Ten Thoughts on the Bengals' Initial 53-man Roster

Cincinnati finalized their 53-man roster on Tuesday

Author:
James Rapien
Publish date:
Aug 31, 2021 6:10 PM EDT

CINCINNATI — The Bengals announced their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday afternoon. Here are 10 quick thoughts following their flurry of moves.

Seven Wide

I thought the Bengals would only have six wide receivers on the roster, but they ultimately decided to keep seven. Stanley Morgan is a great special teams player and Trenton Irwin made a ton of plays in training camp and in the preseason. Good for those guys for putting in the time, battling on the practice squad for multiple years before finally making the team on Tuesday.

Hill of a Time

The Hill's are a happy group. One day after acquiring B.J. Hill in a trade, the Bengals opted to keep sixth-round rookie Trey Hill, who will serve as Trey Hopkins' backup at center. B.J. Hill will see a ton of snaps this season in the middle of the Bengals' defense and he will likely face Trey Hill on a daily basis in practice.

Veteran Casualty

It's hard not to feel bad for Mike Daniels. The veteran was released after the Bengals acquired Hill. The former Pro Bowler was a leader in the locker room and definitely has something left in the tank. Hopefully he's scooped up by a contender.

Hodge Your Bets

Darius Hodge made the team. The Marshall product shined all preseason long and it was enough to stick around. He's a talented pass rusher that could have an instant impact on defense. What a steal it would be if he turned into a real force on the edge.

Impressive Rookie

There wasn't any doubt, but seeing Evan McPherson make the 53-man roster had to be a welcome sight for Bengals fans, especially those that remember the Jake Elliott debacle in 2017.

Tight End

Thaddeus Moss didn't make the team, which is a surprise, but I expect to see him sign with the practice squad. Also, don't be shocked if the Bengals add another tight end in the next 24 hours. Mitch Wilcox has potential and he made the team, but there are plenty of outside options available.

More Moves

The Bengals kept seven wide receivers, but there are a few guys that were cut that might be better than what they have. Cincinnati should be on the lookout for any recently released offensive linemen, defensive ends, wide receivers or tight ends that could improve their roster.

MJ Cut

Moving on from Michael Jordan seemed unlikely a few weeks ago, but the Bengals kept getting a box of chocolates from the third-year pro. Ultimately, Cincinnati decided to stick with their two veterans (Quinton Spain and Xavier Su'a-Filo) and the two rookies (Jackson Carman and D'Ante Smith).

Spot for a Prince

Isaiah Prince impressed the coaching staff throughout the preseason. His emergence hurt Jordan's chances of making the team. It may be a bit of a surprise that he made the cut, but he probably wouldn't have made it through waivers.

16 Spots Left

The Bengals can have 16 players on their practice squad this season. Cincinnati is hoping to sneak guys like Trent Taylor, Jacques Patrick, Pooka Williams and others clear waivers so they can sign them to the practice squad. Don't be shocked if a few new players that come from outside the organization also join the group by Wednesday afternoon.

For more, watch my video reaction to the 53-man roster below.

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