Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Bengals Add Veteran Linebacker, Sign 5 Draft Picks: Here's What It Means for Defense

Episode Date: May 10, 2026

The Bengals added linebacker Swayze Bozeman on waivers from the New York Giants along with 11 undrafted free agents to fill out their 90-man roster, and got through rookie minicamp with full participa...tion and no contract drama. Jake Liscow and James Rapien break down what it means that they went the waiver route to add a veteran linebacker with special teams experience, and if it portends inactivity for additional moves at linebacker. Plus, we break down the takeaways from rookie minicamp including Cashius Howell's participation and contract commentary, the chip on Jack Endries' shoulder, and the outlook for Colbie Young. Plus, we break down this year's crop of Bengals UDFAs. Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengals Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Find and follow Locked On Bengals on your favorite podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-bengals-daily-podcast-on-the-cincinnati-bengals/id1159723162 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajs Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengals Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Square If you’re starting a business, or running one that deserves better tools, Square helps you sell, manage, and grow without slowing down. Right now, you can get up to $200 off Square hardware at https://square.com/go/LockedOnNFL. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. Rocket Money Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join athttp://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDONGametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The Cincinnati Bengals have added a linebacker and got through a rookie minicamp without drama. Let's break it all down. You are locked on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. What up Bengals fans. Welcome to another episode of the Locked on Bengals podcast. He's James Rapine. I'm Jake.
Starting point is 00:00:28 Let's go. Today we're getting into the rookie minicamp takeaways as the Bengals rookies donned. Bengals colors. Bengals practice. jerseys for the first time it got through their first day of work with Bengals coaches before they're folded in to the Bengals offseason process with veterans this week and heard from all the rookies in the locker room afterwards. Bengals signed their group of undrafted free agents, but they also added a veteran linebacker
Starting point is 00:00:54 and not one that any of us have talked about and one that I would guess that 99.9% of you did not know about before the Bengals claimed him on waivers. We'll discuss the Bengals linebacker edition on waivers to start today's episode before we get to the rookie notes. And what that means about the linebacker position and what that tells us about the Bengals direction there now that the roster is full. In today's episode brought to you by Fandul, where new customers can bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets. If your first bet wins, just head to hand fandgill.com to get started. James of Bengals added on waivers from the New York Giants. another player added from the New York Giants.
Starting point is 00:01:34 Can you believe it? Swayzy Bozeman, who has plenty of special teams experience in his NFL career. I thought it was O'Caricay. You teased me. I thought it was a different former giant. Dang it. Has experience with the Kansas City Chiefs as well played in the Super Bowl, in fact, had 21 snaps on special teams in the Super Bowl in 2024's season against the Philadelphia Eagles for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Starting point is 00:02:00 and he will join the Bengals to be a linebacker competition in depth. And do you have any thoughts on the Swayze-Boseman signing before I fire off my hot question? Yeah, I do have thoughts. Look, they wanted to add, we know they wanted to add a linebacker and they needed more bodies there. And so they go get a couple UDFAs after not drafting one. And it didn't mean that they didn't need some depth there. and special team like even if you're thinking starters wise special teams is such a key piece for the linebacker room and so adding that a guy like that that's proven that maybe is able to be
Starting point is 00:02:43 lb5 because of his special team's ability it doesn't shock me does it move the needle on defense well no you certainly hope that you're not seeing mr bozeman on defense at all this year but an experienced player that that has played like you said on special teams in big games on May 8th when they made that addition. You know, it's reasonable. It's noteworthy. There's also a chance, a really good chance that this guy isn't close to making the team. And so we'll see what happens there for sure.
Starting point is 00:03:13 Yeah, my question was going to be, who's more likely to make the 53-man roster, Swayzie Bozeman or Jack Dingell? And we will get to the Bengals list of undrafted free agents as well in this episode now that we know that list. Let's me. Well, first I wanted to talk about. what Swayze Bozeman does well, which is run. He's a fantastic athlete.
