Bengals roster bubble update after Week 2 preseason game vs. Bears
The Cincinnati Bengals roster bubble received some interesting updates after the team's second preseason game.
There, a loss to the Chicago Bears gave plenty of players ample room to seize the moment. Some did, while other fringe players faded.
The unit most impacted by the day's action was the offensive line, where the team seemed to revamp almost the entire second string in the hopes of giving new faces a chance to steal backup roles.
And some of them 100 percent did.
Exiting the second preseason game and with final cuts still a ways out, here's a look at a roster bubble update for the Bengals.
OL Matt Lee
Status: Safe
The seventh-round pick just looks the part. He's held up well enough with some small flashes over his first two preseason games to probably knock Trey Hill off the roster.
OL Jackson Carman
Status: Out
Carman had a multi-penalty game in the preseason opener, then wasn't with the second team in Chicago. It's a clear demotion and barring injuries, it's safe to presume he's on his way out.
OL Jaxson Kirkland
Status: Safe
The popular undrafted free agent from 2023 got a shot at left tackle over the likes of Carman on Saturday and played well. He's super versatile, so his sticking on the final 53 makes sense.
OL Trey Hill
Status: Out
Hill is struggling at times and suffering from the rise of Lee. There's a chance he could move from center to guard, but it might be too late -- and crowded on the depth chart.
TE Tanner McLachlan
Status: Flimsy
The sixth-rounder is an awesome prospect, but he doesn't get a ton of snaps and the availability of fourth-rounder Erick All really hurts his chances. But he might not stick around if they try to sneak him on the practice squad.
DL Zach Carter
Status: Flimsy
Carter's fading fast, with an injury to third-rounder McKinnley Jackson keeping him afloat. One could argue he might be better rushing the passer from the edge, but the team is pretty stacked there even after some injuries.
LB Maema Njongmeta
Status: Safe
What a story. The hyped undrafted rookie has been a beast in the middle and logged the most tackles of any Bengals player on Saturday. So long as he's passing the tests on special teams, he'll stick.
S Daijahn Anthony
Status: Flimsy
Anthony has been one of camp's breakout players, especially with the way he grabs picks. But he's playing through injury and had a penalty on Saturday. It's safe to wonder just how many safeties the team keeps, too, now that Tycen Anderson is back.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals roster bubble update after Week 2 preseason game vs. Bears
