Bengals Roster Breakdown: Shaka Heyward set to enter an open free-for-all at linebacker

Throughout the summer leading up to the regular season, we will go through the entire 2024 Cincinnati Bengals roster. Every single day until the season opener against the New England Patriots, we will break down a player on the roster including his background, contract status, and path towards making the team.Today, linebacker Shaka Heyward comes […]

John Sheeran — Cincinnati Bengals News Writer
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Shaka Heyward
© Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via USA TODAY NETWORK

Throughout the summer leading up to the regular season, we will go through the entire 2024 Cincinnati Bengals roster. Every single day until the season opener against the New England Patriots, we will break down a player on the roster including his background, contract status, and path towards making the team.

Today, linebacker Shaka Heyward comes into focus. Heyward spent his rookie season on the Bengals' practice squad in 2023, and now has a real chance to elevate himself within a linebackers room that underwent turnover this offseason. 

Shaka Heyward

  • Age: 24
  • Year: 2nd
  • Position: Linebacker
  • College: Duke
  • Previous Teams: None
  • Jersey Number: 50

Heyward signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2023. Like Vincent Rey before him, he was a productive linebacker from Duke who managed to stick with Cincinnati. It also makes sense why he ended up making the league considering his bloodlines. He's the cousin of NFL All-Pro and Bengals menace Cam Heyward of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A productive preseason for Heyward last year led to his practice squad invite, but he was never elevated up to the active roster during the season as injuries didn't hit the linebacker position enough to need his assistance. 

Contract details

Heyward signed a one-year futures deal with the Bengals back in January that will pay him the minimum salary for the 2024 season.

His salary will cost $795,000 for the entire season if he's kept on the team for the entire regular season, which is more than his career earnings of $246,000 prior to this year.

Roster chances

Linebacker has consistently been a position for undrafted players to seize roles in Cincinnati. There's not much differentiating Heyward from past success stories of making the team and sticking around inside the linebackers room. 

What really benefits Heyward is his year of experience within the system and scheme, and what happened within the depth chart in front of him. Markus Bailey is with the Arizona Cardinals now, and while Akeem Davis-Gaither and Joe Bachie re-signed, it's possible only one of those two are safe to make the initial 53. Everyone below them are set to enter a free-for-all. 

Five backers are the likely number Cincinnati lands on. That's Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt, Davis-Gaither, and likely Bachie as the top four. The fifth could be Devin Harper, one of the 2024 UDFAs Aaron Casey or Maema Njongmeta, or maybe it'll be Heyward. It really feels like any of the four could take it.

Chances of making the roster: 25%

Previous player breakdowns

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