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Myles Murphy

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.

Bengals Cut Roster Down To 53 Players

August 27th, 2024 at 8:16pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bengals utilized the following roster moves to get down to the required 53-man roster:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

  • CB Lance Robinson

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

No surprises in Cincinnati this evening. Ivey will start the year on PUP after he tore his ACL late last year. Murphy and Robbins will be forced to miss the first four games of the season, as well, but since they’ve been designated for return, they will have the option to return at some point in the season.

Woodside was unable to beat out Jake Browning for the honor of backing up Joe Burrow, who has missed a decent amount of time since getting drafted.

The Bengals retained all of their draft picks from this past April with all 10 making the initial roster. The undrafted group had a bit less luck, but Wisconsin linebacker Maema Njongmeta will enter the year on the active roster. Robinson was waived with an injury designation and may make a return via the IR.

Bengals DE Myles Murphy Facing Multi-Week Absence

August 22nd, 2024 at 2:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals will be shorthanded on the edge to begin the season. Second-year defensive end Myles Murphy suffered a non-contact injury in practice, and he is now facing a multi-week absence due to a knee sprain.

[RELATED: Recapping Bengals’ Offseason]

Murphy avoided the worst-case scenario, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes. Nevertheless, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that the Bengals are expecting a recovery timeline of four to six weeks. That should keep the 2023 first-rounder sidelined for at least the first game of the campaign as he looks to carve out a larger role than the one he had as a rookie.

The Clemson product logged a 28% defensive snap share last year, although his usage saw a notable uptick toward the latter half of the season. If Murphy continues that increase in workload once healthy, he could be in line to produce more than the three sacks and six pressures he totaled in 2023. As Fowler notes, though, the Bengals will proceed with caution regarding Murphy’s recovery process.

The 22-year-old had a strong sophomore campaign in college, but his production and consistency took a step back in his junior campaign. Murphy still entered the league with high expectations as the No. 28 pick in his draft class, and he is set to serve as a key member of Cincinnati’s defense when healthy. Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard will remain defensive end starters as Murphy recovers.

The Bengals also have Joseph Ossai in place as a young member of their edge contingent. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, though, and a free agent departure could pave the way for increased reps in Murphy’s case starting in 2025. The latter should be back in the fold without missing too much regular season game time, but his absence will still be felt for the coming weeks.

Bengals Finish Draft Class With Wave Of Signings

May 12th, 2023 at 7:49pm CST by Ely Allen

Trailing only the 49ers and Cowboys (who didn’t have a pick in the first two rounds to sign), the Bengals were the third team this year to announce the signing of their entire rookie class. All this despite only having signed one pick coming into today, announcing the second before noon earlier in the day. Having already agreed to rookie deals with first-round defensive end Myles Murphy and fifth-round running back Chase Brown, the team’s announcement today reveals the signing of six other draft picks.

Cincinnati double-dipped on outside playmakers on both sides of the ball in this year’s draft. They used their second-round pick to select Michigan cornerback DJ Turner and their seventh-round pick on Miami cornerback DJ Ivey. Turner provides some immediate starting ability on both the perimeter and at nickel. Ivey may not project as an immediate starter, but he has an ideal frame and can contribute if given enough opportunity. Also in the secondary, third-round safety Jordan Battle should be able to compete with Daxton Hill for a starting spot alongside Nick Scott in the defensive backfield.

They doubled-up on wide receivers, as well, selecting Purdue’s Charlie Jones in the fourth round and Princeton’s Andrei Iosivas in the sixth. The Bengals are pretty set in their starting wideouts with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd, but Jones and Iosivas provide some strong backup options. Jones, a former walk-on at Iowa who led the country in receptions last year at Purdue, should have a strong path to a roster spot as a backup receiver and returner. He should be able to challenge Trent Taylor and Trayveon Williams for returning duties on both punts and kicks. Iosivas provides the Cincinnati offense with yet another tall, lengthy receiving option on the outside.

In the sixth round, the Bengals also went after Michigan punter Brad Robbins. The team relied on practice squad punter Drue Chrisman last year after moving on from long-time punter Kevin Huber. Robbins should provide some strong competition for Chrisman for the starting punter duties. Here is Cincinnati’s 2023 draft class:

Round 1, No. 28: Myles Murphy, DE (Clemson) (signed)
Round 2, No. 60: DJ Turner, CB (Michigan) (signed)
Round 3, No. 95 (from Chiefs): Jordan Battle, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 4, No. 131: Charlie Jones, WR (Purdue) (signed)
Round 5, No. 163: Chase Brown, RB (Illinois) (signed)
Round 6, No. 206: Andrei Iosivas, WR (Princeton) (signed)
Round 6, No. 217 (from Chiefs): Brad Robbins, P (Michigan) (signed)
Round 7, No. 246: DJ Ivey, CB (Miami) (signed)

Bengals Sign First-Round DE Myles Murphy

May 12th, 2023 at 11:54am CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals have become the latest team to sign their top pick to his rookie contract. Myles Murphy has agreed to terms with Cincinnati on his four-year deal (with a fifth year in place as a team option), per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Murphy was one of the top edge rushing options in this year’s deep class, though it remained in doubt whether he would hear his name called on Day 1 following his third and final season at Clemson. Murphy took a step back in terms of production in 2022 with 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss after those totals checked in at 8.0 and 14.5, respectively, the previous campaign.

