Bengals roster battles in the spotlight heading into Friday's preseason finale at Eagles

CINCINNATI (AP) — For three seasons, when the Cincinnati Bengals needed an offensive tackle to step up off the bench, the answer was Cody Ford.

On Monday, when the Bengals cut Ford, they decided to go in a different direction with their backup offensive tackle spot this season.

Heading into Friday’s preseason finale at Philadelphia, the first backup offensive tackle spot on the Bengals’ bench remains a competition.

“It’s still pretty open,” coach Zac Taylor said. “There are guys we’re still looking at.”

Second-year player Jalen Rivers has received the most extensive opportunities at offensive tackle over the past two weeks. He had an up-and-down performance in the second preseason game, which was his first game experience at tackle this summer.

Rivers spent his entire rookie season as a guard but then was recently thrown into the tackle competition with other players struggling.

“I’m still getting adjusted,” Rivers said. “It’s been one week of me being there. I’m getting into the groove of things. I feel like the more reps I get, the more comfortable I get. Today, some things I’ve got to work on. Some things that can’t happen. But I felt pretty good.”

The other candidate for the backup offensive tackle spot is Javon Foster. He was a fourth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, got cut at the end of training camp last year and spent the 2025 season on the Bengals’ practice squad.

The Bengals have another intriguing competition at returner. While wide receiver Dohnte Meyers was in the Canadian Football League last season, he has made a name for himself in training camp and is making a charge for a roster spot with impressive performances as a receiver in training camp and in the preseason.

The preseason finale will be an important opportunity for him to show that he can be counted on as a returner.

“I don’t think pressure is something I think about or focus on,” Meyers said. “My father raised me to think about controlling what you can control. That’s been preached here. ‘Preparation’ is something we have on the wall in this facility. That’s what you can control. Don’t focus on pressure. Focus on preparation.”

His competition includes two established standout returners in Charlie Jones and Ke’Shawn Williams.

Seventh-round pick Landon Robinson has played well in each of the Bengals’ preseason games with his pass rush, but defensive tackle is already the team’s deepest position group.

Since the Bengals already have a lot set on the defensive line, the decision of whether or not to keep Robinson may come down to comparing him versus a player at another positon for one of the final roster spots.

He has made the most of his opportunities this summer.

“I’ve played to the scheme,” Robinson said. “I’ve worked my technique, my push-pull and used my quickness to make an impact on the game.”

The Bengals have significant depth this year at receiver, tight end and defensive tackle, which creates difficult decisions.

In recent seasons, the Bengals have aggressively perused the waiver wire at the end of August for back of the roster reinforcements. This year, that may not be necessary at most positions with the exception being offensive tackle.

The Bengals also don’t appear to have finalized their plans for linebacker and safety.

At linebacker, waiver claim Swayze Bozeman has made a strong case to be the team’s fourth linebacker. The Bengals typically carry five linebackers, and Joe Giles-Harris and Shaka Heyward have been splitting snaps. Giles-Harris was one of the most productive special teamers in the NFL last season, and special teams is a significant responsibility for a fifth linebacker. Heyward has shown more flashes on defense during his limited regular-season opportunities over the past three years.

At safety, Daijahn Anthony, Russ Yeast and PJ Jules have been sharing reps. Jules was on the roster as the fourth safety for all of last season, offers the most on special teams and has impressed with his physical tackling.

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