2024 Cincinnati Bengals

[Don Wassall]

The Bengals remain one of the relatively White friendliest teams in the NFL, once again starting 8 White players with 20 overall on the roster. Last year it was 8 and 18.

Last year’s starting left tackle Jonah Williams is now with Arizona, so Cincinnati starts sumos at both tackle spots this season with the same three Whites manning the interior positions as last year.

Most observers expected newly acquired Mike Gesicki to be the starting tight end but he was outsnapped by Drew Semple in the 2024 season opener and the Bengals website lists Semple as the starter. Gesicki is very fast with off the charts athleticism but his career has declined noticeably the last few seasons, first with Miami and then with New England last year before signing with the Bengals in the offseason. Hopefully his role will increase as the season progresses.

Speaking of which, Gesicki’s old team the Patriots, expected by many to be the worst team in the league this season, knocked off the Bengals in Week One. That continues a worrisome trend, as Zac Taylor is now just 1-10 in the season’s first two games since becoming head coach of a team that’s now annually listed among those with a chance to play in the Super Bowl.

The upside is that the Bengals are likely to once again shake off their annual slow start as there is lots of talent, beginning with quarterback Joe Burrow, one of the very best but whose career has been marred by injuries, including last year when he first battled a calf injury, followed by a torn ligament in his right wrist that ended his season and the team’s playoff hopes. Jake Browning did a solid job filling in for Burrow and though the Bengals finished at 9-8 they still finished last in the very competitive AFC North.

Trenton Irwin and Charlie Jones remain backup wide receivers even after Tyler Boyd departed for Tennessee in free agency. Second year man Andrei Iosivas is currently the third receiver. He’s a mini-caste buster of sorts being from Hawaii and a White-Poly mix. Jones is the punt returner and the hope is that he’ll work himself into the receiving mix as the season goes along. He might have nailed down the third receiver position already if a significant chunk of his rookie season hadn’t been lost to injury.

On defense, Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson are the two very solid starting ends. Hendrickson had a career high 17.5 sacks in ’23, tied for second best in the league behind leader T. J. Watt. Hubbard is always among the league leaders in tackles for his position and usually adds a half dozen or so sacks.

Logan Wilson is one of the NFL’s best middle linebackers. He’s had over a hundred combined tackles in each of his three seasons as a starter, topped by last year’s 135. He’s also known for making timely interceptions and forced fumbles.

Backup linebacker Joe Bachie unfortunately remains the only other White defensive player. There are just two White players on the practice squad.

QB: Joe Burrow, Jake Browning
LG: Cordell Volson, Jaxson Kirkland
C: Ted Karras, Matt Lee
RG: Alex Cappa
TE: Drew Semple, Mike Gesicki, Tanner Hudson, Tanner McLachlan
WR: Charlie Jones, Trenton Irwin

LDE: Sam Hubbard
RDE: Trey Hendrickson
MLB: Logan Wilson, Joe Bachie

P: Ryan Rehkow
PK: Evan McPherson
LS: Cal Adomitis

Practice Squad: QB Logan Woodside, TE Cam Grandy

Number of White Starters: 8
Number of White Players on 53 man roster: 20
Grade: C-/D+

 

[Bucky]

Cheering for Cincinnati big time this season. Ready for them to shake the early season rust and get winning!

Be nice to see a couple of overachiever defenders added to that PS as the season goes on.

 

[Freethinker]

It would be nice if Burrow could get right and firmly establish himself as a top 3-5 QB in the league again.

 

[Don Wassall]

Andrei Iosivas has zero catches the past two games despite playing almost every snap and even with Tee Higgins out in Week 8. For the season he has only 14 receptions in 8 games. It's past time to replace Iosivas with the dynamic Charlie Jones or Trenton Irwin but preferably Jones.

Mike Gesicki is also being underused at tight end. He could be a thousand yard receiver for Cincy if utilized more.

