Bengals' Under-the-Radar Position Battle Deserves More Attention

The Cincinnati Bengals have a lot of storylines to follow as the offseason continues and training camp begins.

With training camp starting on Wednesday, there are a few position battles to monitor. Obviously, positions like quarterback and defensive tackle are figured out, but it's going to be interesting to watch which borderline roster players shine the brightest.

Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons made it clear that there is a battle at returner between Charlie Jones and Ke'Shawn Williams.

Darrin Simmons: Bengals Have a Competition at Returner

Jan 4, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ke'shawn Williams (12) runs for yards after catch against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I view it as a pretty good competition. I mean, Charlie's the incumbent guy," Simmons said. "He naturally should be. He's proven he can do it. He's scored three times in three years. But, you know, he's got to be able to stay on the field. And so I think having somebody like Keyshawn here pushing him in that regard is a huge factor.

"And I see it as a good competition. I see it as a competition as we go through training camp. Both those guys are going to get a ton of reps. And I think it's just part of the equation. I think also the other part of the equation is what they do on offense. Like, who do they feel the most comfortable with on offense? If there's a deciding factor, it'll be what they do as a returner."

Jones has been solid for the Bengals over the last few seasons. He's returned two kickoffs and one punt for a touchdown, but he hasn't been available and on the field enough to secure the job going into training camp. Jones has played in 33 games over the last three seasons. He's averaging 9.2 yards per punt return and 27.3 yards per kick return.

Williams is an intriguing option to look at, too. He's a few years younger, which gives him a slight boost in value. He's also very explosive and quick, which makes him an ideal return man.

Jones only has eight career catches for 69 yards. He didn't catch a pass last season. Meanwhile, Williams caught one pass for five yards last season. He signed with the Bengals late in the year after appearing in eight games for the Steelers. He signed with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent after spending four seasons at Wake Forest and one in Indiana.

Williams averaged 10.6 yards per punt return and 25.4 yards per kick return in three games with Cincinnati.

Jones likely has a solid lead on the spot right now, but this is going to be a battle to watch in training camp.

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