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Cincinnati Bengals News & Rumors

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/8/24

October 8th, 2024 at 9:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s taxi squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OL Matthew Cindric

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Fleming saw time with Denver across each of the past three seasons. The 32-year-old alternated between right and left tackle during that span, and he remained on the team’s radar given his workout in September. Now Fleming, a veteran of 117 games and 62 starts, will be an option to handle a depth role along the O-line once he is elevated to the Broncos’ active roster.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/8/24

October 8th, 2024 at 7:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s minor moves around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Tennessee Titans

Kirkland is out for the season due to a biceps tear, head coach Zac Taylor said on Monday. That injury resulted in the addition of Andrew Stueber off Atlanta’s practice squad, a move which became official today. Kirkland, a former UDFA, made a pair of appearances this season, seeing sparse usage on offense and special teams.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/24

October 7th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the minor moves made around the NFL on Monday:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Received one-game roster exemption: WR Zay Jones

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

  • Received one-game roster exemption: DT Mike Hall

Green Bay Packers

Philadelphia Eagles

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Both Jones and Hall were issued suspensions under the personal conduct policy leaving them sidelined for the first five weeks of the season. Their roster exemptions will allow them to make their debuts in Week 6, but after that point a corresponding move will be needed for them to be permanently activated to their respective 53-man rosters.

Lemieux served as New Orleans’ starting center in Week 4 after being promoted from the practice squad. He stepped into a first-team role in place of Erik McCoy, who is dealing with a groin injury. Losing Lemieux for at least the next four games will deal another blow to the Saints’ O-line. Connor McGovern was added to the mix recently, but Lucas Patrick has received the nod at center to begin the team’s Week 5 matchup.

Bengals CB Dax Hill Suffers ACL Tear

October 7th, 2024 at 10:43am CST by Sam Robinson

Moved from safety to cornerback this offseason, Dax Hill won a Bengals starting job. It will now be a while before the former first-round pick reclaims that role. The Bengals fear Hill suffered an ACL tear Sunday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Zac Taylor has since confirmed Hill sustained the tear, which will end his season.

The shift to cornerback led to Hill starting the first five Bengals games this season. After struggling to find a home over his first two NFL seasons, the Michigan alum had begun to show promise at corner. Pro Football Focus graded Hill 33rd at the position through five games, but the third-year cover man will not resurface until 2025.

Cincinnati completed the position change to start its offseason program, and while Hill was not guaranteed a starting role as a result of this switch, he earned one opposite Cam Taylor-Britt. Hill had beaten out DJ Turner for the gig; Turner figures to return to the lineup for a Bengals team struggling on defense amid a 1-4 start.

Primarily a rookie-year backup behind Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell, Hill moved into Cincy’s starting lineup after the team let both defect in free agency. The results did not impress, and the team bailed on Hill as a safety starter after one season. Fortunately, Hill’s CB skills — honed partially at Michigan, where he played alongside Turner — gave him a rebound opportunity. But Hill will, in all likelihood, lose most of his first full-time CB season due to injury. That reality playing out would place the former No. 31 overall pick on shakier ground entering a 2025 contract year.

The Bengals let Chidobe Awuzie play out his contract last year, leading the former Cowboys draftee to sign a big-ticket Titans deal. Hill moving to corner meant the team has used three first- or second-round picks at the position since 2022; Taylor-Britt arrived as a 2022 second-rounder, with Turner going off the board in the 2023 second round. This combo will be needed for Lou Anarumo‘s embattled group, as it attempts to salvage the worst of its Joe Burrow-era starts.

This injury also stands to impact Hill’s fifth-year option price. The four-tiered structure makes any Pro Bowl player eligible for the second rung on this ladder, while Tier 3 is for players who played at least 50% of their teams’ snaps over their first three seasons or 75% in two of the three. Hill staying healthy this year pointed him toward the third rung, as he played 100% of the Bengals’ defensive snaps last season. Instead, he will be eligible for the bottom CB option number. That would make it easier for the Bengals to pick up Hill’s 2026 option, but coming off an ACL tear will make authorizing a fully guaranteed salary more difficult for the team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/24

October 5th, 2024 at 7:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

Mariota returned to practice on Wednesday, which was the earliest point at which he could be designated for return. As a result, it comes as little surprise he has been brought back onto Washington’s active roster. The 30-year-old is in his first season with the Commanders, and today’s move paves the way for him to handle backup duties moving forward.

Ngakoue remained on the free agent market into the start of the regular season. He was not connected to a Ravens reunion, but one took place last week. The journeyman sack artist had a brief spell with Baltimore in 2020, and he posted three sacks in 11 games. Ngakoue, 29, had one-and done campaigns in Vegas, Indianapolis and Chicago before taking a Ravens practice squad deal. He will make his debut tomorrow and aim to provide depth along the edge.

