Three veteran cut candidates heading into Bengals’ training camp
By Aaron Burd
As Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals attempt to whittle down the roster, a few surprise names may find themselves released.
The Cincinnati Bengals had a dreadful season in 2019, finishing with a record of 2-14. After an offseason that brought in many new players through both free agency and the draft, their outlook is much better heading into the 2020 campaign.
Before taking Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in the draft, the Bengals’ front office spent more money in free agency than ever before. Spending big bucks on players like D.J. Reader and Trae Waynes was a positive surprise for many fans. These moves are an indication that the team is trying harder than ever before to win games.
After months of waiting to see how the transformative offseason would pay off, the time is just about here. As training camp begins in the coming weeks, some veterans may find themselves on the chopping block. Following a season that went so poorly, no job is safe as head coach Zac Taylor seeks to save his own job in his second year.
Veterans could be cut for any number of reasons. Declining play, new faces at the position, or even to free up money. There are only so many roster spots on an NFL team and every factor counts when deciding who will stay and who will go.
However, these veterans have one advantage in the unique circumstances currently surrounding the NFL due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a different offseason training program that caused players to lose in-person experience, veterans who have been through that preparation time and time again could have a leg up. Even with this advantage, there are three veterans who remain in danger of losing their roster spots.