Cincinnati Bengals Final 53-Man Roster Projection and Possible Pre-Deadline Moves

The Cincinnati Bengals wrapped up their first perfect preseason in 20 years Friday night with a 30-13 triumph of the Philadelphia Eagles on the road.

Some spots on the 53-man roster were finalized in the game, but a couple of area remain question marks as the 6 p.m. Sunday deadline nears.

The biggest issue is the same one the Bengals had going into the game: Who is going to be the swing tackle.

The front office and coaching staff can feel good about the potential Jalen Rivers and Javon Foster possess, but there is no way they can go into Week 1 feeling confident about either player being a play away from having to come in and protect Joe Burrow.

The issue is that there aren’t a lot of teams looking to unload tackle talent.

Maybe the Week 1 swing tackle is a current free agent – Cam Robinson, Taylor Decker – or possibly there is a team with a glaring enough need to part with a depth piece.

With overflow assets at defensive tackle, wide receiver, tight end and returner, don’t be surprised if the Bengals make a transaction of some sort before Sunday’s deadline.

Without predicting what the pre-deadline move will be, here is the final projected 53-man roster.

Quarterback (2)

Starter: Joe Burrow

Backup: Joe Flacco

Bubble bursts: Josh Johnson, Sean Clifford

Head coach Zac Taylor offered a lot of praise for Johnson and Clifford, not just for how they played against the Eagles, but their entire camps.

Johnson proved he has plenty of life left in his 40-year-old arm, and there has never been a question about his mental ability to handle an offense. Could somebody make a trade offer for him?

What about Flacco? If a team calls about the 41-year-old former Super Bowl MVP, would the Bengals feel comfortable enough dealing him and making Johnson the backup based on the last month?

Clifford deserves a shot to develop on a practice squad, but it likely won’t be in Cincinnati barring a trade.

Running Back (3)

Starter: Chase Brown

Backups: Samaje Perine, Tahj Brooks

Bubble bursts: Gary Brightwell, Kendall Milton, Jamal Haynes, Kentrel Bullock

Brooks hasn’t exactly put a stranglehold on the No. 3 spot, but no one else has jumped up to seize it. Brooks had two drops against the Lions and lost a fumble on a kickoff return in Philadelphia.

Bullock and Haynes had big games against the Eagles’ third team, but Bullock also had a fumble.

Brooks played 41 percent of the special teams snaps last year and he’s been right on that number (26 of 80) this preseason.

Haynes may have earned a look from other teams based on his electric 39-yard touchdown.

The Bengals have kept just three running backs in each of the last two seasons and four of Zac Taylor’s seven. From 2009-2018, they kept three just one time.

Haynes to the house.#CINatPHI on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/SpGkzLiQHs
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 29, 2026

Wide Receiver (6)

Starters: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas

Backups: Dohnte Meyers, Colbie Young, Charlie Jones

Bubble bursts: Ke’Shawn Williams, Mitch Tinsley, Kendric Pryor, Xavier Johnson, Jordan Moore, Noah Thomas

There are two ways to look at Jones getting so many of the return reps Friday after almost none the first two games:

One, the Bengals view him as their returner and gave him some much needed reps to shake off the rust before the opener, or …

Two, he was playing as much as he did the same reason everyone else did, because his spot is not secure.

If the Bengals stick with Jones, will Ke’Shawn Williams become the next Isaiah Williams who gets plucked by another team and goes on to star for them, as Isaiah did last year, winning team MVP for the Jets?

Tinsley might get plucked as well, but it just feels the shine from last preseason has dulled.

The Bengals have kept at least six receivers in 19 of the last 20 seasons, with the lone exception being 2022 when they kept just five (Chase, Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Stanley Morgan Jr. and Trent Taylor).

Touchdown Ke'Shawn🏈#CINatPHI on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/f2wP3cmbd3
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 29, 2026

Tight end (5)

Starters: Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample

Backups: Erick All Jr., Tanner Hudson, Jack Endries

Bubble bursts: Cam Grandy, Josh Kattus

Endries has earned the spot, though Grandy will be a lock for the practice squad.