 

[jphoss]

After being named AFC special teams player of the week I was hoping that would earn him a few snaps on offense but I guess not. Maybe the coach will play him more this week to get a spark and snap this underperforming team out of its funk

 

[Bucky]

I applaud Taylor for keeping White WRa. But okay them and win. Still think Iosivas can be decent. Irwin and Jones just offer more hustle and upside

 

[Don Wassall]

Looks like Tee Higgins will miss another game Sunday. It only makes sense to give Jones an opportunity at WR as Chase will be their only healthy starter other than Iosivas, who put up a goose egg last week even with Higgins out (and a goose egg the game before). Jones was drafted earlier than Iosivas last year and was presumed to be the successor to the departing Tyler Boyd. He was injured for part of last season but is healthy now and looking good. Time to play Charlie!

 

[Leonardfan]

https://nfltraderumors.co/trade-bengals-trading-for-bears-rb-khalil-herbert/

Bengals could of had Shipley, Schrader, Laube or Steele.


https://nfltraderumors.co/bengals-still-looking-to-trade-for-help-on-defense/

Bengals could have drafted DeJean, Bishop and/or Fiske

It also sounds like their 3rd round WR Burton is exhibiting behaviors of the Tom Iron rule as well.

 

[Leonardfan]

https://nfltraderumors.co/bengals-claim-wr-isaiah-williams-off-waivers-from-lions/

This is exactly what the Bengals need! Another black WR to take snaps away from Jones and Irwin

 

[Don Wassall]

More on the "new" and decidedly worse 2024 Bengals who are quickly shifting to becoming a standard Caste outfit other than the three outliers on defense with no young White talent to eventually replace them. Trenton Irwin is clearly unhappy that the bonehead third round rookie WR pick Burton (who has missed team meetings and slept through others) is playing ahead of him as well as the marginally talented Iosivas. "Odd moves" indeed. Sadly, Irwin is unlikely to "create his legacy elsewhere" in the virulently anti-White NFL:

Bengals waive player who immediately posts interesting comment about team​

The Cincinnati Bengals let wideout Trenton Irwin go on ahead of Week 14, waiving him and subjecting him to the wire.

After the news went live, Irwin took to Instagram with a pretty interesting comment. Near the end of said comment, Irwin wrote this: “When people no longer see you the way you see yourself it’s a clear sign that it’s time to go. Excited to create my legacy elsewhere and keep chasing perfection like a shadow.”

That was a pretty clear sign that Irwin wouldn’t be signing back with the Bengals’ practice squad.

While it isn’t necessarily a sign of players wanting to leave the Bengals or anything so dramatic, it does come at an interesting time for the team. Andrei Iosivas hasn’t emerged as the reliable No. 3 and rookie Jermaine Burton hasn’t lived up to his draft billing.

Perhaps the team is ready to get Charlie Jones back and more heavily involve him. But letting go of a wideout who has been with the team for five-plus years while letting recent waiver claim Isaiah Williams act as the sixth wideout is an odd move at this point.

Bengals waive player who immediately posts interesting comment about team

A player who just left the Bengals had some things to say.

bengalswire.usatoday.com

 

[Bucky]

Another WR getting caste holed down memory lane..

 

[icsept]

I was never super impressed with Irwin. Especially his punt returns were lame. Likewise, Iosivas is unimpressive, but he’s some kind of weird mystery meat, so he survives. Charlie Jones is a difference maker, he just needs to stay healthy.

 

[Leonardfan]

I was never super impressed with Irwin. Especially his punt returns were lame. Likewise, Iosivas is unimpressive, but he’s some kind of weird mystery meat, so he survives. Charlie Jones is a difference maker, he just needs to stay healthy.

I agree about Irwin returning punts, that made no sense. As a receiver though I though he played well when given playing time. He was a 3rd/4th WR type and certainly deserved better than being given the standard caste treatment.

 

[Don Wassall]

Charlie Jones has been treated exactly the same way as Irwin, which I've been emphasizing this season. From what looked to be a battle between the two to see who would be the team's third and fourth receivers going into the '24 season, Irwin has been cut and Jones has 1 catch on the season. Yes, Charlie's been injured again at times but he's also clearly been phased out of the passing game even though he's the third most talented receiver on the roster, one very capable of putting up big numbers with Joe Burrow throwing him the ball. Maybe as that article suggests Jones will finally be activated in the passing game but don't be surprised if he follows Irwin on the chopping block either. Zac Taylor seems to be a lame duck coach at this point, much of it of his own doing, and whatever regime follows him will most likely be Caste Clown oriented given the history of Mike Brown's long ownership of the franchise.