The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t have much in the way of clarity to offer on the injury suffered by defensive end Joseph Ossai during the team’s preseason finale against the Washington Commanders.
After the game, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said the following in a brief exchange:
On how severe DE Joseph Ossai’s injury is:
“Not sure. Not sure. Could be a sprain. We’ll find out.”
On why DE Joseph Ossai played tonight:
“Needed the reps. Needed the reps.”
The Bengals losing a player like Ossai to injury in the third and final preseason game was a worst-case scenario going into the exhibition, especially since the coaching staff had said no starters would play.
Ossai isn’t a starter and, therefore suited up, though whether he needed preseason reps is something sure to be a point of contention amongst fans.
For the Bengals, the hope now is that the injury isn’t a severe one. Defensive line is a strength of the roster, but it should go without saying that Ossai is a key part of the rotational pass-rush.
