The Bengals wrapped up their preseason in style Friday night, rolling past the Eagles 30-13 in Philadelphia to finish 3-0 and complete their first perfect preseason since 2006. And the biggest takeaway from the three-game run is hard to miss: Cincinnati’s depth showed up everywhere.
That starts at wide receiver, where what looked like a shaky spot before camp now looks like a real strength. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins remain the obvious headliners, but the emergence of Dohnte Meyers changed the conversation.
Higgins has been banged up, Chase had an injury scare that ended up being fine, and Meyers has pushed himself into the picture in a big way. In Dohnte I trust over Andrei Iosivas - and anyone else.
The rookie class has been a huge part of that overall surge, and one name that keeps jumping off the page is Tacario Davis. The third-round cornerback, who came into the league as more of a project, has kept stacking good days and took another step against Philadelphia with an interception and several strong plays. He’s even gotten first-team reps in practice with Dax Hill sidelined.
Davis is part of what makes this 2026 draft class look so strong. Colbie Young, another player who seemed like a reach at the time, has outperformed expectations by a mile.
Cashius Howell looks ready to contribute right away at defensive end. Connor Lew and Brian Parker II have helped stabilize the interior offensive line depth.
Jack Endries looks like the long-awaited Drew Sample replacement. And Landon Robinson deserves mention too.
Up front, the numbers from the Eagles game were especially encouraging for two offensive linemen trying to climb the roster ladder. Javon Foster and Jacob Bayer both turned in strong pass-blocking performances, with PFF grades of 83.2 and 78.4, respectively.
Each allowed only one pressure. Foster now looks like the lone real swing tackle option after the Bengals released Cody Ford, while Bayer’s work at guard and center may have put 2025 fifth-round pick Jalen Rivers in a tough spot.
There was also a notable absence Friday: Kris Jenkins Jr. did not play, and that should not be treated like a free pass to the roster. If he’s just there because he was a 2024 second-round pick, that’s a problem. Duke Tobin should not let Jenkins become the next Drew Sample-style holdover by default.
One of the broader themes of the preseason has been the rise in confidence around Zac Taylor. The Bengals pushed through a demanding camp and then carried that into a dominant exhibition slate.
Taylor has kept the offense moving even with Jake Browning and Joe Flacco at quarterback, and Joe Burrow made clear again Friday that he’s fully behind the coaching staff. In a sideline interview with CBS, Burrow said:
"I really think we have a great coaching staff. Those guys work really hard and give us a lot of answers to the test before we take it.
They put us in great positions to go and make plays, and it's our job to go and execute. I really think we have one of the top staffs in the league."
After a preseason like this, the Bengals head toward Week 1 looking loaded. The offense has its star power, the defense has contributors everywhere, the offensive line is intact with all five starters back, and the AFC North has gone through coaching changes across the board. It’s all setting up for a season that feels like it could be something special.
In Other News...
Bengals Have A Real Chance To Upgrade One Sneaky Roster Spot
The Bengals are heading into the leagues roster-cut deadline in relatively good shape, but Sundays move to 53 players still leaves a little room for intrigue. As the rest of the NFL trims down, Cincinnati can scan the waiver wire for a possible upgrade, and that usually means keeping an eye on players who flashed enough in the preseason to become available before the dust settles.
Among the names to watch are offensive tackle Cameron Williams and running backs Eli Heidenreich and Tyrone Tracy, all of whom could draw interest depending on how their current teams sort out their final spots. Cincinnati does not have a glaring emergency, but in this phase of the calendar even a sneaky roster spot can turn into a meaningful addition if the right player unexpectedly hits the market. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Final Roster Bubble Just Got Real For Several Young Players
With the NFL roster deadline set for Aug. 30 at 6 p.m., the Bengals are moving into the part of the preseason where every snap starts to matter a little more. Final 53-man projections are beginning to sort out the likely keepers from the longshots, and a few young players have already put themselves in position to stick around thanks to what they showed in preseason action.
Wide receiver Dohnte Meyers and linebacker Swayze Bozeman are among the names drawing attention as the depth chart gets tighter, but the full picture is still being shaped across several position groups. These projections are still just that, projections, and the next round of decisions will determine which bubble players survive and which ones are left waiting for another shot. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals RB3 Battle Just Got More Complicated Than Expected
Jamal Haynes made a strong case for himself in the Bengals preseason finale against the Eagles, and the undrafted Georgia Tech running back has at least forced his way into the conversation. Cincinnati had gone through camp and the exhibition slate with the idea that Tahj Brooks was the favorite for the third running back job, but Haynes showing gave the staff something else to weigh as roster decisions come into focus.
For a team that likes to keep options open behind its top two backs, the final back end of the roster can turn on one play, one week, or one late push in August. Haynes effort has opened the door to a possible roster or practice squad look, and it leaves the Bengals with one more evaluation to make before the dust settles on a position that seemed settled not long ago. [Read more 🡒]