The Cincinnati Bengals are looking for a spark in any form or fashion it comes in Week 7. Whether they win or lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, though, they have two more games at home before their Week 10 bye, which could ignite a turnaround from a four-game slide.
Beyond the immediate implications of their upcoming prime-time AFC North duel, though, help is on the way for the Bengals on the personnel front. No, it's not some blockbuster trade. Doubt there'll be much of that going on in the wake of Cincinnati's splashy Joe Flacco acquisition.
This is more of a nod to the last-minute roster moves the Bengals made prior to taking on the Steelers. These transactions suggest superior depth and a higher ceiling for play in the trenches for the rest of the 2025 campaign.
Bengals elevate Isaiah Foskey to 53-man roster, activate Lucas Patrick
Mere hours before kicking off Week 7's action, the Bengals announced that Week 1's starting right guard, Lucas Patrick, was coming off of injured reserve. That's great news in and of itself, not to mention the call-up of defensive end Isaiah Foskey from the practice squad.
Patrick was viewed as a major weak link on an already-troubled offensive line heading into the season. However, since he got injured in the opener, Cincinnati's interior o-line has struggled to block anyone, and a healthy Patrick is a far better player option at present than rookie fifth-rounder Jalen Rivers.
Then there's the case of Foskey. He played under Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden at Notre Dame, but has struggled in the NFL thus far.
Foskey was the 40th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, yet the not-exactly-a-juggernaut New Orleans Saints waived him back in late August. Apparently Golden pounded the table for a reunion with Foskey in Cincinnati, and it took Trey Hendrickson's injury for him to become an active player.
It's been over a month since Foskey signed with the Bengals on September 9. I'm not super optimistic in his ability to make an impact. Then again, anything Foskey can provide would be a welcome change-up to the poor standard of play this Bengals defensive line has put forth this year.
Without Trey Hendrickson tonight, a big moment for first-round pick Shemar Stewart.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) October 16, 2025
His first game back after missing a month with an ankle injury and the #Bengals need a jolt off the edge in a major way.
Laid out the continued lack of non-Hendrickson pass rush this week. pic.twitter.com/gNMCo1Z97m
Shemar Stewart coming back from injury for the first time since Week 2 should help the Bengals wreak havoc on opposing QBs. However, Foskey could be a de facto, by-default X-factor given the sorry state of production from the rest of Cincinnati's pass rush.
Just give me some fresh blood in there. Anyone but Joseph Ossai and/or Cam Sample. Just kidding. No shade. But can we get a little push up front, fellas!?