It looked for a moment as though the projection could have a late twist when Endries went down on the field and headed straight to the locker room. Fortunately for him, it was just cramps and he returned to the game.

Could a tight end-depleted team call about Hudson? If so, look for Grandy to keep the group of five plan intact.

The last two games have been a blueprint for how the Bengals want the season to go, where they build big leads and use 12 or 13 personnel to run out the clock.

From 2006-23, the Bengals never kept more than four tight ends. They’ve rolled into the season with five in each of the past two seasons, mainly because Gesicki is a tight end in name only.

Offensive line (9)

Starters: Orlando Brown Jr., Dylan Fairchild, Ted Karras, Dalton Risner, Amarius Mims

Backups: Connor Lew, Brian Parker II, Jalen Rivers, Javon Foster

Bubble bursts: Andrew Coker, Corey Robinson II, Christian Jones, Jacob Bayer, Liam Brown

No changes here, other than some added urgency.

The release of Cody Ford means the Bengals are going to be extremely young in the backup spots with rookies Parker and Lew, second-year player Rivers and Foster, who is in his third season but has played just four games.

Signing a veteran off the street at this point wouldn’t be ideal, but it would be a better option than having Rivers or Foster a tweak away from anchoring the line.

Defensive Line (10)

Starters: Boye Mafe, Dexter Lawrence II, Jonathan Allen, Myles Murphy

Backups: B.J. Hill, Cashius Howell, T.J. Slaton Jr., Kris Jenkins Jr., Landon Robinson, Cedric Johnson

IR-Return: Shemar Stewart

Bubble bursts: McKinnley Jackson, Isaiah Foskey, Jodan Jefferson, Howard Cross III

Did you see what Johnson did Friday night? Absolutely nothing.

He was on the long list of guys who did not play, which means his spot is secure.

Could Stewart be ready to play in the first three weeks? Possibly. But why rush him, especially with so many quality options to fill the room.

If the Bengals eschew that option and put Stewart on the 53 to make it 11, defensive linemen, they’ll go short at linebacker.

Linebacker (5)

Starters: Demetrius Knight Jr., Barrett Carter

Backups: Oren Burks, Joe Giles-Harris, Swayze Bozeman

Bubble bursts: Shaka Heyward, Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Liam Anderson, Jack Dingle, Eric Gentry

Bozeman has played well, but linebacker could be a spot where the Bengals go light if they want to keep a seventh receiver or 11th defensive lineman.

The Bengals haven’t kept just four linebackers since at least 2005.

Giles-Harris and Burks are far more experienced and are key special team players, so if the Bengals elect to keep five linebackers, the final spot will come down to a battle between Bozeman and Heyward. And Bozeman appears to have a solid lead in that battle.

Bobo said no-no.#CINatPHI on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/w10BmAHb0B
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 29, 2026

Cornerback (6)

Starters: DJ Turner II, Dax Hill, Jalen Davis

Backups: Tacario Davis, Ja’Sir Taylor, DJ Ivey

Bubble bursts: Bralyn Lux, Josh Newton, Jalen Kimber

Neither DJ Ivey nor Ja’Sir Taylor played in Philadelphia. This group is locked in.

The most notable change Friday night was that rookie third-round pick Davis pushed past Ivey for the CB3 job with an interception, tackle for loss and pass breakup.

He’s had back-to-back strong games, which is exactly the type of progression coaches want to see from a rookie.

Safety (4)

Starters: Bryan Cook, Jordan Battle

Backups: Kyle Dugger, PJ Jules

Bubble bursts: Russ Yeast, Daijahn Anthony

Russ Yeast had an interception against the Lions and has taken advantage of extra reps with Cook out, but the tide appeared to turn in Philadelphia as the Bengals had Jules in the game first – and just 19 snaps – before turning to Yeast for 44 snaps.

A 2022 seventh-round pick of the Rams – and son of former Bengals player Craig Yeast – Russ appeared to have moved ahead in the battle, but Jules appears to have staved off the threat.

Specialists (3)

Evan McPherson, kicker

Ryan Rehkow, punter

William Wagner, long snapper

This has been set since the team elected not to bring in any competition at any of the three spots.

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