6 winners and 4 losers for Bengals in preseason loss to Buccaneers

Football is back at Paycor Stadium! For the first time since November of last year, fans got to see Joe Burrow slinging the ball again, even if it was only for one drive. Though a very limited sample size, Burrow didn't look rusty in the slightest and went 5-for-7 with 51 yards on that lone series, capping it off with a touchdown pass to Tee Higgins.

While it was nice to see the starters out there doing their thing, they were naturally sidelined following that first drive as it was time to get to the real point behind the preseason: seeing how young rookies and depth pieces play and gaging if they'll make the team/move up the depth chart.

While the game itself didn't pick up in interest until the dwindling minutes of the 4th quarter when the two teams traded touchdowns, there were several notable efforts that shouldn't be ignored. Simultaneously, there were also a few performances that, at best, raised some concern eyebrows.

So, here's a look at six winners and four losers from Cincinnati's 17-14 preseason loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Winners from Cincinnati's preseason opener

Ryan Rehkow, Punter

Punting has been an issue for Cincinnati for the last couple of years. From Kevin Huber on his last leg to Drue Chrisman to most recently Brad Robbins, they haven't had reliable punting in a hot minute. That's why Rehkow's performance against the Buccaneers was promising. Sure, it was only one game, but it would be surprising if Rehkow's not booting the ball for the Bengals come Week One.

Rehkow punted three times against Tampa Bay -- once for 50 yards and the other two for 59 yards apiece, overall averaging 56.0 yards per punt. He might just have the field-flipping leg that the Bengals have needed over the last two seasons.

Robbins didn't play terribly either. He even had the longest punt of the night at 60 yards. However, Rehkow was far more consistent overall as Robbins shanked his first punt ending in it only traveling 37 yards. We'll have to see how Rehkow does over the next two weeks, but as of now there is a real punter battle taking place on the Ohio River.

Josh Newton, Cornerback

Fifth-round pick Josh Newton had been impressing coaches, players, and fans alike through all of training camp before finally getting to play in his first NFL game, and the TCU alum did not disappoint. It looked worrying at first, as Newton appeared to be injured early in the game. Thankfully, he soon came back onto the field and, not too long after that, he grabbed his first career interception in an athletic, leaping display.

Very quickly Newton has gone from a player who wasn't a solid lock to make the final 53-man roster to someone who could potentially be lining up across from Cam Taylor-Britt. If he continues to impress, the former Horned Frog could see a good amount of snaps in his rookie season, and not just with special teams.

Maema Njongmeta, Linebacker

He hasn't been getting a ton of buzz, but don't let undrafted free agent Maema Njongmeta from Wisconsin slip under the radar. He's another player who may have just locked in a spot on the final roster with his performance against Tampa Bay.

Njongmeta was all over the field and seemed to be involved in nearly every play, which is exactly the type of effort you want to see out of a linebacker. The former Badger led both teams with 10 total tackles, and he also added on a pair of passes defended on top of that.

With Markus Bailey now out west in Arizona (a popular destination for Bengals free agents, apparently), the team needed more depth at the linebacker position, and it appears that Njongmeta is just the guy to have come off of the bench. He gave a superb effort and hopefully, he ends up surviving final cuts.

Jermaine Burton, Wide receiver

This list wouldn't be complete without 3rd-rounder Jermaine Burton on it. The Alabama product didn't get in until the fourth quarter, but he made an impression on the Cincy faithful once he finally got an opportunity. Burton finished the night with 3 receptions for 82 yards and his first NFL touchdown, which was also the first (and only) touchdown the Bengals' offense would score after the starters left the game.

Burton flashed a lot of the explosiveness promised when he was drafted, having two big catches down the stretch. One being his aforementioned first touchdown at the professional level, which was a 37-yard strike. Then, on what probably would've been the game-tying drive if this weren't preseason, he grabbed another long pass that was highly contested.

Burton was a joy to watch down the stretch and looks to be another amazing wide receiver pick that Cincinnati's front office has made. While he likely won't start this year, especially since he didn't take many (if any) snaps from the slot position, expect Burton to have a similar role to what Andrei Iosivas had last year -- Very limited, but he could still make an impact.

Logan Woodside, Quarterback

Woodside-- who was actually drafted by Cincinnati back in 2018 in the 7th round-- definitely won't be replacing Jake Browning as the backup quarterback after half a preseason game. However, his performance likely cemented him a spot on the practice squad or as the third quarterback on the depth chart, if the Bengals choose to have one this year.

Woodside put together a solid performance against the Bucs, completing 8 of his 12 attempts for 149 yards and the touchdown to Burton mentioned above, which took the lead for the Bengals late in the game. He even led a valiant final drive which, again, would've led to a game-tying field goal had it not been a preseason game.

Again, Woodside won't be taking Browning's spot anytime soon, especially after what Browning did last year, inspiring hope for a dejected fanbase with a string of impressive performances. However, he might get an opportunity down the line, whether that be with the Bengals or another team.

Cedric Johnson, Defensive end

With the devastating news that defensive end Cam Sample will miss the entire 2024 season, and the defensive line depth looking rather alarming, 6th-round pick Cedric Johnson may have secured his spot on the team after the Tampa Bay game.

The rookie edge out of Ole Miss played pretty well in his first taste of NFL action. He accumulated four tackles, sacked Bucs quarterback John Wolford, and had another QB hit on top of that. It was a decent showing overall and with the Bengals lacking sufficient depth at the position, it wouldn't be surprising to see Johnson left off the list of cut players. Hopefully, he can continue to flash a little something here and there in the next couple of games before the regular season gets underway.

Now, onto the losers.