Cincinnati · Big 12Bengals’ Final Preseason Game Leaves Several 53-Man Roster Spots Unsettled
Cincinnati’s projected roster is clearest at quarterback and most unsettled at wide receiver, offensive tackle, defensive line, and linebacker. The preseason finale against Philadelphia is the final evaluation point before the Bengals build their initial 53-man roster.
AUG 28, 2026
Roster spots
Projected linemen
Projected tight ends
01 · The NewsWhat Happened
The Cincinnati Bengals have not announced their initial 53-man roster, and tonight’s preseason finale against Philadelphia is the last game for many players competing for a place on it. The latest projection has Joe Burrow and Joe Flacco as the two quarterbacks, with Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, and Tahj Brooks at running back. Brooks remains unsettled because his blocking and receiving have progressed while his rushing production through two games has not separated him from the competition. Cincinnati is projected to keep six wide receivers, with the final place between Mitch Tinsley, Charlie Jones, and Ke’Shawn Williams. Andrei Iosivas, Colbie Young, and Dohnte Meyers are also included, with Meyers projected as the primary returner. The team is projected to carry five tight ends, nine offensive linemen, 11 defensive linemen, and four linebackers. Those numbers leave several decisions dependent on the final game, possible injured-reserve designations, and the waiver process.
02 · The StakesWhy This One Matters
The most important roster questions are not evenly distributed across the depth chart. At wide receiver, the final spot also affects the return game. Keeping Jones would give Cincinnati a primary return option, while choosing Tinsley would preserve a receiver who has made plays with Burrow before. The projection instead places Meyers in the return role, creating a direct competition between roster value and special-teams certainty. The offensive line has a similar problem at swing tackle. Keeping both Jalen Rivers and Javon Foster provides insurance at a position where one injury can change the weekly protection plan, but it leaves Jacob Bayer outside the initial 53 despite his ability to play guard and center. The defensive line is projected to reach 11 players, which supports more rotation but forces the Bengals to carry fewer linebackers. That tradeoff places Joe Giles-Harris on the edge of the roster. The field-level consequence is straightforward: Cincinnati may have more flexibility in its front than at linebacker, while the final receiver and tackle decisions could determine who handles return duties and emergency protection snaps.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The Bengals have not said whether Kris Jenkins could be traded or whether Shemar Stewart will begin the season on injured reserve. Either move would change the defensive-line count and could create an opening for Isaiah Foskey. The team also has not settled whether Josh Johnson or Sean Clifford will receive the remaining quarterback practice-squad spot if both do not stay.
“The Bengals’ finale against Philadelphia is the next named checkpoint on Aug. 26.”
The Wire Desk04 · The PersonnelWhat Changes Now
The final preseason game gives the Bengals a last direct comparison at the positions where the projection is least settled. Brooks needs to show that his value as a blocker and receiver can outweigh a limited rushing résumé. At wide receiver, Tinsley, Jones, and Williams are competing for different kinds of roster value. Tinsley offers prior production with Burrow, Jones offers return ability, and Williams remains another option for the final receiver room. The tackle decision is less about a single standout play than about whether Cincinnati wants to protect against losing both swing-tackle depth and interior versatility. Rivers and Foster are projected to make the roster, while Bayer is projected to become a practice-squad candidate if he clears waivers. On defense, Giles-Harris could move onto the roster if Cincinnati carries five linebackers. Stewart’s health designation and any decision involving Jenkins will be known later than the preseason evaluation itself, so the first projection should be treated as a working version rather than a final depth chart.
05 · The ChessboardWhat the Coaches Can Actually Change
Cincinnati can preserve its projected 11-man defensive-line group and accept a four-linebacker roster, or move one spot to linebacker for Giles-Harris. Placing Stewart on injured reserve would open a roster slot without requiring the team to cut another healthy defensive lineman, while Isaiah Foskey would become the leading candidate in this projection to fill that space. At running back, the Bengals could keep Brooks as the third option or look outside the roster for a waiver claim. The wide-receiver decision also gives the staff a special-teams choice: Meyers can handle the primary return role in this projection, while Jones would bring a more established return profile if he wins the final spot. The offensive-line plan carries its own tradeoff. Keeping both Rivers and Foster protects the edges but sends Bayer toward the practice squad, where Cincinnati would hope to retain his guard-center flexibility if another team does not claim him.
06 · Honest ScaleWhat Happens Next
The projection points to a roster built around certainty at quarterback and deliberate depth on the lines. Five tight ends and 11 defensive linemen would leave less room at linebacker, where Giles-Harris is projected to miss the cut despite a path to the roster if Cincinnati keeps five. The most immediate evaluation points are the final receiver, the swing-tackle arrangement, and Brooks’ all-around work. The Bengals’ finale against Philadelphia is the next named checkpoint on Aug. 26. After that, the organization must reduce the roster to 53 players and navigate waivers before setting its practice squad. The projection is not a team announcement, and the unresolved choices are concentrated in roles that affect special teams, protection depth, and weekly defensive rotation.
07 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
Philadelphia finale
The Aug. 26 game is the last preseason evaluation point for Brooks, the final receivers, and the swing-tackle competition.
Shemar Stewart’s designation
A decision to begin Stewart on injured reserve would create a defensive-line opening for Isaiah Foskey.
Initial roster and waivers
The Bengals’ 53-man roster and subsequent waiver process will determine whether players such as Bayer and Giles-Harris remain in the organization.