Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Why Ja'Marr Chase returned to practice on Sunday, a post-mortem on Jackson Carman, and Cincinnati Bengals 53-man roster thoughts

Episode Date: August 25, 2024

Ja'Marr Chase returned to practice for the Cincinnati Bengals about 15 minutes after we started recording this episode, so of course we changed plans and broke down why Chase may have chosen today to get back to work. Plus, Jackson Carman's disappointing tenure in Cincinnati has come to an end, and we take time for a post-mortem on Carman's early release after the preseason before diving into thoughts on how the initial 53-man roster will come together for the Bengals. For your next listen, check out the Locked On Fantasy Football podcast. Get daily insight to the best Fantasy draft strategies so you can win your league this season. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengalsFind 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/id1159723162Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAgStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengalsSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply.eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.5-Hour EnergyGo to 5hourenergy.com and use promo code LOCKEDONFB to receive 20% off your order. This offer is only valid until September 30th on one order and cannot be used with other promotions. The code is not good on subscription orders. Go to 5hourenergy.com today!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply.FanDuelNow through September 22nd, ALL FanDuel customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get a THREE WEEK free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. Visit FANDUEL.COM/LOCKEDON to get started. 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.

Jamar Chase has returned to practice, according to reports. Let's break down what that means before we get to a Jackson Carmen post-mortem. 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 and welcome to another episode of the Locked-on Bengals podcast. I'm your host, Jake Liskow. He's your host, James Rapine. We've got some breaking news that hit us as we sat down to record today, Jamar Chase, back at practice for the Cincinnati Bengals.

We'll get into that. We'll talk about the Jackson Carman experience in Cincinnati, and then we've got to dive into the 53-man roster possibilities ahead of the cutdown. We're part of the Lockdown Podcast Network here on Lockdown Bengals covering your team every day on YouTube. Everywhere you get your podcast, shout out to all of you who make us your first listening to all the everydayers out there. there. And if you're new to the show, you can subscribe and join one of those two groups who we love so very much. Today's episode is sponsored by LinkedIn Jobs, who helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to faster. You can post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash lockdown NFL terms and conditions do apply. James, we have multiple reports

on Sunday, early afternoon, Eastern time that Jamar Chase returned to practice for the Cincinnati Bengals. That is all we know. as far as to what extent he participated in practice, we are speculating a little bit at this point as of the time of recording. And as for the reason, he returned to practice, also speculating a little bit as of the time of recording. Well, yeah, we don't know. We don't know why it's back.

Other than maybe he wants to make sure he's ready for a game that the Bengals are going to be playing in two weeks that counts for something. Right, two weeks away as we record this from the season opener against the Patriots. and it might be that simple. Or maybe contract talks have been going well. Or maybe this was the plan all along. And what's tough about all of the speculation over the past month, we haven't heard from Jamar.

Zach Taylor hasn't said what his plan is with Jamar. Maybe this was always the plan. But we sure as hell didn't know. And so that's why all the speculation is there. Like if this was always the plan for him to return two weeks before the start of the season, Well, then, dang, you know how many people would have been easy to come out and say, hey, yeah, we're planning on him getting at some practice time in the near future. It's all you need to say five days ago.

And it would have probably put an end to some of this. Or, yeah, he's going to practice after camp ends. I don't think they could say that one because then it makes it this whole, you know, why isn't he not, you know, all these things. I think there may be some level of coyness they had to do. but at some point why couldn't they have said it why couldn't they have said it

if that was the plan there might be some sort of like fine related reason no they they they control all that the Bengals don't so as long as he's there or any absence the one absence is excused

then it's fine it's not like I'll find him the team does even if it's not for that reason I think that it's probably not the message of sand that's like yeah Jamar's going to practice after training camp to the rest of your team

including T. Higgins and all those guys. I just don't think it's the best messaging, per se. I think they knew. Like, if that was the plan, they would know, though. Probably, I'm sure Joe, you know, by the way, I got asked this Saturday night. I think everyone in that locker room is in Jamar's corner and gets it.

Like, I haven't heard one guy, not one, including T, by the way, be like, why is this dude not practice it? Like, they all get it because they know he's, that type of dude. So I just not saying you're saying that, but I just, I think they get it. Well, and every time it's come up, it's been when we get one back or we don't even have one out there, you know, when they're referring to a good day for the offense and training camp or whatever it is, that that has been the acknowledgement. It's like, he's going to be back. Nobody's ever questioned that. Nobody's questioned Jamar as a team. And that's not the implication that I was trying to say.

