The Cincinnati Bengals are on break before training camp, so it’s a good time to step back and run down the list of players who came out of offseason programs as winners and losers.
While the Bengals have one of the lighter offseason schedules of any team in the NFL, there are quite a few of these guys in both categories.
Some of the winners, unexpectedly, were rookies who might just be able to have a bigger impact than expected. That’s impressive, considering how little roster turnover there is on a contending roster each year. Some of the losers vary, whether it’s simply disappointing or even losing ground in a positional battle.
Winner: Myles Murphy
Murphy looked the part in camp, which is nothing but a good thing as he’s expected to have a solid rotational role right away. That includes while he was being tested by Trey Hendrickson, a trial by fire of sorts that suggests he’s ready to make an impact.
Loser: Jackson Carman
Carman’s mini-outbreak last year was fun, but offseason work stressed he doesn’t have an opening to a starting job. He’s not taking Cordell Volson’s at left guard and La’el Collins looks great on his rehab track, putting him and Jonah Williams ahead of him at right tackle.
Winner: Jonah Williams
Williams silenced unnecessary speculation by showing up for mandatory work after previously rehabbing away from the team after offseason knee surgery. He looks great, said the right things and is the favorite to start at right tackle — and he might just be an upgrade.
Loser: Trenton Irwin
Guys like Irwin and Trent Taylor have a problem — there’s no path to breaking into the top three wideout spots and other guys can come in and shove them out of backup and special team roles. Rookie Charlie Jones looks good as a returner and fellow rookie Andrei Iosivas has huge athletic traits and upside that could force guys like Irwin out after the summer.
Winner: Zach Carter
Don’t look now, but Carter is a huge breakout pick. After spending last season learning as a rookie, he’s added a stunning 20 pounds of muscle to his frame. He looks primed to be the main guy rotating with B.J. Hill has an interior pass-rusher.
Neutral: La'el Collins
On one hand, Collins coming back this fast and looking this good after a serious knee injury in mid-December is amazing. But he’s still got a near-zero chance of being ready by opening day, especially if he gets no practice reps with the ones all summer. So when he’s ready, he might have to simply serve as a backup all year behind Jonah Williams.
Winner: Chidobe Awuzie
Speaking of injury comebacks, Awuzie looks fantastic in practice, which is a good sign given his otherwise mysterious rehab track after last year’s serious injury. He’s the bonafide No. 1 corner for the defense and it sure looks like he’s tracking to be ready for Week 1.
Winner: Jordan Battle
Another rookie worth a highlight is Battle. His selection in the third round that caught some fans by surprise made it clear that coaches trust him to come in right away and have an impact as a rotational and subpackage guy. Not only does he look the part already, coaches can’t stop singing his praises, so get used to hearing his name all summer and beyond.