Starting point is 00:03:34 I just looked up his athletic testing. Run. He's a good runner. He ran a 4-5. It was just funny how you said it. He's a good runner. He's a good runner. I didn't say he's a good runner.
Starting point is 00:03:44 I said something he does well is run. Swayzy Bozeman was at the combine about six feet tall, 6-1, weighed 224. So undersized for a linebacker toward the bottom of the percentiles for linebacker weights. in the pre-draft. And this isn't necessarily the combine. I don't know if you went to the combine. This might have been his pro days from Southern Mississippi University. So not likely a combine invitee.
Starting point is 00:04:10 Did 24 reps on the bench, which is pretty good at 224 pounds. Ran a 4-5, like I said, with a 157 split. The 40 was great for him at that pro day. Also did agility testing, which was also great. 4-2-2 shuttle, which is in the 87th percent. 6673 cone, which is in the 99th percentile for three cones, had a 36-inch vert, which, again, 84th percentile, that's in the top 20 percent of linebackers who have tested,
Starting point is 00:04:41 according to Kentley-Platts data over at RAS. And with a broad jump of almost 11 feet, that's in the 99th percentile as well. So a really strong athletic profile there for Mr. Swayze-Bosman. And Jack Dingell is similarly, very athletic. Eric Gentry, the other college free agent linebacker, the Bengal sign, is a bit of a unicorn in terms of his build being much more aligned with the NBA than the NFL, 6, 7, 220 pounds or so, but he moves really well at that size. He's just long for an NFL
Starting point is 00:05:18 linebacker especially and relatively slender there. But Eric Gentry, yeah. What did I say? I thought I said Gentry. I thought single and Gentry there. Maybe either way. Yeah, Gentry, who's yeah he's built like a safety let's be and then when you add to that list now another great athlete and suasy bozeman out of all those undrafted guy do you think that one has a shot to crack the roster because probably the roster as of today barring other other additions to meet your site barrett carter oren berks shock a hayward joe giles harris and then leom anderson was also added as a as a free agent but is competing for a potential six spot and maybe they just keep five lines backers here, which is what I would guess based on the guys on the roster right now.
Starting point is 00:06:03 Yeah, you got to beat out, Joe. Are you sure it's Giles? I'm not Giles. Yeah, I think it's Joe Giles hair. So either way, you got to beat him out. And that's good. I think it is Giles, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I think Orrin Berks and Shaka Hayward are locks at this point.
Starting point is 00:06:18 And it's because they trust them. I know they believe in Shaka Hayward and he's gotten better and better. And they could have cut Orrin Barks and didn't. And so unless there's a guy that stands out that they, really invest in. Maybe it is one of the Bobby's okay or Kay or Wagner or something like that, right? I just assume Orrin Berks is going to be on the roster as LB3 and he can give you a little bit of everything. Obviously, as special teams experience, Shaka, the same thing. And so if one of these guys, Jack Dingle, Eric Gentry, your man Swayze, and I'm not talking about Patrick, like if one
Starting point is 00:06:53 of these guys can show you something, anything on defense, in flash enough on special teams, which is where they're going to have to make their hay. I mean, if you're Swayzy Bozeman, that's, that's the mindset here. Let me sign with the Bengals, show them that I can make it on special teams and go from there. Well, you've got to beat out Joe Giles Harris. I think that's the bar in all of these guys,
Starting point is 00:07:17 whether it is Dingle, whether it is gentry, they looked at that lineback room and they said, all right, can I beat out Joe Giles Harris? Well, I'll have a shot. And so you go try to do it. And the other thing just from a linebacker, like, defensively and why they probably only keep five, even if it's close, is like Kyle Dugger can help defensively some in the box and gives them that. Like, how much do they think that Swayze Bozeman can help versus Kyle Dugger on defense at linebacker? I'm sure they think that Dugger's like moons ahead, right?
Starting point is 00:07:49 So just worth knowing. Yeah. It's also worth noting that in college, there were 183 slot snaps for Swayzee Bozeman. We're digging deep. But what we should be talking about. Oh, my. The fact that the Vegel's roster is- Michael Corner, Swayze Bozeman.
