5 Bengals on thin ice entering training camp in 2023
By Glenn Adams
Sidney Jones IV
Sidney Jones IV was a good bet to make the roster at one point. He was brought in as insurance against Chidobe Awuzie’s injury status. It wasn’t far-fetched to imagine him having an Eli Apple-type role with the team. Now it appears there is a scenario in which Jones could miss out on making the roster.
The news around Awuzie is promising. He expects to be ready for the start of the season. This is great news because when healthy, Awuzie is a top-10 talent at the cornerback position.
While the Bengals were taking things slowly with Awuzie, it was Allan George getting first-string snaps at outside corner during minicamp, not Jones.
Also, as a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft, it is easy to overlook D.J. Ivey as a legit threat to make the final roster this year. To his credit, he has done enough so far to make sure he won’t be overlooked when the final roster is announced.
There exists the possibility that the Bengals could keep seven corners, and Jones is not one of them. Awuzie, Mike Hilton, Cam Taylor-Britt, and D.J. Turner II are locks. Jalen Davis is a virtual lock as Hilton’s backup in the slot. With George and Ivey making a push for the final roster, that is seven spots that don’t include Jones.
Cincinnati will not carry eight corners on the active roster into the season. The team held on to seven corners on cutdown day last year and placed Taylor-Britt on injured reserve soon after.
If everyone is healthy headed into this season, Cincinnati may only keep six corners, making the ice under Jones warmer and thinner.