Bengals should consider adding NFL players soon

The Cincinnati Bengals will likely add to their roster in some form as they head into the final cut deadline on Tuesday.

This complicated process around final cuts and league-wide 53-man rosters is why things have been rebranded as the “initial 53-man roster” in recent years. The Bengals, like any team, can use free agency and the waiver list to add players to the active roster or practice squad during this process.

Over the weekend, several other players joined the Bengals in making some early cuts before trimming them down to 53 in a few days.

After the initial salvo of league-wide releases, here are some players the Bengals might be interested in.

TE CJ Uzomah, Jets

A few years ago, Uzomah was a perfect fit for the rebuilding Bengals. Now, the Bengals need younger players and could end up with as many as five tight ends thanks to rookies like Erick All and Tanner McLachlan.

Still, maybe bringing Uzomah back as a member of the practice squad could at least allow him to regain his leadership in the locker room.

BY Khalid Kareem, Bears

A former Bengals draft pick, Kareem has struggled to stay healthy. But after losing Jeff Gunter to retirement and Cam Sample to injury, to name a few of the issues, the team could use some depth on the edge. Rookie Cedric Johnson is expected to make the 53-man roster, but maybe the practice squad?

DE Derek Rivers, Colts

Now 30, Rivers is a former 2017 third-round pick who still lands on practice squads and occasionally makes the jump to active rosters.

Again, the sheer need for depth should have the Bengals paying attention to virtually every edge rusher right now, even if they also consider putting players they’ve already cut on the practice squad.

BY Raymond Johnson, Jaguars

Johnson spent 2022 and the summer of 2023 with the Bengals before joining a trio of other teams. Bringing back a practice squad player who already knows the program would ease some of the integration process if the injury bug continues to plague the position.

OL Keaton Sutherland, Jaguars

Sutherland has played with the Bengals several times over the years. Again, familiarity is a good thing when looking for depth on the back end. If the Bengals fail to bring back some of their internal targets in the cuts, Sutherland would be a good backup plan.

RB Boston Scott, Rams

Scott is already surprisingly unemployed after spending the 2018-23 season in Philadelphia. He has a seven-touchdown season under his belt and is a capable pass catcher, so he would be an interesting depth spot next to Trayveon Williams on the depth chart.

This article was originally published on Bengals Wire: Bengals Should Consider Adding NFL Cuts Soon