Starting point is 00:08:11 No, I know. He just played a little bit in the slot, especially in his last year in college. He's barely played defense in the NFL. He has a handful of defensive snaps. in the NFL. What we should be talking about is probably that with these undrafted of free agents and the waiver claim of Swayzee Boseman, the Bengals roster is full.
Starting point is 00:08:29 So if you're looking for an addition at linebacker to come, obviously they could cut someone, but not something the Bengals often do at this time of year would be to cut someone at this time of year. Like for the most part, teams at this time of year will carry these guys through the offseason program into training camp. And maybe at the beginning of training camp, you can see a move occur where if somebody's really not fitting
Starting point is 00:08:49 or they get through a few weeks of the offseason program, something's not fitting. They can make a move and make a swap there. But with the Bengals roster full, I think that's probably signaling the end of any movement for the foreseeable future, or for the near future, I should say, not for the stable future.
Starting point is 00:09:06 We can see further than the near future. But if there's going to be a move at linebacker, it's probably just a trade at this point or post-cutown day kind of thing, like coming later. You think? I kind of think. I just, I think of Reisner. Like, linebacker feels very much like guard.
Starting point is 00:09:28 What? I was so late. It was. But, but does, does Bobby Wagner or Bobby O'Caricase price come down to where the things are like, oh, here we go. I just think that it would be similarly late, like training camp. Oh, first, it might, and it might. And by the way, guys, just work it out and get one of those guys.
Starting point is 00:09:49 guy signed so we don't have to be talking about slot snaps for Patrick Swayze. Oh, wait, Swayze Bozeman. I mean, come on. What are we doing? I was just curious about what he's in college. It's my favorite line. Maybe my favorite line we've ever had 183 slots. We're going to move on and talk about Bengals, a rookie minicamper. There was great, perfect attendance. Everyone participated. Cassius Howell talked a little bit about his contract situation because he was asked about it, because of course it's a Bengals off season. There's no drama about contracts. We'll talk about that.
Starting point is 00:10:23 The rest of this undrafted free agent class coming up next. Today's show is brought to by Rocket Money. Look, if you've ever opened your bank account and thought, where did all my money go? And where did those 183 slot snaps come from? Well, Rocket Money is going to help you keep track of subscription, spending, and bills that can get overwhelming fast. And that's the thing.
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Starting point is 00:11:43 You've got chaos happening. you need to find a linebacker or maybe Terry Tate office linebacker isn't cutting it. You need to find the perfect position for that one job that's open. And look, I looked it up, Swayzey Bozeman, sorry, 4% of his professional snaps in the slot. Maybe that's not going to cut it for you. Maybe you need the right people to fit what you're looking for, the skills, the experience, in the location that you're looking to hire. You're not just hoping the right candidate stumbles across your post.
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Starting point is 00:12:58 shout out to Zach Taylor. It's his birthday on Sunday. 39 years old, according to Orlando Brown. Yeah, no chance. No chance. Orlando.
Starting point is 00:13:07 I appreciate the math. But, yeah, 43. So it was Mother's Day. Shout out the happy Mother's Day. All the moms out there and the moms that listen and support us or put up with their husbands or kids or whoever for listening to us every day or watching us.
Starting point is 00:13:21 But I wonder how that split was in the Taylor household. Something tells me that Zach defaulted to his wife on Mother's Day. I'd be sure. I was thinking about that. I mean, obviously a lot of people in the world have birthdays today. And a lot of people in the world are celebrating Mother's Day today. That's got to be a thing. You split them up or you just do it.
Starting point is 00:13:40 Yeah, you'd have to do it on different days, I think. It has to, it's hard to joint that, right? Like if it's the wife's birthday, well, then it's real easy to do Mother's Day and birthday together. But like, it's two way different things. Anyways, regardless, maybe the Bengals can celebrate Zach Taylor's birthday by adding a linebacker that we're not talking about his college slot snaps at some point. That's probably not going to happen. What they did do is sign five of their draft picks and the 10 college free agents. And we can get to the college free agents.
