4 winners (and 3 losers) for Bengals in preseason Week 2 win over Bears

The Cincinnati Bengals only needed one possession apiece on offense and defense to draw plenty of positives from Week 2 of the preseason. After a productive, winning joint practice session versus the Chicago Bears on Thursday, the Bengals hit the field at Paycor Stadium on Saturday evening and took care of business in a 27-9 victory.

While it was nice to see 40-year-old Cincinnati quarterback Josh Johnson get rewarded with some extended playing time as Joe Burrow and Joe Flacco rested. However, he was far from the only bright spot for the hosts.

Perhaps the most encouraging subplot was the Bengals' defense playing well when it mattered most. But we're kicking off this winners and losers list with one pass-catcher who stole the prime-time spotlight in short order.

Winner: Dohnte Meyers' 53-man roster stock

As I mentioned in my piece this morning, Cincinnati starters Amarius Mims and Tee Higgins singled out Dohnte Meyers among the select players they were most excited to see in the penultimate preseason game. Never mind the bit in that linked article where I said Flacco would show out. How was I to know he wouldn't play!?

Anyway, Meyers hauled in four receptions for 32 yards on the first series alone. A couple of those came deep the red zone, which hurt his overall per-catch average yardage.

Why do I add that bit as context? Because Meyers looked explosive as could be on the other reps. He converted a 3rd and 10 to keep the drive alive, and looks crisp as a route-runner and elusive in the open field.

I don't recall Charlie Jones ever looking this good. If Meyers can run back kicks and/or punts well enough — he had a 29-yard kickoff return, too — please roster him over Chuck. All due respect. I want guys who can actually contribute on offense. Meyers appears more capable than Jones in that department.

Losers: The prime swing tackle candidates

A deserving double feature here. Jalen Rivers and Cody Ford (at right guard) had false starts that helped stall an otherwise impressive opening drive for the home team. Josh Johnson was dealing.

On the Bengals' second offensive possession, Rivers and Ford got beat in ugly fashion on 2nd and 10, flushing Johnson out of the pocket and forcing a pseudo-throwaway. Why were they in 2nd and 10 in the first place, you ask? Oh, because Ford got a holding penalty on 2nd and 1!

On 3rd and 10, Chicago defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo smoked Rivers around the edge and blasted Johnson in the pocket. Not a good look, young fella!

That play was eerily similar to the bad rep starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. had in the preseason opener, which led to a big hit on Joe Burrow. Thank goodness in both cases, Burrow and Johnson wound up OK.

Ford was the by-default swing tackle at the dawn of training camp. Rivers was so bad at right guard last year as a rookie and evidently didn't do well there this offseason. It got to the point where he was pushed out to left tackle as a desperation move of sorts.

Hey Duke Tobin, maybe sign or trade for a swing tackle, eh?

Winner: The two-deep Bengals depth chart on defense

The Bears trotted out their first-team offense to begin the game. No counter necessary for Cincinnati. Although Caleb Williams and Co. drove down the field quite swiftly, the Bengals pulled off a classic bend-but-don't-break and held the visitors to a mere field goal.

That was the story of the night more or less. Darn near everyone pitched in. Swayze Bozeman looked solid for the most part, and fellow linebacker Shaka Heyward had seven total tackles in the first half alone. Considering how thin that position appears to be behind Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter, I'll take any and all of these positive signs there in particular.

Cornerback D.J. Ivey has all but locked up a roster berth at this point. He continues to be stubbornly sticky in coverage. Defensive end Cedric Johnson, per PFF, had two pressures on his first nine pass rushing snaps. Johnson just keeps winning throughout training camp.

Speaking of the defensive line, what a difference a year makes. This group is so deep. McKinnley Jackson had some nice flashes at nose tackle, exciting rookie Landon Robinson had a batted pass (and later, 1.5 sacks), and Howard Cross III knocked down one of Williams' passes.

As of my last box score checkup, the Bears converted only two of 14 third downs, too. I could go on. The point is, I love how deep this Bengals defense appears to be. Nice change of pace from the paper-thin group we're accustomed to in this fandom.

Loser: Kris Jenkins Jr.

One tackle in the opening half. Didn't really care beyond that. Nothing else happened. I mean y'all, what are we doing? How is 2024 second-round pick Kris Jenkins Jr. even a half-serious candidate to make the 53-man roster at this point?

Robinson for sure has more juice as an interior pass rusher than Jenkins. You could argue that Cross does as well. And Jenkins isn't stout enough to be a nose tackle. It's wild that Robinson can hold his own better down there.

This is a Super Bowl-caliber team that can't afford dead weight. It's imperative to either put Jenkins on the trade block, or just outright waive him. Risking a demotion to the practice squad for Robinson isn't worth it to see if things maybe click for Jenkins at some point in Year 3. To me, Robinson has shown more upside so far than Jenkins ever has.

I feel bad to keep beating this drum. Singling out and criticizing one player feels a little cruel. That said, the NFL is a business first. It's time to make a business decision after yet another nothing burger Jenkins performance.

Winner: Colbie Young

Johnson did struggle to deliver the ball to Colbie Young at times, connecting on only two of his first seven pass attempts thrown the fourth-round rookie's way.

But that lucky number seven target was right on the money, as Young showed off how lethal he can be as a 6'5" downfield target:

Young tight-roped the sideline on his first reception to convert a 3rd and long on the first drive. You have to love that attention to detail from the first-year pro. Helps to have the likes of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to learn from, I suppose!

At this point, I think I've seen enough from Young to just put him in bubble wrap. Might need him to take the WR3 reins from Andrei Iosivas at some point.

Winner: Josh Johnson's juice factor

I had to give Josh Johnson some standalone love here at the end. He had a slippery 7-yard run in addition to some exceptional throws. Other than a couple errant rockets and skunking a flat at Meyers' feet, Johnson was ripping it all over the yard on the Bears' secondary.

We know that Burrow is an elite operator of this offense, and hopefully he never has to leave the field this season. However, we saw how great Flacco could keep the passing attack rolling in 2025.

Now, I'm starting to think Johnson, who's still a legit dual threat as a quadragenarian, could enter the game if called upon, armed with Chase and Higgins as his primary weapons, and hold his own.

Look at how quickly Johnson recognizes what the defense is doing, and how hard he slings this touchdown to tight end Tanner Hudson.

Give me more preseason Josh Johnson! There's a decent chance he'll get at least a little run next week, unless the Bengals really want to get a look at, um, Sean Clifford? He played well tonight to be fair, but ain't no way Cincinnati is keeping four QBs. For pure entertainment value, I'd prefer to see the ageless wonder over the mildly exciting younger field general.

In any event, this coming Friday, the Bengals are on to Philly to take on the Eagles in the preseason finale. We'll see what's what and how much everyone plays.

I feel like we're about to get a whole lot of Dohnte Meyers in our lives, Who Dey Nation. And what a beautiful thing that is! Even if Meyers is cut loose or relegated to the practice squad, stranger things have happened than him making the final 53.

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