The Bengals are closing in on roster cutdown day, and while the core looks better for 2026, there are still a few spots that need real attention. Swing tackle is the loudest alarm, but it’s not the only one. Cincinnati could also use help in the backfield and on special teams, which makes the waiver wire and cut market worth watching closely.
At running back, Denver’s Jaleel McLaughlin looks like a name Cincinnati should keep on the radar. The Broncos added Jonah Coleman from Washington in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and with J.K.
Dobbins and RJ Harvey already ahead of him, McLaughlin may be fighting Tyler Badie for what amounts to the final roster spot. Badie has already passed him on the depth chart as the more useful situational No. 3 back, logging more than twice as many snaps last season, 225 to 106 by PFF’s count, and bringing more value as a receiver.
Still, McLaughlin has traits the Bengals could use. He’s averaged 4.8 yards per carry over three seasons and has only 285 regular-season touches on his body.
Given how thin Cincinnati’s depth can look behind Chase Brown - especially after Dexter Lawrence drilled Samaje Perine in Tuesday’s practice, though Perine was fine - McLaughlin would be a meaningful upgrade over what the Bengals have seen from 2025 sixth-round pick Tahj Brooks. The idea here is simple: McLaughlin could push for the RB3 job and maybe even factor into the future RB2 picture.
The swing tackle search brings the Bengals back to the AFC North, with Jack Driscoll emerging as a logical target if Pittsburgh moves on from him. Driscoll spent his first five seasons developing with the Philadelphia Eagles, aside from a brief Miami practice squad stop, and that background matters.
He learned in a strong offensive line room, and he’s logged time at both tackle spots, with most of his work coming at right tackle. He also has plenty of reps at right guard.
He isn’t perfect in the run game, but he’s steady in pass protection, which is exactly what Cincinnati needs if it’s trying to shore up that spot behind its starters. Pittsburgh drafted Max Iheanachor in the first round this year, and their current depth chart has him behind Dylan Cook at right tackle, with Troy Fautanu starting on the left side.
Broderick Jones, meanwhile, only got back into camp in late July after spinal fusion surgery that took eight months to recover from. If Driscoll is truly on the bubble, the Bengals should be ready to move.
Then there’s Isaiah Simmons, who could help Cincinnati in more ways than one. The former No. 8 overall pick in 2020 has bounced from Arizona to the Giants and then to Carolina, and he’s now fighting for a roster spot with the Panthers.
Even in a situation that never fully clicked for him in Arizona, he still produced. He also blocked a punt in Carolina’s last game against the Los Angeles Rams, a reminder of how valuable his athleticism can be on special teams.
That’s where the Bengals could really benefit. Simmons would immediately raise the floor on kick coverage, and he also has the kind of versatility that could fit into Al Golden’s defense.
Golden is looking to use Boye Mafe and Cashius Howell in a hybrid Viper role, lining them up mostly on the edge with some off-ball linebacker work mixed in. Simmons fits that description well, and he’s better in coverage than he’s often given credit for, with five touchdowns allowed and four interceptions since 2021.
Whether Cincinnati uses him at safety, linebacker, or some blend of both, Simmons would make sense as a back-end roster addition if Carolina lets him go.
In Other News...
Bengals Have A New 53-Man Roster Debate Fans Will Love
The Bengals have opened the preseason 2-0, and the early games have already sharpened a familiar August conversation in Cincinnati: which fringe players have done enough to stick around when the roster gets trimmed. A handful of names have kept popping up in that discussion, with Dohnte Meyers, Colbie Young, Landon Robinson, Isaiah Foskey and Swayze Bozeman each making a case to be more than just camp bodies as the team sorts through the final weeks of evaluation.
For a roster that still has some decisions to make before the August 30 cutdown deadline, the competition has become the kind of problem coaches usually welcome. The performances so far have created a new debate fans can really lean into, because the preseason standings may not matter much in the long run, but the individual battles behind them could help shape the depth chart in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Need More From This New Safety Than Just An Arrival
JaMarr Chases brief practice scare was more of a passing annoyance than a real alarm, but it still offered a reminder of how quickly training camp can test Cincinnatis depth and focus. On the other side of the ball, the Bengals have been easing Bryan Cook back into the mix after a hamstring injury, and his return has brought a little extra buzz because he is not just another newcomer trying to settle in. Hes a Cincinnati native who already knows what it means to put on a show in this city, and now hes getting his footing again in individual work and defensive back drills.
For a secondary that needs steadiness as much as splash, Cooks next steps matter well beyond simply being present on the field. The Bengals brought him in with the idea that he could help anchor a defense that wants more reliability in the back end, and his return to practice is an encouraging sign after the setback. What comes next is still the key question, though, because getting back on the field is only the first part of the job. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Get Injury Clarity As Final Roster Battles Heat Up
Bryan Cook was back in team drills after missing time with a hamstring injury, a welcome sign for a Bengals defense still sorting out its finishing touches before the opener. With Week 1 drawing closer, his return puts him on track to be available when the regular season begins, while the team continues to monitor other practice developments on both sides of the ball.
JaMarr Chase was also on the injury report after a minor knee hyperextension in practice, and the club held him out as a precaution. Meanwhile, the final roster picture is still in motion, with the head coach noting that several practices remain before cuts are made, which means the last few battles for jobs are still very much alive. [Read more 🡒]