The *real* depth chart for the Cincinnati Bengals is slowly becoming clearer as the second week of preseason is upon them. The Bengals will play their first road game of the year with the intent of seeing their defensive starters in action for the first time.

Once that defensive series concludes, it'll be business as usual for the bottom of the roster. Several rookies and familiar faces are neck and neck with one another for the few available roster spots. Even for those who are safer than others, it wouldn't hurt to show something to solidify their standing.



Plenty of eyes will be on these four players as the Bengals take on the Atlanta Falcons tonight.

Four Bengals Who Need Good Games vs. Falcons

QB Trevor Siemian

One of these quarterbacks has to show something, anything, to the coaches to prove they deserve the backup role behind Burrow. Siemian will get the first crack at it after going in the second half last week with the third-stringers. His throw-on-the-run ability should give him opportunities to create plays that Jake Browning couldn’t against the Green Bay Packers. The time to create movement in this meek position battle is now.

WR Charlie Jones

His preseason debut was far from spectacular, but Jones is also playing injured with what’s at least a partially torn labrum. If he’s opting to play through the pain, the excuses will eventually stop flowing in. Can he break off a decent punt return, or create an explosive play? It’d be nice to see him get a chance out of the slot for once as all six of his targets last week were out wide. There’s definite room for improvement for the team’s latest fourth-round draft pick. 

T Hakeem Adeniji

On the surface, it appears D’Ante Smith has the edge over Jackson Carman to be the swing tackle, a role that would have him be active on game days. Carman’s descent back down the depth chart is also an opportunity for Adeniji to reassert himself into the conversation. He played exclusively left tackle last week and was arguably the best offensive lineman on the field for Cincinnati. Stacking another solid performance should keep him in good graces when figuring out which nine (or 10) lineman to keep.

DT Domenqiue Davis

Just like with Adeniji, Davis needs to keep building. He was somewhat dominant last week, registering a team-high four pressures on just 10 true pass rushing snaps against the Packers. Continuing to disrupt the pocket as a defensive tackle will keep him in the conversation along with Jay Tufele. There’s room for one of them, but probably not both.

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You can stay in these same position groups to identify other players who need quality showings tonight. Jake Browning will get the ball after Siemian is through and is still very much alive in the QB2 battle. Targets will keep rolling in for Andrei Iosivas to rise up to WR5 and confirm an active game day spot. 

Smith and Carman will both be in the spotlight for differing reasons. You're likely to see the former mostly at right tackle and the latter at left tackle, unless the coaches want Carman to try and make right tackle work. He's been given so many chances you have to wonder when the well runs dry. 

Lastly, does Raymond Johnson III have a real chance at making the initial 53? They'd have to go really heavy at defensive line to make it work, but he was just as good getting after the passer off the edge last week as Davis was from the interior. Another game like that would be a statement impossible to ignore.

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Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar – USA Today Network via The Cincinnati Enquirer