The Bengals are done trimming the roster for now, and the next wave of decisions is already coming fast. With the waiver claim deadline set for Monday at 1 p.m. ET, Cincinnati could see a flurry of movement as players hit the wire and try to find their way back onto the practice squad.
That leaves the Bengals with a pretty clear path to filling out a 16-man group, and the best bet is that most of it comes from inside the building. A few familiar faces look lined up to return if they clear waivers, while a couple of outside names could sneak into the mix as Duke Tobin and the front office keep sorting through the back end of the roster.
Josh Johnson feels like the easiest name to circle. The veteran quarterback turned in a strong preseason for Cincinnati and, in the process, made a real case for a 53-man spot.
He gave the QB room a chance to be something special. Instead, the Bengals now have to hope he doesn’t land elsewhere on the open market.
The Notre Dame pipeline with defensive coordinator Al Golden makes Isaiah Foskey and Howard Cross III stand out as strong practice squad possibilities. Both flashed at times in the preseason, and both were squeezed off the roster more by numbers than by a lack of ability.
Mitchell Tinsley is another player who could draw outside interest. Even so, he remains one of the best candidates to round out the practice squad, especially at a receiver spot where Cincinnati made unexpected gains this offseason.
Rookie undrafted free agent Jamal Haynes also made his case. His burst and cutback ability showed up in a big way, and the run he ripped off against Philadelphia was enough to put him firmly in the conversation. Kentrel Bullock belongs in that same discussion after his own preseason work, including 14 carries, 85 yards and a TD.
Bralyn Lux is one of the more interesting names in the group as well. Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger both have nickelback experience, which made Lux easier to move off the active roster, but he still looks like a player worth keeping close. There’s belief he could eventually grow into the full-time nickel role if 2026 ends up being Jalen Davis’ last season in Cincinnati.
There are also a couple of possible outside additions worth watching. Jeff Caldwell being available is a bit of a surprise.
The Chiefs don’t have a loaded wide receiver room, and Caldwell’s size-speed profile makes him an intriguing developmental target. He also played at the University of Cincinnati, which only adds to the appeal.
Then there’s Jedrick Wills Jr., a former first-round pick by the Browns in 2020 who couldn’t crack Chicago’s roster. The injury history and the bust label are part of the story, but he’s still only 27 and still has upside. A reunion with Scott Peters, as Andre Perrotta noted on X/Twitter, could be in play.
In Other News...
Bengals Bubble Players Just Learned Their Fate On Cutdown Day
Cincinnati began trimming its roster to 53 players on cutdown day, and the first wave of moves gave a clearer picture of how the back end of the Bengals depth chart is shaking out. Among the notable names waived were offensive tackle Andrew Coker, quarterback Josh Johnson and wide receiver Mitch Tinsley, while defensive tackle Landon Robinson and wide receiver Dohnte Meyers both survived the first round of cuts.
The quarterback group was always going to draw extra attention, especially with head coach Zac Taylor already commenting on the preseason work of Josh Johnson and Sean Clifford. For the Bengals, these decisions are less about headline names than about sorting out the final layers of a roster built for the regular season, and there is still more maneuvering to come as teams keep adjusting the edges of the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Browning Just Hit A Tough New Reality After Cincinnati
Jake Brownings stop in Tampa Bay is over before it really got going. After signing a one-year deal with $400,000 guaranteed this offseason, the Buccaneers moved on from the veteran quarterback once they decided to make undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels their primary backup, leaving Browning back on the market after another brief chapter in a career built on trying to stay ready for the next opening.
For Bengals fans, it is another reminder of how quickly a quarterbacks path can change after leaving Cincinnati. Browning had previously spent time with the Vikings and appeared in five games with three starts for the Bengals in 2025, enough to keep his name in circulation around the league, but not enough to secure a long-term foothold. Now he has to find the next landing spot, and the search begins again with camp decisions already reshaping depth charts. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Final Cuts Will Show Which Young Players Really Earned Trust
The Bengals closed the preseason with a 30-13 win over the Eagles, and there was plenty to like beyond the final score. Veteran quarterback Josh Johnson handled his part, Evan McPherson kept the kicking game on track, and Jamal Haynes gave the staff one of the clearest flashes of upside with a 39-yard touchdown run that drew national attention from NFL Network.
Now comes the harder part, with final cuts forcing Cincinnati to separate useful August performances from players the staff truly trusts. Wide receiver, tight end, defensive tackle and quarterback are all crowded spots, and the Bengals have spent the preseason building competition there. The next roster decision will say a lot about which young players did more than survive games and actually earned a place in the mix. [Read more 🡒]