I was just saying, like, from a head coach, what you say public messaging perspective, if he did say, ah, Jamar will practice after training camp, people will probably be real mad about that, too. That's the nature of the thing. And being vague gives people something to speculate over and probably not happy about it. People weren't, people were unhappy about it. People were in our YouTube comments, trade Jamar Chase. I'm sick of his antics.

He should be practicing, like, this is a sentiment that existed. but in some sense he returned to practice today not open to the media we do not know more details in what has been reported but what does it mean why did it happen like you said james it could be for all of those reasons it could be that you know it was a plan it could be that jama's like oh we're game planning now want to get ready for week one could be the soft tissue injury ramp up stuff want to make sure they get that ramp up work in to a to avoid those injuries.

Could be that he didn't want to surrender some amount of millions of dollars that he could potentially stand to lose in terms of prorated bonuses and fines and all these things that could happen if he got to the regular season. They're not there yet. But if you're not going to hold out in the regular season, well, you might as well get ready for week what. No doubt. And that's kind of been my stance for a while.

Like if you're not willing to take this into the season, then what's the point? And if you're trying to put up big numbers this year, and we've known that Jamar has been ramping up. You noted it. Well, Jay Morrison noted it. And then we noted it on the podcast that he was going to the indoor and a golf cart with Freddie Knighton. And they had a football or a couple of footballs. He put on a jersey, like clearly getting in work behind the scenes. And so good, because you want Jamar to be all in, and he needs to be all in if this team is going to be a legitimate contender.

We know how special he is. Hopefully an extension gets done still. It feels unlikely, but never say never, regardless, though, the fact that Jamar is at practice, even if he only did individual or some of individual, it is a step in the right direction. Yeah, no doubt about that step in the right direction. If you had asked me before training camp, no. knowing that Jamar was going to hold in, which we didn't know at the time. I thought he was actually going to just show up for training camp because I didn't think he had leverage with two years left on his deal. And that seems to be where this eventually ended up if he does continue to practice from now until week one.

And there's no more disruptions of that plan. Or maybe a deal is just closer than we all think. But with the threat of potentially losing money if the Bengals wanted to use those mechanisms available to them. And Joel Corey wrote about this. I think you have something on your site about this as well. James, the money implications in the short term for Jemar Chase, that combined with the football perspective of, well, we're getting ready for a real opponent now, we're game planning now, even if you know the offense, let's make sure you're ready for week one.

This would have made sense all along. It's a time for him to return. This is what I thought T. Higgins would return earlier in the summer before he signed, or maybe late spring, before he signed his franchise tag. This is around the time that we thought, guys, that. that had contract issues would start practicing going back to jesse bates thinking about t higgins and then once your mark chases holden was initially apparent this would be about the window where you would expect him to come back if he wasn't planning to take things into the regular season

yeah for now it would be that appears to be the case no it would be it makes sense sign me up for it i love it hopefully when we are back out on at practice on Wednesday, then obviously the 53 man roster will be finalized, but we'll see Jamar Chase out there running routes. I would like nothing more than for that to be the case. Also, this is the beauty of breaking news. We had two of our three segments.

We had most of our show complete when this Jamar news broke. So we flipped it on you. And now we have Jackson Carmen coming up next, Jake. And then we have our 53 man roster projection. condensed, boom, into one 10-minute sprint at the end of the show. So we have Jamar covered. Jackson-Carman is up next. And then our 53-man roster projection right here on Locked on Bengals.

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try and do their job at a really, really high level. 2.5 million. 2.5 million small businesses use LinkedIn for hiring you can too by posting your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash locked on NFL. That's LinkedIn.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free terms and conditions apply. Jackson Carmen has joined a list of a handful of Bengals drafted since 2000, Jay Morrison, with the list who did not make it through their rookie contract after being drafted. in the second round.

That's Devin Still, Kenny Irons, Odell Thurman, Keywan Ratliff, and Lamont Thompson back in 2002. And Jackson Carman, I think, is the most disappointing out of this bunch for some reasons. Like, Odell Thurman was disappointing because he had a great start and then it didn't sustain itself for reasons off the field. But Jackson Carman has one positive memory for us, which is the Bill's game in the snow, and a whole lot of disappointment along the way. Sure. He's the worst pick of the Joe Burrow era, and he's the worst offensive lineman they've picked maybe in my lifetime.