Bengals Waive Zach Carter, Activate Myles Murphy, McKinnley Jackson From IR

October 4th, 2024 at 3:48pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bengals have activated Myles Murphy and McKinnley Jackson from injured reserve, per a team announcement, adding much-needed reinforcements to their defensive line ahead of a crucial AFC North matchup with the Ravens on Sunday.

To make room on the 53-man roster, the Bengals waived 2022 third-round pick Zach Carter, who played in all four of Cincinnati’s games this year with two starts.

Murphy and Jackson both suffered knee injuries in the preseason that forced them on injured reserve, but only Murphy received a preseason return designation, one of the two permitted under the NFL’s new IR rules. That left the Bengals with seven IR activations entering the regular season, with another used on punter Brad Robbins earlier this week. After Jackson’s activation, Cincinnati now has five activations remaining for the rest of the season.

The returns of Murphy and Jackson could not come at a better time for the Bengals, who have allowed 145.5 rushing yards per game and 0.08 EPA/rush, per NextGen Stats, both bottom-10 marks in the NFL. Cincinnati’s defense also owns the league’s fourth-lowest pressure rate (26.7%) and second-lowest sack rate (3.7%). Murphy will add to a defensive end rotation that has relied solely on Trey Hendrickson to set the edge and generate pressure this season, while Jackson will bolster a depleted defensive tackle group that is still missing Sheldon Rankins, though B.J. Hill is expected to return this week.

Murphy and Jackson are both listed as questionable on the Bengals’ Week 5 injury report, but their activation today indicates that they will be ready to play on Sunday. Murphy appeared in all 17 of the Bengals’ games last season with three sacks after being 28th overall in the 2023 draft. Jackson, a third-round rookie out of Texas A&M, will see his first NFL action this weekend.

Those additions will be vital to winning in the trenches against an explosive Ravens rushing attack that has gashed its last two opponents for 545 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Sitting at 1-3 and in last place in the AFC North, the Bengals will need to slow down Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry to keep their divisional hopes alive.

Jackson will be expected to provide more consistent play than the now-waived Carter, who has struggled against the pass and the run this season. He has just two quarterback pressures on 80 pass-rushing snaps in 2024, per Pro Football Focus, and his 44.3 overall defensive grade is the 11th-worst among defenders with at least 100 total snaps on the year. Carter started 14 games across his first two NFL seasons, but recorded just 0.5 sacks in a disappointing return on the Bengals’ third-round investment.

DE Myles Murphy Returns To Bengals Practice; DT McKinnley Jackson Designated For Return

October 2nd, 2024 at 10:18am CST by Sam Robinson

Myles Murphy is on his way back to help the Bengals’ pass rush. Given an IR-return designation upon Cincinnati setting its initial 53-man roster, Murphy returned to practice Wednesday.

Today marks the first date the 2023 first-rounder was eligible to practice, providing a good sign he will be ready to play in Week 5. The Bengals also designated defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson for return. Unlike Murphy, Jackson did not receive a return designation previously. Once the Bengals activate McKinnley, he will count against the team’s activation total.

[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

Murphy already does, by virtue of the team using an IR-return slot on him in August. Murphy joined punter Brad Robbins in that regard. Cincinnati activated Robbins from IR on Monday but cut him Tuesday. If the Bengals activate Jackson this week, their activation count will sit at five moving forward.

A knee sprain led Murphy to IR. He will return to add an intriguing piece behind Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard. Murphy played in all 17 Bengals games last season as a backup, logging 305 defensive snaps. The Clemson product totaled three sacks but only three QB hits. Cincinnati, which has Hendrickson in a contract year and Hubbard signed through 2025, will still aim to have Murphy develop as a future starter. For now, he profiles as important depth to a Bengals team that again has started slowly.

Chosen 97th overall out of Texas A&M, Jackson reenters the equation for a Bengals team that has played without starters B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankins due to hamstring injuries. The Bengals placed Jackson on IR shortly after setting their roster, but Wednesday’s transaction effectively shows the rookie remains in the team’s plans for 2024.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/1/24

October 1st, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday’s minor NFL transactions:

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed (off Falcons’ practice squad): DT Zion Logue

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed (off Commanders’ practice squad): LB Jalen Graham

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Robbins’ release today marks the end of what was supposed to be the continuation of the battle for the punter position in Cincinnati, setting the table for Ryan Rehkow to continue his job as the primary punter for the Bengals. Robbins was activated from injured reserve yesterday, but his stint on the active roster ends after only one day. It’s an interesting move after the team dedicated one of their eight IR activations for the season on Robbins before the season began.

