Bengals Roster Breakdown: Michael Dowell looking to prolong his Ohio football journey

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 take a closer […]

John Sheeran — Cincinnati Bengals News Writer
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Michael Dowell
© Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

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 take a closer look at another nearby college product in Michael Dowell. A native of North Ridgeville, OH, Dowell started his college career up at Michigan State before playing his final two years just north of Cincinnati at Miami University. Now he's staying in the Buckeye State to start his NFL career with the Bengals. 

Michael Dowell

  • Age: 24
  • Year: 1st
  • Position: Safety
  • College: Miami (OH)
  • Previous Teams: None
  • Jersey Number: 40

Dowell signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft and was a participant during the team's local pro day. His first three years in college were spent at Michigan State, where he started a combined six games and played just 794 snaps. He entered the transfer portal prior to the 2022 season and landed on Miami. 

It didn't take long for Dowell to be an impact player for the Redhawks. He racked up 97 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and six pass breakups in 2022, and followed that up with 61 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and his only two interceptions of his career in 2023. Nearly 60% of his snaps at Miami were taken in the slot.

Contract details

Dowell signed a three-year college free agent deal with the Bengals in May 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, but with a $7,000 signing bonus prorated throughout the deal, his cap hit as of now is $797,333 for the year.

Roster chances

Dowell and PJ Jules are pretty much in the same boat this year. Both are undrafted rookies listed as safeties with more experience playing in the slot than anything else. The ability to move them around the secondary bodes well for their roster chances, but the over-saturation of those player types on the team will make it hard for them to stand out. 

The Bengals need outside cornerbacks more than they need nickelback-safety hybrids. Mike Hilton and Dax Hill fit that description perfectly already, and DJ Turner II, Jalen Davis, and seventh-round pick Daijahn Anthony are all capable slot guys as well.

Dowell proved worthy of a roster spot following two years of starter player and his work at the Bengals' local pro day. It will take much more in the preseason and training camp for the team to make the unlikely decision of keeping him in a populated secondary. 

Chances of making the roster: 8%

Previous player breakdowns

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