Cincinnati Bengals Preseason Week 1: 3 Players to watch vs. Chicago

As we hit the first game of the preseason, here are some Cincinnati Bengals to watch in their matchup against the Chicago Bears.

After a long summer slumber, the NFL is finally back! The regular season is still about a month away, but we get to see some actual live game action competition between teams for the first time since February throughout August.

While the games don’t matter for the standings, there is still plenty to learn from the NFL preseason. The biggest thing is we get to learn about the dozens of players fighting to be one of the final 53 roster spots available with each franchise. That means that once we finish these preseason games, rosters such as the Cincinnati Bengals’ will have to cut about three-dozen individuals.

Prior to every preseason matchup, we’ll take a look at some of these players who will be fighting for those coveted roster spots. These players may be ones who could be on the roster bubble, trying to return from an damaging injury, or who may be attempting to take on a larger role from what we saw from them previously.

As Cincinnati prepares to face Chicago to open their preseason slate, here’s some players to keep your eyes on.

* = On The Bubble; = Returning From Injury; * = Bigger Role

John Ross, WR***

You want to talk about someone getting a bigger role? Look no further than last year’s first round selection. After struggling through injuries and never finding a way onto the field in any meaningful iteration during his rookie year, Ross may finally be ready to make his mark and live up to his draft status.

With Brandon LaFell already let go of before we even began the preseason, it appears Cincinnati believes that to be the case, but it is worth remembering exactly why Ross had such lofty expectations entering the NFL to begin with.

He not only has the sort of speed and athleticism which tantalizes talent evaluators, but he takes it to another level entirely. Remember: he set the combine record for 40-yard dash time; when he’s on the field, defenders have to just assume he’s going to run past them along the route.

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If he is able to play, he’s a perfect big play speedster to run opposite of A.J. Green. The only things which may really hold him back are his health and drops (he had multiple in a mock game among the Bengals on Aug. 4). This will be his first chance in actual game action to show off both his ability to blow the top off a defense (while actually catching the ball) and start to prove he can make it through a game without getting hurt. If he can’t do the latter — in a contest where he’s not likely to play more than a couple drives, no less — then it could easily be the first nail in the coffin for him ever living up to his draft status.

Jake Fisher, RT**

The Cincinnati offensive line was perhaps the worst of any blocking unit in the entire league last season (No. 28 in Pro Football Focus’ position group rankings to end 2017). Even with some key additions (Cordy Glenn by trade, Billy Price to open the draft), the group doesn’t stand to be much better, either (No. 26 in initial 2018 offensive line rankings by PFF).

A big part of those problems is because of Fisher. Despite being a decently high draft pick (second round, 2015), he’s never been an impactful force for his team: he’s never been above a 67.7 in PFF’s 0-100 scale, and was a 54.7 in the time he was available last year. He didn’t make it to the end of the season of course, due to a heart issue which ended his year after Week 9.

If this were another team, as far as team-building goes Fisher wouldn’t be a wisp of a thought in their mind anymore; a lineman who struggles to block who also has an unrelated health issue which may never quite go away isn’t exactly a player to clamor for keeping in tow. On Cincinnati though, the line is so abysmal that should his heart issue not crop up again he actually stands a great chance to return as the starter at right tackle.

Here’s his first chance to prove it. The bar isn’t high; should he just stay available and not get worse than he was last year, he’s already above and beyond what anyone else challenging for the right tackle slot has accomplished (including fellow 2015 OT draftee Cedric Ogbuehi).

Jonathan Brown, K*

The special teams unit for Cincinnati is about as cemented as things can be. Kevin Huber and Clark Harris are unchallenged for their positions (punter and long snapper, respectively), and Randy Bullock is right there with them.

After fighting off the competition of highly-regarded 2017 draftee, Jake Elliott, to hold onto the job last season, he doesn’t seem to have much to worry about this year. Brown is the only other kicker around this year and was already barely an afterthought here the past two offseasons as it is, a camp leg to have just in case an injury hit the presumptive starter.

Still, the fact that he’s here at all means he can’t be entirely ruled out. He’s been around the team even longer than Bullock (this is his third offseason with them), and the former soccer player has plenty of talent in his leg. Brown’s done a fine job converting kicks in practice and scrimmage action this summer (made multiple field goals with ease in Cincinnati’s mock game on Aug. 4), so he’s set to step in if Bullock’s game takes a hit.

Next. NFL 2018: Biggest camp battle for each team. dark

While Bullock’s time with Cincinnati would point away from that happening (23-of-26 with the team), remember that he did have a propensity for missing too many kicks throughout much of his pre-Bengals career (missed 18 field goals in his first three professional seasons).

If Bullock’s performance dips in the preseason for some reason, Brown has a chance to fight his way onto the final roster — and if he gets a chance to kick in these games, he’ll be able to give himself an even greater chance to unseat Bullock.

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