There, I said it. It's a worst pick than Cedric Abuehi. Because Cedricabwehy, you at least got a guy who was trying to be good. Jake Fisher tried to be good. You had Billy Price who gave all the effort. John Ross gave effort, like whatever bust you want to name.

the effort was there. Jackson Carmen just got chance and never took advantage of it. And yeah, the Bills game, whatever. That was nicer than I would say. I think a lot of guys could have done what he did against the Bills. But you're right. Like there was signs at times. And that's why I think Carmen will get picked up by some team.

I don't think it will be the Bengals. I don't think he's going to be on their practice squad for those that are, I don't even think you'd be concerned about it, but just so you know. and yeah it's the end of a oh my god i can't believe they're going to pick him when the word started to get around that they were interested in picking him on on draft day in 2021 to they picked him are you serious to all right can they get anything out of him and when i think of jackson carman i really am i'm going to think of a guy

that was given really any and every opportunity i mean you think about this offensive line room the backups This is the first year where they really overhauled the backups. We're expecting them to, and we'll get to the 53 man. A big part of that is Jackson Carp. But he's been around. He's had chances. Think about it.

They bring in Orlando Brown Jr. Last year. Carmen's going into year three. How many times have I said, Jake, you said, everybody said, oh, Marius Mims needs to just follow Orlando Brown Jr. Around. Learn how to be a pro. I don't think that was even a thing for Jackson.

I don't even think that light bulb even can. on. I, from, well, actually, let's get to this. Frank Pollack, draft night. I ask him, hey, is Jackson, who was a tackle at Clemson, going to compete for a starting job at guard? This was opportunity number one. Frank, I know he has probably a long way to go and you just drafted him, but could you see him realistically competing for a starting job this year? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. He's going to come in and compete for a starting job this year. No question. What happened, Jake?

Did Jackson Carmen show up in shape ready to go? Was he ready to hit the ground running in a guard competition against Xavier Suafilo, a guy who was out of the league in the near future? Or did he show up overweight? Not in shape. Not dedicated. Like, from the jump, we knew what this was going to be, how it was going to end, and it's over. And you've seen some players come in with immaturity issues early in their careers and get things right.

but Jackson Carmen had opportunities throughout his tenure in Cincinnati and didn't win a single one. And that's the disappointing thing with Jackson Carmen. Opportunities from the jump, opportunities as late as this training camp when he was the first right tackle off the bench when Amarius men left practice on a hot day,

he immediately had a false start penalty and immediately was pulled for Cody Ford. The opportunities went up to this year, yeah, at practice. And then in the game, another opportunity. Holding. He had, what, four penalties out of the eight Bengals penalties in the first preseason game were on Jackson, Carmen.

And they, at that point, we're just like, okay, that's it. That was, that was, you're not getting out of this doghouse at this point. And part of the early wave of cut downs. I think we anticipated that this might be the M for Jackson Carmen this year coming into training camp. As training camp went along, it became very clear that this was going to be the M for Jackson Carmen. He had clearly fallen out of favor with the coaching staff. But the early wave of cuts, not even trying to see. I mean, clearly there was no trade interest.

That was always a pipe dream. But I didn't know how much of a pipe dream it was, I guess, that it was really that impossible. Yeah. I, and it's because of the trying. Like, the effort thing, like I think back, I would just play that clip from, from Frank on Zoom. Frank Pollack, the day they drafted Cordell Voulson, who kicked the crap out of Jackson, Carmen, in a competition for that guard spot, a year later. So Jackson, the year, the next year, after he has some NFL experience, after you think, oh, well, maybe Jackson, Carmen's going to be in the mix and push for a starting job. gets beat by a fourth round rookie from North Dakota State who has plenty to work on. And obviously, Wilson has worked on it and embraced it.

But Frank is like, yeah, we want guys that work hard. It was like a whole message it felt like the Jackson Carmen. And it just never, never clicked. Never clicked. He's probably the one person that might have said, no, Joe, I don't need to work out with you. Like if Joe Burrell calls me right now and asks me to work out, Jake, I promise you, I'm abandoning the podcast. I'm going to go work out.