Starting point is 00:14:09 But rookie minicamp was on Friday. And we got a look at Cassius How. we got to see Brian Parker, the Cincinnati kid, line up in stripes and start to practice. Obviously, everyone's talking about Landon Robinson as well, Colby Young. There's notes on all of these guys. And they talked afterwards. Jack Andrews talked. Like all of them talked.
Starting point is 00:14:29 Obviously, Connor Lewis coming back from the ACL. But I think it's pretty noteworthy. Cassius Howell, second rounder last year's second rounder. Demetrius Knight did not participate in rookie minicamp. was not on the field in participating, stood there, was in his jersey, he's 44, but stood there, as did Shamar Stewart, because they didn't have their waiver sign.
Starting point is 00:14:51 They remained unsigned. Cassius Howe still unsigned. Ticario Davis still unsigned. Both guys, despite being unsigned, we're on the field, we're practicing and working out with the team on Friday. So no contract drama this spring or summer yet. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:15:09 for the Bengals. We'll see when training camp rolls around. If we have some contract around, one of these extensions that pops up, like after OTAs, between June and July, maybe mid-July, we'll see.
Starting point is 00:15:22 But for now, all is quiet on the contract front. And there's also optimism from Cash's Hell. There was some concern about where the Bengals were picking and how much of Cash's House contract would have to be guaranteed based on where the full guarantees ran out for second round picks last year
Starting point is 00:15:38 and started to taper into partial guarantees and the continued trend in the NFL towards second round picks getting fully guaranteed contracts and how that would affect the Bengals negotiations with Cassius Halen went so far that I saw people James talking about the Bengals potentially trading back so that they wouldn't have to deal with potentially guaranteeing Cassius Howell's full contract for the second round pick. And I don't think that was going to motivate any of their decisions. I think that deal will get done.
Starting point is 00:16:05 But what was interesting is the Cassius Howell in his comments to the Bengals local media after the pro day or after the pro day after rookie mini camp feels like a pro day in your to your point it does feel very pro dayish yeah it's pretty light there's some work but after the rookie minicamp day the climatization day for the rookies he talked about optimism that the contract would get done in the next couple of weeks based on what he's heard from his agent so that would be great can put that behind us and not have to talk about rookie signing contracts into training camp again and that is some drama James contract drama that I am looking forward to not having to deal with this year for the Bengals.
Starting point is 00:16:44 Yeah, it was really unnecessary last year. And look, by the way, like the reason I mentioned Knight as well is because he obviously got that advice. But I know Shamar Stewart's taken a lot of, a lot of arrows. My message to Shamar would be just go out there and ball out and all this stuff ends. Like, it's pretty simple. As long as he does his job now moving forward, it won't be talked about it. won't be discussed.
Starting point is 00:17:07 It'll kind of be dismissed as that. Remember when his agent was kind of an idiot? So, yeah, that's that. I think comparing the 17th overall pick and their mindset and how they should approach negotiations versus the 31st overall pick is a very slippery slope in general. But I know it was out there on social media. And I don't want to do that. Cassius Howe has a lot to prove.
Starting point is 00:17:31 Cassius Howe is hopefully going to be a big piece of, piece of this defensive front. And so should Shamar Stewart. And regardless of what happened last year, last year is last year, hopefully those guys are locked in and help each other. And now that they're reunited, they can be a problem for opposing quarterback. So that's it.
Starting point is 00:17:51 I saw a lot out there and I get it. It's just a small piece of the fan base. But like the Shamar Stewart stuff, like, all right, who's a year ago? Let's move on. Yeah, moving on sounds great. Everyone getting better. Sounds great.
