the 53-man roster for Week 1—whether it’s due to a holdout or trade. First-round pick Shemar Stewart will need to have a quicker development curve for a team with Super Bowl aspirations if Hendrickson isn’t around, and maybe Myles Murphy will emerge in his third season.
Linebacker (5)
Logan Wilson, Demetrius Knight Jr. (R), Barrett Carter (R), Oren Burks, Joe Giles-Harris
The Bengals spending a top-50 pick on Demetrius Knight Jr. was a surprise, and then it was followed up by Barrett Carter in Round 4—who was probably deemed best player available. The selections seemed to confirm that Germaine Pratt will be playing elsewhere in 2025 despite still being on the roster for now, and Oren Burks might push for a starting job if he can beat out Knight in particular.
Cornerback (6)
Cam Taylor-Britt, Dax Hill, DJ Turner II, Josh Newton, Marco Wilson, DJ Ivey
Cincinnati has an exciting young cornerback trio when all three of Cam Taylor-Britt, Dax Hill, and DJ Turner II are healthy—and Josh Newton was given some nice experience as a rookie due to all the time missed by the starters. Marco Wilson and DJ Ivey should be the favorites for the final one or two spots, but Jalen Davis is entering his sixth season with the team and shouldn’t be counted out.
Safety (4)
Geno Stone, Jordan Battle, Tycen Anderson, Daijahn Anthony
There was a thought that the Bengals would address safety as early as No. 17 overall with Georgia standout Malaki Starks, but they ended up not drafting a defensive back at all this year—instead relying on Geno Stone and Jordan Battle to build on the strides made down the stretch in 2024. An injury to Stone or Battle might force Cincinnati to bring in a veteran during the season (if not sooner).
Special teams (3)
Evan McPherson, Ryan Rehkow, William Wagner
The lone question here will be between Cal Adomitis and undrafted rookie William Wagner—with the competition to be settled during the camp. A team bringing in a younger player often doesn’t bode well for the incumbent on special teams, so Wagner gets the edge.
Players not available for Week 1 (1)
TE Erick All Jr.