The Cincinnati Bengals will play an actual football game on Friday! No, it won't count in the record books but it's football and after a long offseason, fans are hungry for any kind of football they can watch, even if it is the preseason.
Ahead of their preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, the Bengals unveiled their first unofficial depth chart.
The first unofficial Bengals depth chart of the summer. pic.twitter.com/PC7EaKWmzU
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) August 7, 2023
Let's check out some takeaways from this depth chart.
Siemian over Browning for QB1
With Joe Burrow out for likely the entire preseason, the Bengals have been splitting reps between NFL journeyman Trevor Siemian and former undrafted Washington product Jake Browning. Despite Browning impressing during training camp, Siemian is going to start Friday night's game.
This isn't surprising considering that Siemian was signed to be Burrow's backup. Browning wasn't supposed to even be in the discussion of backing up Burrow once Siemian was signed but he's been throwing dimes throughout camp. He's made the backup quarterback competition more interesting than anyone initially thought it would be.
Rookie WRs in 3-spots
While it feels all too likely that both Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas will make the final 53-man roster, they were listed behind Trent Taylor and Kwamie Lassiter respectively on this first depth chart. Maybe this is because they're rookies (after all, even Myles Murphy is listed third on the depth chart) or maybe the Bengals are going to give Taylor and Lassiter every chance to prove themselves.
Whatever the reason is, it's interesting to see them both further down on the chart. Jones is also slotted behind Taylor as the punt returner and he's behind Chris Evans as the kick returner.
Speaking of Evans...
Brown listed as RB4
Chase Brown was Cincinnati's fifth-round pick in this year's draft yet he's the fourth running back on the depth chart. Joe Mixon being RB1 isn't surprising, Trayveon Williams sitting in the two-spot is to be expected for now, but Chase Brown sitting behind Chris Evans, who the team has barely given an opportunity to prove himself? Now that's a bit of a surprise.
Don't get me wrong -- I'd love to see Evans get some meaningful playing time this year and perhaps the Bengals intend to do that. Brown likely will move up the depth chart with a solid preseason though and that will mean it's back down to RB4 for Evans.
Chrisman over Robbins at punter
Yet another example of a rookie not getting the spot we all expected them to, as Drue Chrisman is listed as the No. 1 punter over Brad Robbins. The Bengals selected Robbins in the sixth round of this year's draft and should more than likely win the job by the time the preseason is over. Still, it's a little surprising not to see him in that top spot.