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Bengals roster bubble update after Week 3 preseason game vs. Colts

Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle (27) dances after scoring a touchdown on an interception in the first quarter of the NFL preseason game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle (27) dances after scoring a touchdown on an interception in the first quarter of the NFL preseason game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.

The Cincinnati Bengals roster bubble received its final update on Thursday night as the team took a loss in the preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts.

More important than the final scoreboard of a game with few starters playing that secured a winless preseason were the happenings on the field, though.

There, plenty of players made some serious cases for the final 53-man roster, especially at positions that have suffered some injury woes over the course of training camp.

Here is a look at some notable roster bubble updates before the team makes cuts and forms a 53-man roster next week.

LB Maema Njongmeta

Status: Safe

Make that three games in a row that the breakout undrafted rookie has led the team in tackles. There are some obvious weakpoints to his game that caused him to fall out of the draft, but not even close enough to mattering when compared to his stellar summer.

RB Elijah Collins

Status: Flimsy

There was a possibility that someone like Collins could sneak onto the final 53 after the team lost Chris Evans for the year. But Trayveon Williams -- third on the depth chart behind Zack Moss and Chase Brown -- dominated the backfield with 11 carries and eight targets. Collins received one carry.

LB Aaron Casey

Status: Flimsy

The other undrafted free agent linebacker the Bengals paid up extra to get had just two tackles on the night. One has to think he's out, especially after Njongmeta's rise.

P Ryan Rehkow

Status: Out*

*Pending the health of Brad Robbins, of course. But of Rehkow's six punts on Thursday, three finished inside the 20. He's simply had too much inconsistency to steal the job.

WR Cole Burgess

Status: Flimsy

Burgess made some noise for himself on a loaded depth chart by taking two of his kick returns back for 63 total yards. They needed to see other guys back there after losing Chris Evans and he did well.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals roster bubble update after Week 3 preseason game vs. Colts