The Bengals still have issues in the run game, and that alone would make a prime Joe Mixon look awfully useful in Cincinnati right now. Instead, Mixon was thought to be finished playing until the Seattle Seahawks signed him to their practice squad.
Seattle’s move comes at a time when rookie first-rounder Jadarian Price is on injured reserve and Zach Charbonnet still hasn’t returned. For now, the Seahawks are expected to lean on Emmanuel Wilson and George Holani, while Mixon gives them another option in the mix.
The Seahawks also added Robert Henry Jr. from Washington’s taxi squad, though that may end up being nothing more than a depth move. Still, Henry drew praise here as a former UTSA back worth watching.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s own backfield remains a problem. Chase Brown has not been producing the kind of yards the Bengals need, and the source material makes clear the comparison is not flattering.
Elsewhere, former Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither is making his presence felt in Indianapolis after reuniting with former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Through this point, he has been credited with 37 combined tackles and has missed only one, according to PFF.
That stands out because tackling remains an issue for Cincinnati’s defense, even with the unit showing improvement overall. Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. have also had their share of struggles as second-year pros, which only adds to the frustration.
The Bengals did at least make upgrades across several defensive spots, especially along the defensive line, but the linebacker picture still looks shaky.
On the edge, Trey Hendrickson is dealing with surgery on a broken finger after hurting it in the season opener and playing through it. He has one sack so far and is out for the time being.
Joseph Ossai’s situation has been rough as well. The New York Jets gave him a three-year, $34.5 million deal, but a foot injury from early September appears to be limiting him, and the early production has been almost nonexistent.
In his first two games with the Jets, he logged 85 defensive snaps, including 32 in pass rush, without recording a pressure, quarterback hit, or sack. He finished with nine tackles, two missed tackles, two run stops, one catch allowed for seven yards, and a 49.7 PFF grade.
Then there’s Geno Stone, who has not been activated for a single game by the Bills this season. The source material didn’t hold back on his time in Cincinnati, where he started for two seasons but never delivered the ball-hawking impact expected after his stint in Baltimore. His tackling was also called out as a weakness, and the fact that he still hasn’t cracked Buffalo’s active roster is being treated as a major disappointment.
The safety discussion circles back to Cincinnati, too. After the Bengals’ Week 4 loss to Jacksonville, and with PJ Jules and Russ Yeast looking decent when Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger were out, the source argues that Cincinnati might have been better off starting Jules from 2024 onward.
In Other News...
Rex Ryan Just Sparked A New Bengals Debate Around Joe Burrow
The Bengals have been leaning on Joe Burrow and the passing game to carry the offense, and early in the season the running game has not done much to ease that load. It is the kind of imbalance that can work when the quarterback is humming, but it also puts extra pressure on the passing attack to stay sharp every week.
Rex Ryan recently put that familiar issue back in the spotlight, warning that a team built almost entirely around the pass can run into trouble if it never finds a steadier ground game. For Cincinnati, the concern is not whether Burrow can produce, but whether opponents will start selling out against the pass and force the Bengals to answer with a rushing attack that has not yet shown enough consistency. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Suddenly Have A Receiver Debate Fans Cant Ignore
The Bengals receiver room has suddenly become a talking point again, and not in the way they would prefer. With Tee Higgins and JaMarr Chase both dealing with injuries, Cincinnati is staring at a familiar problem at the exact moment the offense can least afford it, which is why the idea of adding another wideout has started circulating around the team.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is the name getting the most attention in that conversation, thanks to his talent and the kind of fit he would represent in Cincinnatis passing game. It is still only speculation, but the discussion says plenty about where the Bengals are right now: thin at receiver, under pressure to keep the offense afloat, and suddenly in the middle of a debate fans did not see coming. [Read more 🡒]
Former Bengals Star Sounds Alarm On A Problem Burrow Can't Escape
Through the first five weeks, the Bengals offense has been under a familiar kind of stress, and former receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh says the pressure is coming from a spot Cincinnati cannot afford to ignore. He pointed to opponents working the left side of the offensive line to get after Joe Burrow, a problem that has helped disrupt the rhythm of an attack that is still trying to find its footing.
Houshmandzadeh also flagged trouble covering tight ends and noted Burrows two interceptions as costly plays in a season where every mistake seems to carry extra weight. With Miami and Baltimore next on the schedule, the Bengals are staring at a stretch that will test whether those issues can be cleaned up quickly or whether they keep following Burrow from week to week. [Read more 🡒]