Bengals conduct roster gymnastics to bring back veteran player and place rookie on Injured Reserve
The Cincinnati Bengals' roster finally looks settled with Week 1 right around the corner. Running back Trayveon Williams has been re-signed after getting cut to make room for waiver claim KJ Henry, and rookie nose tackle McKinnley Jackson has been placed on the Reserve/Injured list. Williams ultimately became the subject of a little roster gymnastics. […]
The Cincinnati Bengals' roster finally looks settled with Week 1 right around the corner.
Running back Trayveon Williams has been re-signed after getting cut to make room for waiver claim KJ Henry, and rookie nose tackle McKinnley Jackson has been placed on the Reserve/Injured list.
Williams ultimately became the subject of a little roster gymnastics. The team evidently wanted to place Jackson on I.R. with the intent of designating him to return after four weeks, but they only had two spots during final cuts and used them on edge defender Myles Murphy and punter Brad Robbins. Jackson had to make the initial 53-man roster first and then be placed on I.R. in order to be eligible to return during the season.
Because Williams is a vested veteran, he didn't have to clear waivers in order to re-sign with the team. Now Cincinnati has three running backs, five edge defenders, and five defensive tackles entering Week 1. Henry was claimed to replace Murphy on the edge, and Jay Tufele made the roster to fill Jackson's role at nose tackle.
In addition to these moves, the Bengals have also filled out the remaining spots on their practice squad. Nose tackle Justin Rogers was the first addition to be reported yesterday, and that move became officially along with three other players: guard Tashawn Manning, edge defender Isaiah Thomas, and running back Kendall Milton.
Manning and Thomas both come from AFC North clubs. The former spent the 2023 season on the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad as a rookie, while the latter was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2022 and played 10 games as rookie before spending last season on the team's practice squad.
Milton, like Rogers, is just a rookie, but he's got a connection with his new team. He's the nephew of former Bengals linebacker Kevin Hardy, who played in Cincinnati from 2003-04 and was the #2 pick in the 1996 NFL Draft.
The Bengals are now at a comfortable 53-man roster with three players eligible to return after Week 4, and a full practice squad consistency of 16 players.
Bengals' 16-man Practice Squad
- CB Nate Brooks
- WR Cole Burgess
- OT Devin Cochran
- DT Domenique Davis
- CB Jalen Davis
- TE Cam Grandy
- LB Shaka Heyward
- C Trey Hill
- WR Shedrick Jackson
- S PJ Jules
- G Tashawn Manning
- RB Kendall Milton
- WR Kendric Pryor
- DT Justin Rogers
- ED Isaiah Thomas
- QB Logan Woodside
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