3 players who need to perform during Bengals first preseason game

Josh Newton, Cornerback

The competition for playing time at the two cornerback spots for the Bengals in 2024 projects to be pretty stiff. Cam Taylor-Britt and D.J. Turner are the projected starters, and the team moved third-year defender Dax Hill over from safety to cornerback over the offseason, and by all accounts he's been performing very well at his new position.

A bunch of other guys are behind them on the depth chart, including Nate Brooks, Allan George, DJ Ivey and rookie Josh Newton. Of all those players, perhaps newton has the highest upside. He was named to the All-Big 10 team twice during his collegiate career, and he was a very nice value pick for the Bengals in the fifth round of the draft, as some pundits thought he could have gone higher.

How much Newton plays as a rookie in Cincinnati will largely depend on his performance during training camp and throughout the preseason, starting with the first game against Tampa Bay.

Kris Jenkins Jr., Defensive tackle

Kris Jenkins Jr. is in a similar spot to Josh Newton. Both are rookies with a high upside who could potentially use the preseason to show that they're ready for a real role right out of the gate. Neither player should be expected to start right away, but if they play well in the preseason they could quickly climb up the depth chart.

Jenkins was a force in college. He helped the Michigan Wolverines win the National Championship last season, and he was named a Second-Team All-American for his overall output on the field. Let's see if he can bring that same success and impact to the professional level.