Cowboys To Sign DE K.J. Henry Off Bengals’ Practice Squad, Place DeMarcus Lawrence On IR

October 1st, 2024 at 10:47am CST by Sam Robinson

10:47am: Lawrence moving to IR will be the Cowboys’ corresponding move, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets. The longtime Dallas starter had been set to head to IR due to the Lisfranc injury he sustained against the Giants. This will clear a roster spot, as Lawrence begins a lengthy rehab effort.

10:07am: The Cowboys will begin handling their defensive end crisis with a practice squad poaching. Jerry Jones indicated Tuesday morning this would be an option, and Dallas is turning to Cincinnati’s P-squad for help following the losses of DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons.

Defensive end K.J. Henry is heading to the Cowboys off the Bengals’ practice squad, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. A 2023 fifth-round Commanders draftee, Henry did not make Dan Quinn‘s first Washington roster last month and ventured to Cincinnati. The Cowboys are only obligated to keep Henry on their 53-man roster for three weeks, but Fowler adds they are keeping their options open with a two-year contract.

Not expected to pursue a trade to fill the voids created by Lawrence and Parsons’ injuries, the Cowboys will add a piece who is now signed through 2025. Henry’s rookie contract was to run through 2026, but the Commanders and Bengals have each cut him this year. Cincinnati initially claimed Henry off waivers but cut him earlier this month. Henry, a Clemson alum, had stayed with the Bengals via a practice squad deal after clearing waivers.

While Henry never topped five sacks in a season at Clemson, he notched nine tackles for loss in 2022 and combined for 14 from 2020-21. He played sparingly for the Tigers’ 2018 national championship-winning squad. Henry’s final Clemson season brought second-team All-ACC acclaim, with Pro Football Focus tabbing him a third-team All-American.

Henry was among a wave of 2023 draft choices deemed unworthy of Quinn’s first Commanders roster, with third-round center Ricky Stromberg also among the cut contingent. Washington, which added two Quinn ex-Dallas D-end charges Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler, had deployed Henry as a three-game starter last season. The team’s trades of Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the deadline freed up spots for the struggling team, and Henry notched 1.5 sacks in a rematch against the Giants. Henry, 25, has played in two Bengals games this season.

The Cowboys are expected to place Lawrence on IR, as a Lisfranc injury is set to sideline the 11th-year edge rusher for up to two months. Parsons is week-to-week with a high ankle sprain. Both players were moving around the team facility on scooters Monday, and the Cowboys are not expected to have Parsons in uniform against the Steelers. Henry joins second-round rookie Marshawn Kneeland, former third-rounder Chauncey Golston and second-year player Tyrus Wheat as healthy DEs on Dallas’ 53-man roster. Carl Lawson is still on the team’s practice squad but is on track to be in uniform Sunday.

Bengals Activate P Brad Robbins From IR

September 30th, 2024 at 12:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals will be the first team this season to activate a player from IR. As it happens, a punter will be the first such transaction. Brad Robbins is coming off IR and will move back onto Cincinnati’s active roster.

Cincinnati’s full-time punter last season, Robbins already received a return designation after suffering an injury this summer. A quad injury sidelined the young specialist, but he will return to the Bengals’ 53-man roster, which now houses two punters. Because the Bengals designated Robbins for return before upon their initial 53, he already counted toward their eight-activation limit. Today’s move does not affect Cincy’s count.

[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

Robbins joins Ryan Rehkow as punters currently on Cincinnati’s active roster. Teams almost never keep two punters on their 53-man roster, and veteran Bengals reporter Jay Morrison notes this is believed to be Rehkow’s job to lose. The Bengals had discussed continuing their punter competition once Robbins recovered. Though, it is a bit difficult to see this being an active-roster battle for an extended period. One figures to be dropped to the practice squad, though that player would need to clear waivers first.

Robbins averaged just 44.3 yards per punt as a rookie. The Michigan alum, who will turn 26 next week, ranked as the league’s third-worst punter in terms of gross average in 2023. He placed 26.3% of his punts inside the 20-yard line.

The Bengals selected Robbins in last year’s sixth round out of Michigan; the ex-Jim Harbaugh recruit spent six years with the Wolverines and had been the program’s primary punter in four of those seasons. He will vie with Rehkow, a rookie UDFA out of BYU, to win his job back. Rehkow will be difficult to unseat, however, as he is averaging an NFL-high 58.4 yards per boot. While 13 games remain, that number would smash Ryan Stonehouse‘s single-season record, illustrating the uphill battle Robbins is set to wage.

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