Starting point is 00:18:04 getting that that year two jump sounds great and we'll start to get a feel for those things in a couple months it'll it'll be some time before we have some ideas we'll get some best shape of your life kind of stuff we've already got we did we talk about yosovash on the show last week or was that off off air when we were off air dude looks aren't it might have been on i i because because i think you were like yeah yeah it works about that it was on it was on it was on that shape of your life season but honestly he's going to need it because Colby Young, I wasn't at rookie minicamp, full disclosure. But did you see the Fox 19 video?
Starting point is 00:18:41 I think it was Jeremy Rao who had it. But like the one-handed going through drills, making it look easy, talking about how giant he looks on the field. I'm excited to see Kobe Young on the field, this giant receiver that towers over everybody that can make one-handed catches look easy. And he talked to the media after practice as well. He got glowing character reviews from Dylan. Fairchild after they drafted him. Fairchild talked about how excited he was, you know, exclaimed to his wife excitedly. We got Kobe talked about how good of a guy he is.
Starting point is 00:19:13 That'll be an interesting one to watch. There is a very clear path for him to make waves, and the Bengals are very, very excited about him. There have been comments from people who follow Georgia college sports much more closely than we do about him earning the trust back from that coaching staff after what he went through there and that being a big deal and potentially a bigger deal than you would realize if you don't closely follow Georgia football. And that's something that I've noticed just paying attention a little bit to the discourse around Kobe Young now that he's a Cincinnati Bengals. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:19:50 I think, and I've asked around some, and naturally he's going to get compared to Germain, whether that's fair or not. And one was the 80th pick, one was the 140th pick. So right there, things should feel differently. like Jermaine was a huge reach in the moment. Someone we were not talking about really at all because of the character stuff. But the Bengals far more comfortable. I think there were plenty of people in the building that were completely out on
Starting point is 00:20:14 Germain Burton when they picked him from a character standpoint. Like don't pick this guy. I believe that. And others that obviously had important influence were in on him and thought that they could rein him in and thought that they could maximize him because they saw the talent. And it didn't work. I think they're pretty comfortable with Kobe Young's character and believe that he's going to be,
Starting point is 00:20:36 from a character standpoint, a non-concern, where they don't have to worry, where they don't have to sweat and wonder if he's going to show up on time, if he's going to do the little things, if he's going to, from a football character standpoint, watch film,
Starting point is 00:20:49 show up to practice, all of those things, but then off the field, not get calls in the middle of the night and have to think about it that way and be that kind of headache. So we will see. But I do think like if you gave Zach Taylor on his birthday truth serum, he'd be like, yeah,
Starting point is 00:21:06 I'm not nearly as worried about 86, which is Colby Young's number. Hopefully he channels his inner darnay Scott. But not worry, nearly as worried about 86 as I was, a guy in Jermaine Burton who really from the jump, I think there was some concern once he got into the building. We'll continue the conversation here to wrap up with any other thoughts, James, that you might from the rookies at mini camp mini camp day not the most interesting day rookie mini camp and the list of undrafted free agents james which is quite interesting we will discuss those topics that finish the show coming up next today's show is brought you up by
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Starting point is 00:22:51 Fandle, play your game. James, did anything else really stand out to you from rookie mini camp, any of the post practice media locker room sessions anything like that that you want to make sure we hit on here yeah i i think that injuries who in jack injuries had one of the quotes of the draft when he said basically he's going to prove everyone wrong that passed on him and he kind of doubled down just without cursing and i love that i love that he still has that chip on his shoulder because he is talented he it felt like he should have went earlier and this is a place where like if you come in and you have the talent he has and you have that chip on your shoulder because you were a
Starting point is 00:23:32 seventh round pick, it's got a shot to make the team, like a pretty good shot, I think. And I love that. And I love that he didn't backtrack and say, oh, well, I was just cut up in the moment. It was draft day. No, believe that. Keep that chip. Prove all these fools wrong. Prove that the Bengals should have picked you with pick 140 and not where you went at 221. So I should have been the Kobe young pick right and so even that like i i love the his mindset attitude and i love that he didn't shy away from it now a few weeks removed from the the draft because i'm sure he saw the comments the articles people like us talking about it all of those things and his family saw it and all those things you just you never know how it's going to be after that well doubling down that's that's what i like that's
Starting point is 00:24:17 the mindset i was hoping to see i think there are going to be some real fan fan favorites from this draft class on day three from the offensive lineman to the seventh round picks injury and landon robinson those guys already have a bunch of fans among cincinnati bengals fans i think they will continue to be some fan favorites i've talked about my vision for jack entries being a guy that was drafted far too late and and his ability to do quite a lot in the nfl we'll see how the bengals view him i've heard some that it cover the bengals describe him as more of a tanner hudson type of tight end.