Members of the Tigers’ defense collectively saw a drop in production, though, and the flashes Murphy showed as a sophomore gave him a notably high ceiling both as a pass-rusher and run defender. It was thus not considered a shock when he was selected No. 28 overall by the Bengals. Cincinnati was quiet on the edge rushing front in free agency, leaving many to expect them to address the position via the draft.

By doing so and adding Murphy, the Bengals have given themselves a high-upside contributor to compliment veterans Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard. The latter two combined for 14.5 sacks last season, and the Bengals as a whole registered only 30. Murphy should be expected to fill a rotational role as a rookie, but if is able to translate his earlier Clemson success into similar production at the NFL level, the 6-5, 275-pounder could grow into an impact starter off the edge.

Murphy is only the second draftee to be signed so far by the Bengals, with fifth-round running back Chase Brown being the first. Cincinnati focused on the defensive side of the ball with each of their first three picks, and Murphy’s performance at the NFL level will go a long way in determining whether that approach was a sound one.

Bengals Take DE Myles Murphy At No. 28

April 27th, 2023 at 10:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals have spent a high number of recent draft picks on the offensive side of the ball, but they invested their 2023 first-round pick on defense. Cincinnati has selected Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy with the No. 28 pick.

Murphy is the first Bengals first-round defensive lineman since Justin Smith back in 2001. While he is thus a rarity in that regard, he should be counted on as a productive contributor for the AFC North champions in both the short- and long-term future.

The Tigers experienced a general regression across their defensive front in 2022, and Murphy took a step back in terms of production. After an impressive 2021 campaign in which he posted eight sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss, the 6-4, 268-pounder saw those respective figures fall to 6.5 and 11 last year. He was still able to show flashes of his ability to effect both the run and pass game, though, keeping him in the first-round conversation leading up to the draft.

Murphy coupled his size and frame with a combination of speed and power to make him one of the more balanced edge players in this year’s impressive class, and give himself a wide range of potential NFL landing spots. In Cincinnati, he should be able to find a role for himself early on.

The Bengals have Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard in place atop their edge rushing depth chart. They ranked 29th in the league with only 30 sacks last year, however, illustrating a lack of established backup options at the position. Cincinnati added Joseph Ossai in the third round of the 2021 draft, and Murphy will join him as a young, developmental option. If he can regain his form from 2021, the latter could prove to be a very worthwhile addition.

Draft Notes: Porter, Jones, Washington, Murphy, Anudike-Uzomah, Banks, Branch

April 20th, 2023 at 3:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pre-draft visit season wrapped up this week, but teams squeezed in several meetings before the deadline. A few booked Joey Porter Jr. visits. The Penn State cornerback met with the Eagles, Giants, Saints and Panthers before Wednesday’s deadline, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Porter also visited the Steelers, Ravens and Raiders previously. Graded as a first-round talent, Porter stands to follow Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez off the board at some point on the draft’s first night.

Here is how other prospects’ visit itineraries wrapped up:

  • The Steelers closed their visit schedule by meeting with both tackle Broderick Jones, tight end Darnell Washington and edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah, according to ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor and The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (all Twitter links). Jones, whom ESPN’s Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah rate as a top-20 prospect, met with the Chiefs, Jets, Patriots, Bears and Cardinals during the visit window. The Steelers briefly considered Orlando Brown Jr., and Mike Tomlin indicated he was comfortable with the team’s current Dan Moore–Chukwuma Okorafor tackle setup.
  • Anudike-Uzomah and Washington also met with the Buccaneers, per Wilson and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter links). One of two high-level Georgia tight end prospects, Washington will enter the draft at least a year ahead of standout pass catcher Brock Bowers. After two sub-200-yard years, Washington totaled 454 and two touchdowns as a junior. Going 6-foot-6 and 264 pounds, Washington profiles as an in-line tight end with some receiving upside. Anudike-Uzomah totaled 19.5 sacks over the past two seasons at Kansas State. Both players profile as fringe first-round talents, with Jeremiah ranking Washington as the third-best option in this year’s deep tight end class.
  • Scouts Inc. rates Clemson’s Myles Murphy a few spots ahead of Anudike-Uzomah, at No. 23 overall, and the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala notes (via Twitter) the Commanders took a recent look at the edge defender this week. After extending Daron Payne, Washington still rosters its four first-round D-linemen. But only one of the four (Chase Young) arrived during Ron Rivera‘s tenure.
  • Much of the NFL wanted to meet with Deonte Banks. The Maryland cornerback spent extensive time in two of the country’s time zones. In addition to his meetings with the Raiders, Ravens, Commanders and Steelers, Banks visited 10 more teams — the Saints, Titans, Vikings, Texans, Giants, Buccaneers, Eagles, Jaguars, Bears and Bills — before the pre-draft meeting buzzer sounded, Rapoport tweets. Jeremiah slots Banks 24th overall, ranking the ex-Big Ten cover man as this year’s fourth-best corner. A former three-star recruit, Banks earned a starting job as a freshman. A shoulder injury halted his junior year after two games, but the 6-foot defender bounced back last season to close his career on the first-round radar.
  • The Giants also huddled up with safety/slot defender Brian Branch this week, Wilson tweets. The Alabama contributor had previously met with a host of teams. New York expected to re-sign Julian Love this offseason but lost the safety to Seattle. The team, which selected slot corner Cor’Dale Flott in last year’s third round, signed veteran Bobby McCain to a low-level contract and has Xavier McKinney returning from an injury-marred season.

