Cincinnati Bengals Are Still OK
First, News came out about William Jackson III, then Tyler Kroft went down, but don’t go hitting the panic button before the season begins.
Sources inside the Bengals organization told Coley Harvey of ESPN.com the Bengals could be missing their first round pick, William Jackson III, to a torn pec muscle. Then Tyler Kroft was reportedly carted off the field with an unknown knee injury. The Bengals got hit with the injury bug early, but they have options and could bounce back without delay.
William Jackson’s news was not the most harmful. First, because they have Darqueze Dennard, who had a slight ankle discomfort that kept him out the past couple days, Adam Jones, and Dre Kirkpatrick still in front of him. Next, because the Bengals were able to bring back Corey Tindal, according to Coley Harvey , they have a little more depth available.
After learning 1st-rd pick CB William Jackson III had a torn pectoral, #Bengals signed CB Corey Tindal.Had been released just before camp
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) August 3, 2016
When the news dropped about Tyler Kroft’s knee injury, it put some Bengals in a little bit more of a concerning spot. Eifert is already down and could miss the season opener, and a knee injury is never a good sign. However, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com tweeted the best news of yesterday.
Hearing that Kroft's knee injury not serious
— Geoff Hobson (@GeoffHobsonCin) August 2, 2016
The news of Kroft’s knee not being too serious could mean he is ready to go by Week 1. It is a wait-and-see injury until we get more information.
The Bengals secondary took another unknown hit with Shawn Williams leaving practice early yesterday.
Now Shawn Williams walking off the practice field early. Might be time to end this practice.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) August 2, 2016
must read: In The Midst Of The Madness
The Bengals secondary is taking a beating, but thankfully, they have Derron Smith and now Josh Shaw who are showing up and preparing if Williams must miss any time.
More from Stripe Hype
- 6 Bengals whose stock significantly rose in preseason game vs Cardinals
- 7 winners and 7 losers from Bengals preseason opener vs. Cardinals
- Jackson Carman winning LG job isn’t a given after Bengals preseason opener
- How to watch the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022
- Denzel Ward wants to flex on Bengals WRs in 2022
So yes, the Bengals are getting their bruises and injuries out of the way early this season. They have been deemed one of the deepest teams in football for a reason. Not to mention, a couple of these injuries have seemed minor, which means they could be back before their the next preseason game at the earliest.
However, the injuries to William Jackson III and Darqueze Dennard—if his ankle needs time to heal—could set the stage for another need for depth behind Dre Kirkpatrick and Adam Jones. They made one signing already with the return of Corey Tindal, who was cut before training camp. Leon Hall is also still a free agent and could potentially be back on the Bengals radar.