Bengals Roster Breakdown: Jalen Davis has little left to prove in his football life

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, we commend the underdog […]

John Sheeran — Cincinnati Bengals News Writer
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Jalen Davis
© Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / 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, we commend the underdog story of Jalen Davis. A former undrafted free agent who was cut in each of his first three seasons, Davis has become an established member of the Bengals and has played in two playoff games, including a freakin' Super Bowl. Will his journey continue in Cincinnati this season? That's for the next three weeks to determine. 

Jalen Davis

  • Age: 28
  • Year: 7th
  • Position: Cornerback
  • College: Utah State
  • Previous Teams: Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals
  • Jersey Number: 35

Davis signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted following the 2018 NFL Draft. He spent four years at Utah State where he started immediately as a freshman in 2014. He didn't miss a game or start until his junior season in 2016. He earned First Team All-Mountain West honors, Second Team All-American honors, and was a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist as a senior in 2017. He exited Utah State as the program leader in pass breakups (37) and passes defensed (48). 

After spending the first 12 games of his rookie season on the Dolphins' practice squad, Miami elevated Davis for three of its final four games. The Dolphins cut him again in 2019, and the Cardinals added him to their practice squad to start the season. He played two games for Arizona that season. The Cards cut him in 2020 before adding him back to the practice squad, but then released him for good in the middle of the season. 

The Bengals first added Davis to their practice squad in late October of 2020, and signed him to the active roster a month later. He played six games for Cincinnati that season, primarily in the slot. The Bengals re-signed him as an exclusive rights free agent in 2021 and he made it through final cuts for the first time in his career. He played in 16 games including Super Bowl LVI with most of his snaps coming on special teams.

Once more, the Bengals re-upped Davis as an ERFA in 2022 and kept him on the team as Mike Hilton’s main backup at nickel and as a special teamer. Before he became a restricted free agent in 2023 with three accrued years of experience under his belt, the Bengals extended his contract for two years. He's played in 30 combined games since 2022, and is now the third-oldest player in the secondary.

Contract details

Davis is in the final year of his two-year, $2.430 million deal that will pay him a base salary of $1.125 million for the 2024 season. He also earned a $25,000 workout bonus this offseason.

When adding on his signing bonus of $872,740 that's being prorated throughout the deal, Battle's cap hit for this year will be $1,210,231.

Roster chances

Davis has stuck with the Bengals for four years because he's just been better than his competition. He's accustomed to making plays in the preseason, and is an ideal athlete for special teams. It's why the Bengals gave him a two-year contract when they could've just extended him for one year. 

Unfortunately for Davis, there's more competition at the nickel spot this year. Behind Hilton exists not only Davis, but Josh Newton, Daijahn Anthony, and when the battle between Dax Hill and DJ Turner II concludes, the loser will have value there as well. All of them are under contract for at least two more years, while Davis is entering a contract year with very little dead money attached to his name.

DJ Ivey's injury is another factor in play here. If last year's seventh-round pick returns to practice before the season begins, that's another cornerback likely to make the roster. He may not play in the slot like Davis, but again, there are plenty of bodies there already with Davis.

Davis is a solid depth piece and has been needed for that role over the last few years. He just may not be needed as much now. 

Chances of making the roster: 40%

Previous player breakdowns

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