Draft Rumors: Murphy, Banks, Branch, Forbes, Torrence

April 12th, 2023 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the top edge defenders available in the draft, Clemson’s Myles Murphy will have a busy week. The 6-foot-5 pass rusher met with the Jaguars earlier this week, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets, and Bengals, Falcons and Texans visits are on tap for one of Clemson’s two first-round-caliber D-line talents. Joining D-tackle Bryan Bresee on this front, Murphy submitted a consistent resume at the ACC power. In three seasons, the 268-pound edge recorded 18.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss. The Jaguars, who have drafted an edge in Round 1 three times since 2019, go on the clock at No. 24. The Bengals, who have Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard signed beyond 2023, hold the No. 28 pick. The Texans (Nos. 2, 12) and Falcons (No. 8) are needier on the edge, but their draft slots might not align with a player ranked just outside the top 20.

Here is the latest from the draft:

  • Both Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah grade Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks just outside the top 20 as well, but he appears to be interviewing well with teams and trending upward. The Commanders, Ravens and Steelers are three of the teams impressed by Banks, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, who adds others are intrigued by the 6-foot cover man. The Raiders will host the former Big Ten defender today, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. The Steelers will be connected to Round 1 corners, having lost Cameron Sutton, and the Ravens have not re-signed Marcus Peters. Both Washington and Pittsburgh cut William Jackson over the past seven months. The Raiders, who have not re-signed Rock Ya-Sin, seemingly have a perpetual cornerback need.
  • In addition to Emmanuel Forbes‘ Lions visit, the Mississippi State corner is a popular pre-draft guest. The Cowboys, Eagles, Patriots, Steelers, Titans and Vikings are on his visit schedule, Jon Sokoloff of WCBI tweets, with Wilson adding the Bengals and Commanders will take a look as well. Forbes’ frame will certainly come up at these meetings. Despite posting a Division I FBS-record six pick-sixes and intercepting 14 passes in three seasons, Forbes being 6-foot and 166 pounds will be an issue for teams. Nevertheless, he profiles as a late-first-round talent.
  • Staying on the DB front, Alabama’s Brian Branch might be the best bet for safety-needy teams in what is viewed as a weak class at the position. The Falcons, Commanders, Raiders, Texans and Vikings are on Branch’s pre-draft itinerary, per Wilson, who adds the Bills have a workout scheduled for the multiyear Crimson Tide contributor as well. Branch has extensive slot experience as well, providing potential flexibility for teams considering him in the late first round.
  • Like Branch, Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence profiles as the top player at his position going into the draft. The Louisiana transfer became a consensus All-American in 2022, and the Bills, Commanders and Steelers have auditioned him thus far, per Wilson and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter links). Each of these teams have added at guard already this offseason. The Steelers signed both Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, while the Bills signed Connor McGovern. The Commanders signed ex-Giant Nick Gates but have plans to use him at center, where he played before a severe September 2021 injury sidetracked his career.

Clemson DE Myles Murphy To Enter Draft

December 13th, 2022 at 2:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Clemson has seen four of its defensive line standouts become first-round picks (Shaq Lawson, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins) in recent years, with others (Grady Jarrett, D.J. Reader, Andre Branch) becoming long-term starters after being chosen outside of Round 1. More Tigers D-linemen are likely to be taken in next year’s first round.

Myles Murphy is passing on his senior season (and the Tigers’ Orange Bowl tilt) to enter the 2023 draft, Pete Thamel of ESPN.com reports. A three-year contributor at defensive end for the ACC power, Murphy is projected to be a first-round pick. Murphy rates as the No. 5 overall prospect, per ESPN.com’s Matt Miller, and colleague Todd McShay has him going off the board 14th overall in his first 2023 mock draft.

A first-team All-ACC selection this season, Murphy finished with 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss as a junior. Contributing steadily in each of his three seasons at Clemson, Murphy totaled 18.5 sacks and 36 TFLs during his three-season run in college. Murphy should be expected to produce a 40-yard dash time in the 4.6-second range, Thamel notes. The 6-foot-5, 275-pound Georgia native is a former five-star recruit.

The consensus top two pass rushers expected to be available in this upcoming class are Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Alabama edge Will Anderson. Texas Tech edge Tyree Wilson is expected to generate early-first-round buzz as well, while Murphy’s Clemson teammate — former five-star recruit Bryan Bresee — is expected to join him in being a first-round selection. Bresee has not yet declared for the draft.