Yeah, James is making me do a solo show. No doubt. I mean, you can mic me up, but I'm not going to not work out with Joe Burrow. And I think early in Jackson's career, he had that opportunity. Obviously, he's a Cincinnati native. Joe trains in Cincinnati,

and somehow that didn't happen. Think about that. Think about that alone. And so red flag after red flag, I just what an awful, awful decision to take. him in that round like that's what you're expecting like talented guy on the national championship team but has some red flags that's like a sixth rounder literally and i bet he was like a late late

rounder on some teams boards in that 20-21 draft i remember that the hopeful thinking when we first heard about that name before the start of day two in that 2021 draft class 2020s draft was man like third round what do you mean they're targeting him and then we we just justified it at the time because at least they traded back and then they had a package of players a couple of offensive linemen and tyler shelvin was part of that trade back which at the time i was like i give it a c because if one of these guys hit then great and then none of those guys hit and and it sucks for dionte smith that he's part of that group but you know he's been injured and could have made the team this year but unfortunately that injury bug just just kept biting them

Part of 11 cuts was Jackson Carmen. In addition to Jackson Carmen, the early cuts included Hakeem Butler, Noah Kane, Andre Carter, Aaron Casey, Michael Dowell, Kwame Lasseter, Rocky, Lombardi, Eric Miller, Joshua Pryor, and Alan George. Aaron Casey was an undrafted linebacker who had a decent chance to get in the linebacker conversation before training camp and was not one of the guys that emerged there. Obviously, we're going to talk about the guys who did. Kwame Lasseter, been with the team for a while now.

That comes to an end, at least for now. And Alan George, a bit of a surprising one here, another guy who had stuck with the team for a little bit of time and was the end of the road for him in Cincinnati as well with the corner depth better than it has been throughout his tenure in Cincinnati. Yeah, the Alan George one's tough just because I think he's a good player.

I thought he had a solid camp and solid preseason. and that's the one where I was like, ah, that one hurts. The other ones are, you know, you expect them all. And I have Alan George outside of my 53. Yeah. Who knows, maybe he'll be back and be on the practice squad. I don't think all of these guys are ruled out practice squad-wise. I would be surprised, though, if 79 Jackson-Carman,

who just got called for another holding penalty during this segment is back on the practice squad, though. I would honestly be surprised of most of these guys were back on the practice squad, but you're right. I wouldn't close the door on all of them. Let's get to our 53-man roster projections. The Bengals have done a little bit of the work for us already with some of these early cuts, but those aren't the hard ones. We'll discuss those difficult decisions and how we think this 53-man roster will take shape coming up next. You've heard us talk a lot about Fandul.

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And then with a YouTube TV-based plan, you'll be able to watch. every regular season Sunday afternoon out of market game. All you need is a Google account and a current form of payment, and you can cancel any time. Just visit fandal.com slash locked on to download America's number one sportsbook. 53 man projections. Most of this is pretty easy. And then you get to a few roster spots where I think it could go in a number of directions.

Let's start with a couple of easy ones. A quarterback, it will be Joe Burrow and Jake Browning. Unless Jake Browning's rib injury is something that we do not understand, and it extends into the preseason, that will be the quarterback room to start the year for the Bengals. Running back from, with the initial cut down to 53, I also think this one is pretty easy, although this one could change after that initial cut down

and practice squads and waivers start to happen, and that will be Zach Moss, Chase Brown, and Trayvion Williams. I highlight this one because I do think they could make a move at running back, James, but I think in terms of the cut down to 53, initially coming on Tuesday, is pretty cut and dry. Yeah, I agree with you. I think we could see some movement there. I think everyone in the building is eyeing running back,

at least a little bit or expects them to. But as far as quarterback, I think we know who it's going to be in. Running back wise, Trayvion is a lock until he's not. And who knows, maybe they add running back out, but those are the three for sure. Let's stay on an easy position on the offensive side of the ball. A wide receiver, I think this is pretty easy.

I think it will be six guys. I think it will be Jamar Chase, T. Higgins, Andre Yosevosh, Trentner, when Jermaine Burton and Charlie Jones, I would say there's an outside chance that one of the other wide receivers sneaks onto the roster initially. I would be very surprised if that is the case.

So Shedric Jackson, Kwame Lasser has obviously been cut. Kendrick Pryor would be the other one. You think there's a chance? Not like 1%, maybe. You know, like very, very small. Like I'm mentioning it because it's not totally impossible in my mind, but those guys seem destined for the practice squad to me. Yeah, I think Pryor's hand injury, I think it's a thumb, but finger injury, whatever it is, this week really hurt him and his chances.