Starting point is 00:24:54 Where to me on tape, I think he can do a lot more than Tanner Hudson as a blocker. So it'll be interesting to see how they use him, how he's aligned, and that'll be something we're keeping an eye on, I think, throughout the- I think the Bengals agree with you, by the way. I hope so. Yeah. But, you know, we'll have to see how they use him. The truth will be when he's on the field, when he's lined up, where does he align?
Starting point is 00:25:17 Well, he's going to show it. No doubt, yeah. But how the Bengals see him is going to be. spoiled, I guess, for lack of a better word, by like where he's aligned when they do get to like 11 on 11 work, even 7 on 7 work. If they put him in line or if they put him in a two-point stance all the time. The Bengals signed 11 undrafted free agents as well, James, and seven of those on the offensive side of the ball. And with the late addition of Isaiah Wakobia, the safety, who was part of the initial batch of guys that we heard about, but then wasn't in the initial batch of guys that the Bengals announced. it is only four on the defensive side of the ball.
Starting point is 00:25:56 So going heavier on offense with the undrafted free agents this year, James, and heavier in the draft on day three on offense after starting with the early investments on the defensive side of the ball. They had three offensive linemen, two running backs, a wide receiver and a tight end on the offensive side of the ball, two linebackers on the defensive side of the ball. We mentioned Jack Dingell from the University of Cincinnati and Eric Gentry who has those unicorn-demand,
Starting point is 00:26:22 mentions from the University of Southern California. And we've got 11 total guys here to talk about James. And not a whole lot of wide receivers for you, unfortunately. Just Noah Thomas at wide receiver for the Bengals list of undrafted guys this year. Yeah. Hey, look, Kobe Young, excited about him. You don't want to crowd that room too much. But yeah, they're interesting ones.
Starting point is 00:26:46 Obviously, we've touched on Dingle and Gentry, like you mentioned. I think Jamal Haynes really intriguing, 57-195. just like his potential fit and probably a practice squad guy at best, but maybe he pushes for a practice squad spot and dazzles. But the guys that are interesting, we've talked about swing tackle a lot. And I think that Christian Jones, it gives you the guy out of Miami.
Starting point is 00:27:12 Why am I forgetting his name that was drafted in the third round, the offensive tackle? Yeah, also forgetting his name for the moment. Well, the Bengals didn't draft him. So yeah, that's why it's, tough. But the point is, is like big 6-9, 345, went to San Diego State. It was at the East West Shrine Bowl. So they got a chance to look at him. And it's Markell Bell vibes, right? Where the moment you saw Markel Bell's measurable, you're like, oh, he's got to be a Bengal, right?
Starting point is 00:27:39 Well, in this situation, Christian Jones, we'll see. But if you're him, have the measurables, Maybe you get in with Scott Peters and you can show, hey, I'm a real option as a developmental piece. And most of these guys are battling for practice squad. Like that's where you start at baseline. Even the linebackers, it's a long shot. It doesn't mean they won't make it, but it's a long shot. But certainly interesting there. And then the other one, Sierra Wright, was in Space Jam 2 with LeBron.
