Bengals roster decisions that stood out on cutdown weekend
September is here, leaves are changing, and teams across the NFL are finalizing their rosters ahead of Week 1. Football season is set to begin and with it brings surprise cuts and roster maneuvering that front offices have been laboring over for weeks.
Cincinnati parted ways with 25 guys over the weekend to get down to 53 players on their roster. They utilized their top waiver priority on former Miami Dolphins guard Deion 'Shaq' Calhoun.
Now that the dust has settled, there are a few roster decisions that stood out above the rest.
Punting on Alex Redmond
The Bengals swapped out undrafted offensive linemen on Sunday, cutting fourth-year guard Alex Redmond to claim Calhoun off of waivers from Miami.
This move screams cap flexibility, as the two are comparable talents and only separated by a year in age, despite Redmond having two more seasons of experience. The Bengals save about $1.5 million by flipping Redmond for the younger, more athletic Calhoun. He earned the nickname "Shaq" from his basketball playing days as a kid. He'll bring that athleticism to the Queen City.
The Bengals have multiple players that they may extend next offseason. Any capologist will say winning on the margins counts extra as big paydays approach.
Redmond struggled with injuries and was suspended for four-games in 2019. Those red flags could've played a role in the Bengals' decision.
Keeping Six Linebackers
Bengals fans have felt the pain from this group over the past two years, slotting in as PFF's worst linebacker unit in the league over that span. That tumultuous run could be over. The Bengals used three draft picks on linebacker in their quest to improve the position. They kept six on the 53-man roster after keeping five last season.
Jordan Evans has missed most of camp with a hamstring injury. He was a player on the bubble, but he made the cut. Evans worked hard in the offseason to get in peak shape, which helped him make a good impression on coaches before the hamstring injury.
The cross-section of Boilermaker/Bengals fans can throw a victory parade for the inclusion of Markus Bailey on the roster. After suffering multiple major knee injuries, the seventh-round pick has held up well in camp. Look for Evans and Bailey to mostly contribute on special teams this season as long as the other backers can stay healthy.
Morgan to the practice squad
Morgan was the odd man out on Saturday. The Bengals considered keeping him, despite having plenty of options at wide receiver. He was one of the best special teamers in the league last season.
After posting the first 1,000-yard season in Nebraska Football history, Morgan expected to hear his name called in the 2019 Draft, but that moment never came. The Bengals signed him as a college free agent. Turns out that was one of the best bargains of 2019. It was a bright spot in a year of pain for the Bengals front office. Morgan got his chance to play special teams in Week 5 following John Ross' injury and never looked back.
Morgan earned a 90.4 special teams grade on 177 snaps according to Pro Football Focus. Only five players in the NFL finished with higher grades.
Darrin Simmons and the rest of the coaching staff had to be waiting on pins and needles to see if they could sneak Morgan onto the practice squad for the second consecutive year. The NFL season is a war of attrition. Morgan could get his next crack at a roster spot very soon.
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