Because if he goes out there and balls out against the Colts and then does the same thing in that final preseason game, then maybe you could justify it. But with Charlie Jones healthy, I would be pretty surprised, like you said. Yeah, I think it's six guys there. on the offensive line I think it starts to get a little bit interesting although I'm feeling pretty confident in nine guys right now on the offensive line I guess the question is

do they keep another one so the starters plus Amarius Mims whether or not he's starting Orlando Brown Cordovost and Ted Karras Alex Kappa Trent Brown Amarius Mims are six easy ones Cody Ford seventh easy one Matt Lee eighth easy one

and then I think Jackson Kirkland is the ninth and then there's potentially a question, do they keep Trey Hill on the roster? He seems destined for potentially the practice squad if they can get him back there. But I don't have a ton of smoke or mist or fog around the offensive line. This seems to be pretty clear cut, but they could surprise us, I guess.

Yeah, I think the one, honestly, I don't think Trey Hill has a, I mean, he's, I think, well on the outside looking in and not even 10th. I think Nate Gilliam is ahead of trail. Might be. Yeah. Probably is. And now, do they want to keep 10?

That's the dilemma and it ties together like quarterback, running back, wide receiver, cut and dry. I think tight end and offensive line go together. Do you want 10 linemen? Or are you willing to go five tight ends? And that's how you get to the 25 spots if you want to balance roster where you have the three specialists, 25 defensive players, 25 offensive players. And so that's the.

the dilemma for me at least would be all right do you want to keep a neat gilliam who had a good quality camp quality preseason or do you keep tanner mclaughlin who i think is is the fifth tied in right now and i think that that's that's the decision that they're going to have to make over the next 48 hours or so as we record this i don't think that i would keep a 10th lineman given the texture of the offensive line room right now, it does depend a little bit on how close Amarius Mims is to returning, but you've got at least a couple of guys in Cody Ford and Jackson Kirkland that they are playing to have tackle guard flex.

I think Nate Gillian can make it to the practice squad. Then you've got good tackle depth this year with Amarius Mims or Trent Brown being your third tackle, assuming those guys get to week one or week two healthy. Given that depth, I don't know that the 10th, lineman needs that protection of being on the 53-man roster, whereas, you know, Charles Robinson Yahoo Sports is talking about Bengals aren't going to expose Hannah Glockland to waivers, right? Somebody will surely claim him, which is a sentiment of many fans as well.

I'm not sure that's the case. It's possible. Typically, guys that get cut, you know, very few of those guys get claimed because that means another team is dedicating a 53-man roster spot to that player. but a team that's very thin at tight end could look at Tanner McLaughlin as a lottery ticket and say, it can't be worse than what we've got. And we're going to feel that way about a couple of positions in general, mostly on the defensive interior for the Bengals, but also potentially running back with some of the potential cuts, Israelabana Candace, spoiler alert.

We're going to talk about some of these potential waiver targets from other teams, potentially tomorrow. But we've talked about this. Tanner McLaughlin seems like a guy you'd want to protect in that initial cutdown if he can. And if the decision is between McLaughlin and Nate Gilliam, not to take anything away from Nate Gilliam, but I think Gilliam has a better chance of making it to the practice squad, even if that difference is relatively small. Yeah, we'll see what they do in that offensive line room. If they keep Tanner McLaughlin, look at that, me using the T to give an ode to Tanner. But let's get to the defense, because there are some interesting decisions that might have

already been made for the Bengals. Like a guy like Cedric Johnson at defensive end, I have him as a lock. I think Sam Hubbard, Trey Hendrickson, Joseph O'Sye, Miles Murphy, assuming he doesn't get added to injured reserve. Cedric Johnson,

all locks. Now maybe they, they are Miles Murphy will see. And we can combine that and just combine the defensive tackles because Sheldon Rankins, B.J. Hill, Zach Carter, Chris Jenkins,

I think all locks. And then you have similar decision, I think, with McKinley Jackson. Do you IR him or not? if not, if the answer is no for Murphy and Jackson, I think those are your 10 defensive line. Yeah, and it's a room where I would potentially be scouring the waiver wire.