Starting point is 00:28:11 Child actor. Interesting cornerback, I think, especially when you look at what they did. or didn't do in the draft. They added one corner. So could Sierra Wright be someone that develops? Those are the ones that stand out. I'm sure there are some that stand out to you, but I think that the two linebackers, Haynes, Sierra Wright,
Starting point is 00:28:30 and then, of course, Christian Jones are the ones that stand up. Yeah, the linebackers especially interesting for obvious reasons. Wright, does he have a chance to compete to push for a developmental role? Or even, you know, can he crack the roster? We'll see. But like you said, for the most part, for these guys, they're trying to make an impression that it's either for, you know, spot 53 on the roster or to stick around on the practice squad
Starting point is 00:28:54 and have a chance to go the Jalen Davis path. And that's why I mentioned that for Sierra Wright, who has some speed limitations, didn't run great, that the 40-yard dash in particular doesn't seem to have the speed that you would hope for a high-end NFL corner. And that's why he's an undrafted free agent, but can he compete where the Bengals are thin for that slot quarter roll? We'll find out.
Starting point is 00:29:18 The only other one that I'll call out, Josh Caddust, the University of Kentucky tight end coming off an injury, but has some intriguing talent at the tight end position. And they're very competitive at that spot, I would say, right now, with the guys they've added Eric Ball coming back and trying to get back into the mix. Jack injuries we've talked about. And so the path to the roster for Cadiz, I think,
Starting point is 00:29:43 is very slim with guys that they liken the rules that they have, and that includes depth pieces all the way down the roster. But I do think that he's interesting with the skills that he has if he is healthy and can recover to pre-injury form. So that went interesting. And the other guys that I don't know if he'd mentioned, Kentrell Bullock, another running back. And then did you mention Liam Brown and Corey Robinson, the other two offensive.
Starting point is 00:30:10 I didn't. I thought you were going to naturally. But you go ahead. Yeah, no, those are just the other guys that they signed. I don't have a ton of individual thoughts on any of these other players yet. I thought you were about to say roster lock. I thought that's what you were going to do. All right.
Starting point is 00:30:26 Yep. All 11. How many snaps? How many snaps? How many snaps in the slot did we see from Liam Brown? I'm going to say zero slot cornerback snaps from offensive guard Liam Brown. I thought seven. So, okay.
Starting point is 00:30:44 I would have put the over under at seven. It's a good bit, though. I like the bit. So those are undrafted free agents. Four on defense, like I said, seven on the offensive side of the ball. We will see if these guys get in the mix for a roster spot. Did any undrafted free agents make the initial 53 last year? Mitch Tinsley, he didn't make the initial 53.
Starting point is 00:31:03 Did he? He did. He wasn't an undrafted free agent last year. He wasn't an undraft free agent. He was a pro. He was a street free agent. That's right. Did any undrafted free agents make the initial 53 last year?
Starting point is 00:31:12 I'm going to look at the undrafted free agents to make sure. Howard Cross did. Yep. Yes. He did go. My memory was. And then he was back and forth to the practice squad. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:31:25 He was waived in October and then he was back and forth on the practice squad. Yeah, that's right. Yep, yep, yep. I'm looking here. Eric Gregory was around brief. Was he active for a game? He didn't make it, but he was around. Seth McLaughlin, McLaughlin was around.
Starting point is 00:31:41 Jordan Moore stayed around, didn't he? Jordan Moore. at a Duke or am I wrong about that? Yeah, he's still on the team. Yeah. Yeah. Did he not just stay on the practice squad all you? Yeah, practice squad, but he stayed around is what I mean.
Starting point is 00:31:55 Yeah, I was just mentioning him. Yeah, just mentioning the noteworthy ones. Yeah, there you go. A lot of those guys we just mentioned battling for pride, like, hey, we belong on the practice squad. And we'll see which guys do. And hopefully one or two shine enough to push for a roster spot even if they don't make it. It's always fun to see PJ Jules from a couple years ago.
Starting point is 00:32:13 like Braylon Lux. It's always fun to see which college free agents actually do stick around. Bray La Lux is another one from last year. Yeah, for sure. So we'll be keeping an eye on that as the Bengals off-season program continues and we get into training camp this summer.
Starting point is 00:32:27 But that's going to do it for this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. Until next time, thanks for listening. Pouda and have a good time.

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