The Bengals Have 4 Players Making A SERIOUS Roster Push...

The Cincinnati Bengals' first preseason game revealed much more about the team's real roster hierarchy than the first official depth chart did, and four players may have significantly improved their chances of making Cincinnati's final 53-man roster. John Sheeran breaks down four Bengals who are making a legitimate late push for roster spots after training camp and Cincinnati's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions: Jacob Bayer, Swayze Bozeman, Kendall Milton and Russ Yeast. Jacob Bayer has quietly spent much of the offseason working as the Bengals' backup center, and his usage against Detroit reinforced that standing. Despite rookie Connor Lew being listed ahead of him on Cincinnati's initial depth chart, Bayer was the first center off the bench. He later moved to left guard when Brian Parker II took over at center, showing the positional versatility that could become extremely valuable when the Bengals make their final offensive line decisions. Could Bayer even threaten the roster spots of Cody Ford or Jalen Rivers? John explains why he currently considers Bayer one of Cincinnati's 10 best offensive linemen. At linebacker, Swayze Bozeman may be much closer to the roster than the Bengals' official depth chart suggested. Bozeman worked with Cincinnati's second-team defense against Detroit and has special teams experience that could help separate him in a crowded competition. John explains why Bozeman now makes his latest 53-man roster projection. Kendall Milton may have created the most interesting competition of the four. The former Georgia running back finished with only 21 yards on 10 carries against Detroit, but the box score doesn't tell the entire story. Milton forced missed tackles, created yards after contact and received more opportunities than the Bengals' other reserve running backs. Has Milton done enough to legitimately challenge Tahj Brooks for a roster spot behind Chase Brown? Finally, Russ Yeast made one of the biggest plays of Cincinnati's preseason opener with a late interception against Detroit. Yeast still faces a difficult battle in a Bengals safety room that includes Brian Cook, Jordan Battle, Kyle Dugger and P.J. Jules, but his previous NFL experience and defensive ability could make the final safety competition worth watching over Cincinnati's final two preseason games. The Bengals have less than two weeks before the NFL's final roster cutdown, and these four players suddenly have a much more realistic opportunity than they appeared to have entering training camp. John Sheeran breaks down what changed, who they're competing against and what each player must do over the final two preseason games to make Cincinnati's 53-man roster. A to Z Sports Cincinnati brings Bengals fans year-round analysis, opinions, roster breakdowns, training camp coverage and reaction throughout the 2026 NFL season. Subscribe for more Cincinnati Bengals coverage as the preseason continues and the final 53-man roster takes shape. 0:00 The Bengals' depth chart isn't telling the whole story 1:17 What actually reveals the 53-man roster 1:41 Four Bengals making a roster push 1:58 Jacob Bayer 4:30 Swayze Bozeman 6:32 Kendall Milton 8:43 Russ Yeast 10:32 Bengals roster cutdown is coming #Bengals #CincinnatiBengals #WhoDey #NFL Play A to Z Sports Daily Games: https://atozsports.com/games For more Bengals coverage: https://atozsports.com/nfl/cincinnati-bengals-news/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BengalsFans4Life Twitter/X: https://x.com/AtoZSportsNFL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atozsportsbengals/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@atozsportsbengals #CincinnatiBengals #Bengals #BengalsFootball #WhoDey #NFL #NFLFootball