We'll again talk about some names out there. If McKinley Jackson does need the IR, J2FELA, to me, will be the next guy in the defensive interior, a guy they're familiar with, the guy that they've described as a gamer in the past. And I don't think that any of the other guys they've got on the defensive interior are very exciting. I think the same is true for the edge.

If they need another guy there, I think they have to go outside of the team for that. You get to safety, I think there are four guys that are absolute locks and probably a fifth. I think Dejan Anthony's job is still safe. Geno Stone, Von Bell, Jordan battle the top three, no question. We believe Tyson Anderson is still number four due to a special team's ability. And they like him. We know they like him.

They also really like Dejan Anthony, though. And they've liked him throughout camp, but it's a seventh round pick. if he's not showing out in preseason games, you start to wonder a little bit if that spot is safe. The alternative to Dejohn Anthony would be at the cornerback position to me, where Jalen Davis played outside and inside in that final preseason game and what may have been a showcase game for Jalen Davis, but they also have really liked him in the past,

and he is still good cornerback depth to have. So if you were just going on the games, I might even lean Jalen Davis for this conversation. but if you take into account all of training camp, it seems like Dejan Anthony is a more likely keep for the Bengals in that secondary room that's going to include Cam Taylor, Britt, Dexhill, DJ Turner, Josh Newton, and Mike Hilton as well. It's just a question of do they go with that sixth corner or the fifth safety

and all of camp we've thought it would be the fifth safety. Or do they go with five linebackers or four linebackers? Is that? Because that's where I kind of think it is. I think five safeties happens, and I think five corners happens. And to me, it's almost like, did Mumma Jong meta do enough? Is Joe Bachi going to be healthy? There's another one.

I think he's going to be okay, but there's another one. Devin Harper is kind of sneaky for me because of his special team's value. Does he have the edge over some of these other guys that may have played better or flashed on defense? I think that might be that 53rd spot. Jake is seriously is is a a Jalen Davis versus a insert whatever fifth linebacker that you think should make the team well and you could throw Tanner McLaughlin into the mix too sure as as guys are deciding between for that

53rd spot I think you would be in that conversation John Meta Hayward and and to me Devin Harper is behind those guys because I think Hayward and John meta have showed up enough on special teams and have been better on the defensive side of the ball although Hayward is the one that if you again you just went on the games. Hayward is the one that I would say would be the guy that I'd pick based on their in-game performance, even though John Meta had that awesome preseason game one and was better as a preseason went along in special teams, his defensive performance got a little bit out of control on the last two preseason games to the point where there's

still something there that you would like to develop, I think, with John Meta, and he's shown that at least, like at the very least you want him on the practice squad. But Hayward maybe is shown a little bit more from a guy that you could put on the field. if you had to in multiple in multiple different units on special teams and on defense. Speaking of special teams, don't know what's happening with Brad Robbins health. The only question there is, is Brad Robbins healthy enough to go early? Or is Ryan Rico the punter by default? Or do they go external and say, you know what?

We're just going to go get a veteran that we have a little bit more faith than if one is available on waivers. I wouldn't rule that out entirely either. No, I wouldn't. I do think that if I had to project it today, I think that it. I think that it would be Ryan Rico because of the default Brad Robbins hip flexer. If he doesn't hurt that, it's his job. I think he would be one of those locks.

And he would have won it and been more consistent. And that was kind of my projection from the jump, but he's hurt. And when you're hurt, it's tough to make the club. So I think that it'll be Ryan Rico, or to your point, maybe they're able to land someone else. And they're clearly searching here. And that's how Rico ended up on this team. They were already going to have a roster battle at punner. So we'll see if R.

Rico gets it. Obviously, we know Evan McPherson and Cowatomydus are locks as well. Man, it all comes to a head on Tuesday at 4 p.m. Jake, it's almost here. You know what else is going to come to it ahead? The Jamar Chase saga. Hopefully this practicing means that an extension is looming. Yeah. Hopefully that is what it means.

We will continue to monitor that situation. of course as things progress here. We'll see maybe Robinson ends up on the IR. We'll see what happens with some of these IR moves that can happen on cut down day. The Bengals get two of them that can return. And it will change this year. They can put two players on IR with the ability to return them. And we'll see if they have to use any of those designations this year.

Most of those players on the defensive side of the ball between Batchie, Jackson, Murphy, and then you throw Brad Robinson into the mix. Until next time, that is going to do it. for this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast while we await those cutdowns. Thanks for listening to this episode. Ho day and have a good one.