Bengals: 4 players who helped their roster odds vs. Commanders

For about 40% of the Cincinnati Bengals' roster, Saturday night was the end of the road. Months of meetings, practices, walkthroughs, and everything in between led to the Cincinnati Bengals' preseason finale against the Washington Commanders. Getting waived or cut is a reality that virtually every NFL player experiences, even when they least expect it. There […]

John Sheeran — Cincinnati Bengals News Writer

Aug 27, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

Getting waived or cut is a reality that virtually every NFL player experiences, even when they least expect it. There isn't a year that goes by without clubs making difficult decisions based on more factors than just who played the best when everyone was watching.

As for these four Bengals, they did their absolute best in Washington to avoid that grim fate. Whether or not they end up making the initial 53-man roster remains to be seen, but no one can say they don't deserve roster spots after the way they played.

4 Bengals Who Helped Their Roster Odds vs. Commanders

QB Jake Browning

One drive was all it took for Browning to make a statement. He went a perfect four-for-four through the air, racking up 42 yards and a touchdown to rookie receiver Andrei Iosivas, who accounted for 32 of those yards with the bulk coming from a 25-yard reception on a back-shoulder route.

“He’s always on point," Iosivas said of Browning. "He makes the right reads. When he trusts you, he throws it in places you can get it. He knows the game and he trusts his receivers.”

The opening drive was executed perfectly, and Browning was still cooking on the second drive. He delivered a 19-yard completion to Tanner Hudson in the face of pressure that was ultimately erased due to a face mask penalty on guard Trey Hill. The Bengals will take the tape over the results at this point in the year.

It was the night Browning needed to separate himself from Trevor Siemian, who went 14-23 for 133 yards and tossed an end zone interception.

TE Tanner Hudson

Irv Smith Jr. and Drew Sample entered the night as the only tight ends with any job security, and Hudson exited the night as the most worthy to join them in that group. He continued to flash true athleticism and receiving ability with four receptions for 42 yards on seven targets.

“I thought Tanner did a good job," Taylor said. "He’s been a reliable threat for us. Does a good job in the run game, mixing it up and doing his job. So, pleased with what I saw from him.”

Two of Hudson's targets that fell to the ground could've been touchdowns, but Washington's defense made great plays on the ball each time. The times No. 87 did bring in the pass were more than enough to put him above Mitchell Wilcox, Devin Asiasi, and any other tight end on the Bengals' roster at this moment.

DL Raymond Johnson III

No one on the Bengals’ defense has been more consistent this preseason than Johnson, who flashed both on the edge and between the tackles Saturday night. From batting away a fourth-down pass at the line of scrimmage, to making an open field tackle a yard short of the first-down marker, the third-year defensive lineman put a proper exclamation point on his incredible month.

“Raymond made some splash plays for us," Taylor said. "You’d see a lot of plays in the backfield that Raymond was a part of. It was exciting to see those guys get their opportunities and make the most of them.”

Should the Bengals go with 10 on the defensive line, it's between Johnson and defensive tackle Jay Tufele. Positional versatility could give Johnson the edge (no pun intended), and if Joseph Ossai's ankle injury takes him out of the first few regular season games, that could keep Johnson around for a little while longer.

CB DJ Ivey

The Bengals were short on cornerbacks to end the preseason as the majority of the position group didn’t suit up. This ensured plenty of reps for Ivey, who ended up with a team-high two pass breakups and a few solo tackles to boot.

“I saw some good plays on the ball from Ivey," Taylor said. "Some contested plays, and even one of the completions he gave up on third down he was right there. It was contested, he was in tight coverage and the guy made a good play so thought that he was involved in some key plays throughout the game.”

A perfect preseason Ivey did not have, but when the highs outnumber the lows for a seventh-round pick at an extremely difficult position for rookies to play, that's a big win. It would be stunning to see any other name secure the sixth cornerback spot from Ivey.

Saturday night wasn't just about the bubble guys. Slot receiver Charlie Jones and running back Chase Brown also had solid outings to give them a boost into the regular season. Jones had his most productive game of the month with 32 yards on three receptions, including a catch that went for 20 yards up the seams.

It was Brown's best night of his young Bengals career as well, running for 39 hard-earned yards on 11 carries. The blocking in front of Brown was much improved compared to the first two weeks, but the fifth-round pick also lowered his shoulder to grind out extra yardage beyond first contact.

"I'm able to get my pads down I'm hard to tackle," Brown said of his running style. "I run with my pads low so that's kind of how I was able to do that today, but I think there's a lot more to chase for, strive for. This isn't the highlight. I'm excited for what's coming in the future."

It was a solid night for most of the rookie class. Iosivas had the aforementioned touchdown and paid homage to teammate Ja'Marr Chase with his first-ever Griddy celebration in the end zone, and punter Brad Robbins boomed a 51-yarder inside the Commanders' 10-yard line for his one and only attempt.

For a team that played during conference championship week, all eight draft picks making the Week 1 roster would be quite the feat. It certainly looks like the likely scenario with cuts just two days away.