The Cincinnati Bengals are gearing up for their Week 1 tilt in Cleveland against the Browns, aiming to vanquish the early-season woes of prior years. Unfortunately, they'll be doing it without any contributions from a couple key draft picks.
Although Cincinnati's scouting department faces an uphill battle as it is as the smallest of its kind in the NFL, you still need to hit on some draft picks to sustain a roster. Those hits have been fewer and further between than Bengals fans would want.
We saw that on full display Sunday morning when the inactives list dropped. Let's just say it ain't pretty.
Jermaine Burton, McKinnley Jackson headline Bengals inactives for Week 1
Two second-year third-round picks are healthy scratches for the season opener. You read that right. Despite some promising signs in training camp, wide receiver Jermaine Burton is being held out, along with defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson. Here's the whole list, courtesy of Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.
#Bengals inactives today:
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 7, 2025
CB Marco Wilson
OL Matt Lee
WR Jermaine Burton
TE Cam Grandy
DT McKinnley Jackson
DT Howard Cross III
Bengals elevated DT Mike Pennel on Saturday.
Both third-round picks from last year are healthy scratches today.
Jackson is a massive mauler who can line up at nose tackle, but the Bengals' acquisition of run stuffer TJ Slaton in free agency was a warning sign that he wouldn't be penciled in as a starter. Turns out the former Texas A&M standout can't even crack the rotation.
The recent signing of ex-Chief Mike Pennel was another bad omen for Jackson, but even I'm shocked he's inactive, given that Cincinnati has struggled at defensive tackle in a pretty big way. Let's hope 2024 second-rounder Kris Jenkins Jr. lives up to the hype he's generated entering Year 2.
Burton is less surprising but no less disappointing. Preseason star Mitchell Tinsley's unexpected catapult up the depth chart is more to blame for Burton's Week 1 inactivity than anything else. The thinking was Burton could bring some juice to the return game at least, but maybe that falls on Charlie Jones now? Who knows what the deal is.
It's kind of wild that the Bengals can afford to deactivate Burton given his upside. That goes to show just how stacked they are in that wide receiver room.
The big takeaway for me here, though, is how Cincinnati continues to basically light draft picks on fire. Amarius Mims looks like a solid starter at right tackle from that 2024 class. Other than the hope Jenkins represents, I'm not liking much else.
Erick All Jr. is out for the season. Josh Newton is a decent cornerback. Tanner McLachlan, Cedric Johnson, Daijahn Anthony, and Matt Lee will give the Bengals absolutely nothing at the dawn of the 2025 campaign, because they're either off the team, injured, or inactive.
Yikes. Whatever. JUST WIN TO-DEY. WHO DEY!