The Cincinnati Bengals have played two preseason games so far, and they have one remaining before the regular season officially gets underway. But while the Bengals still have one more exhibition, some fringe players have likely already locked up roster spots for the upcoming campaign. Here's a look at three such players.
3 Bengals who have locked up roster spots
Maema Njongmeta, Linebacker
Undrafted rookie Maema Njongmeta has been a standout through Cincinnati's first two preseason games. In the preseason opener Njongmeta led the Bengals with 10 total tackles and two passes defended. He ended up being the team's highest-graded player from the game-- a very impressive feat considering that it was his first ever professional performance.
In Cincinnati's second exhibition against the Bears in Chicago, Njongmeta again led the team in total tackles with eight, including one tackle for a loss. Some of his production in that game came against Chicago's starters, too. The Bengals could use some depth at linebacker, and considering how well he played in the first two exhibitions, it would be surprising if Njongmeta wasn't on the final roster.
Matt Lee, Center
Rookie center Matt Lee had an excellent outing against the Bears. He played all 63 offensive snaps for Cincinnati and didn't allow a single pressure, per Pro Football Focus. That's pretty impressive for a rookie. Lee has climbed up the depth chart over the course of camp, and at this point it looks like he could be penciled in as Cincinnati's backup center behind Ted Karras, especially since Trey Hill had a pretty poor performance against the Bears that included three separate penalties. At this point, Lee being left off of the final roster seems unlikely.
Cedric Johnson, Defensive end
Rookie defensive end Cedric Johnson is likely to get a bigger shot with the Bengals than he might have otherwise as a result of a couple recent developments. Cincinnati lost two defensive ends during training camp, as Cameron Sample suffered a season-ending Achilles injury and Jeff Gunter decided to retire from the NFL. These absences open up opportunity for Johnson, who could make the final roster as a result.
Johnson has also played well in the preseason. He had four tackles in the preseason opener as he was able to get into the backfield and cause disruption. He also tallied two QB hits and a sack in that game. He added two more tackles, including one for a loss, in the exhibition against the Bears. As a result, he's likely to serve as a depth piece on the D-line heading into the regular season.