Kris Jenkins Jr. gave the Bengals exactly the kind of preseason opener that can fool you if you’re not paying attention.
He showed up in Cincinnati’s 16-14 win over the Detroit Lions and made noise, piling up five total tackles and adding a sack. He even had the kind of moment that gets players noticed fast, celebrating a big play with plenty of flair. But for Jenkins, the performance doesn’t erase the bigger issue hanging over his spot with the team.
That’s because a strong night against second- and third-string competition is supposed to look like this for a third-year second-round pick. Jenkins comes with the kind of draft pedigree that raises expectations, from his NFL-star father to his background at Michigan in the Jim Harbaugh era.
At this point, he was supposed to be a high-end starter. Instead, he’s still fighting to stay off the roster bubble.
And that’s what makes his preseason opener feel so complicated. On one hand, there was real production.
On the other, the context matters, and it matters a lot. His PFF grade came in at 62.4, a middle-of-the-road number that doesn’t scream breakthrough.
He logged 32 snaps, which is the kind of workload most players would welcome, but for Jenkins it read more like a long audition - not just for Cincinnati, but maybe for somebody else too.
The Bengals may also be getting a little more patience with Jenkins simply because the 2024 draft class has looked rough so far. Amarius Mims at right tackle has been one of the few clear positives, and there’s hope that Erick All Jr., who has battled injuries, can still emerge.
Outside of that, the class hasn’t offered much. Jenkins, though, may be the toughest miss of the bunch because he was supposed to solve a real need and hasn’t done nearly enough yet.
That brings the conversation to the interior line battle, where another name is forcing the issue. Rookie seventh-rounder Landon Robinson has shown more pass-rush juice and upside, and he fits a clearer role than Jenkins does. Jenkins, by contrast, feels stuck between positions - not quite big or strong enough to anchor as a nose tackle, and not dynamic enough to be the kind of 3-technique who changes a game.
Robinson also held his own in his NFL preseason debut, and the flashes he showed, in this view, topped what Jenkins has delivered in a Bengals uniform so far. That’s why the final roster decision looks so awkward from Cincinnati’s side. If the choice were made strictly on fit and upside, Robinson would appear to have the edge.
But that may not be how this ends. Jenkins’ solid opener might buy him more time in the Queen City, even if the better football case points the other way.
The sense here is that he doesn’t deserve to make the final 53-man roster. The question is whether the Bengals actually act on that.
In Other News...
Bengals Receiver Draws New Buzz As Gia Duddy Rumors Grow
A familiar offseason-fueled swirl has followed a Bengals wide receiver this summer, with lifestyle influencer Gia Duddy reportedly linked to Andrei Iosivas. The interest picked up after Duddy was spotted around Bengals training sessions and at the teams preseason game, enough to keep the relationship chatter moving as Cincinnati shifted from camp work to game preparation.
For the Bengals, it is the kind of off-field storyline that tends to follow young players when attention starts to grow around the roster. Neither Duddy nor Iosivas has publicly confirmed anything, so the speculation remains just that, but the sightings have given the rumor mill plenty to chew on while fans wait for the more important answers to come on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Draft Focus Is Shifting Toward Two Lingering Roster Concerns
The Bengals recent draft work has again pointed toward a couple of familiar roster questions, and the list of possible future fits is starting to take shape around them. NC State running back Jayden Scott has drawn attention as a physical back who could eventually provide depth behind Chase Brown, while Oregon linebacker Devon Jackson has also surfaced as a player worth watching because of his athletic profile and what it could mean for Cincinnatis front seven.
For a team that has had to stay mindful of building out the middle and the backfield, those are the kinds of long-view names that matter. The preseason observations and scouting notes only go so far at this stage, but they do suggest the Bengals are keeping tabs on prospects who could address those lingering concerns if the board and the timing line up the right way. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Fringe Players Are Forcing A Tough Roster Decision
The first preseason game gave a handful of Bengals fringe players a real opening to move themselves closer to the 53-man roster. With final cuts approaching, the reserve group is still very much in motion, and the competition has sharpened at spots like linebacker and defensive line, where every practice rep and exhibition snap carries a little more weight.
For Cincinnati, that makes the next stretch of camp about more than just sorting out depth. The staff still has to decide which players can help right away and which ones might be too valuable to risk losing, all while beginning to turn its attention to a Week 1 opponent that could be dealing with injury concerns on offense. The roster picture is getting clearer, but the hardest calls may still be ahead. [Read more 🡒]