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Early Moves for the Bengals on Roster Cut Day

By Jack Lane

TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 30: Ryan Hewitt #89 of the Cincinnati Bengals rushes during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on November 30, 2014 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 30: Ryan Hewitt #89 of the Cincinnati Bengals rushes during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on November 30, 2014 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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The Bengals have made a few moves well before the deadline. There will be a deluge of moves coming, so these few cuts are just the start.

The Bengals have been busy so far today, as they have made a few moves ahead of the deadline for roster cuts. They haven’t done anything surprising just yet, but the team has answered some important questions about a couple critical positions on this roster. The big cuts are yet to come, but these are the first casualties of roster crunch Saturday.

The tight end position has seen the most action today as Ryan Hewitt, a multi-year veteran, was released earlier this morning. Hewitt has been a reliable component of the Bengals’ offense over the last few years, but he’s been progressively less used. The team simply couldn’t find room for him in this crowded tight end position, and with his limited receiving ability, Hewitt fell short of the final roster.

Cethan Carter seemed like a great candidate to make the roster as the 4th tight end, but the Bengals have placed him on season-ending IR with a torn labrum. He suffered this injury against the Colts in the last week of the preseason. That leaves Mason Schreck as the likely 4th tight end. Schreck, a former 7th round pick for the Bengals, flashed as a receiver in the last preseason game, catching 6 passes for 51 yards.

The other big news to this point is that Tra Carson has beaten out Brian Hill for the last running back spot. This was a tough positional battle, but Carson’s complementary skill set seemed to win out. Carson can be a great physical back for the team, and he showed he can catch out of the backfield in the last preseason game. Hill played great, but unfortunately, the backfield was just too crowded. Hopefully he will make it through waivers, but some team will likely claim him.

This news also means that 4th round rookie Mark Walton will make the team. Walton had a rough preseason, but his draft pedigree and special teams skill makes him an asset to this team skill. One stat that’s important to recognize is that Walton was hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on over 70% of his runs. He just didn’t have any room to run. Walton still needs to develop, but for now, he’s on the team.

More roster cuts are coming soon, so make sure to keep checking out Stripe Hype throughout the day!

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