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Bengals: 4 potential candidates to be the No. 3 running back

By Leigh Oleszczak

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 18: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals hands off the ball to Joe Mixon #28 during the first quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 18, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 18: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals hands off the ball to Joe Mixon #28 during the first quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 18, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images) /
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Cincinnati Bengals
Jacques Patrick #29 of the Tampa Bay Vipers (Photo by Carmen Mandato/XFL via Getty Images) /

It’s pretty much a given who the Cincinnati Bengals will have as their starting running back and backup running back in 2021. Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine seem to have those roles locked down. But what about the third-string option?

The Bengals have plenty of viable candidates to choose from for this role and they’re all on the roster. Yes, the Bengals could still turn to free agency and bring in a running back, but with it not being a major position of need and the team having other issues to fixate on, the No. 3 spot should go to one of the running backs currently sitting on the roster.

Let’s dive into the four candidates the Bengals might crown as their No. 3 running back when the 2021 season kicks off.

Bengals RB3 Options – No. 4: Jacques Patrick

First up on the list is former Florida State Seminole, Jacques Patrick, who has yet to play in a regular-season game in the NFL. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL but, as we all know, the league folded and that left him without a job. He’s now a member of the Bengals and hopes to make a big enough impression this summer that he can stick on the roster.

Patrick was a big-time runner at Florida State, rushing for 1,790 yards and 17 touchdowns in four years. He also had 356 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air during that time as well, showing he can be used in multiple ways.

While I wouldn’t bank on Patrick winning the third-string running back job, he’s still on the roster and with a big preseason, he could leapfrog a few of the other names and find his way onto the final 53-man roster.

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