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Bengals 53-man roster prediction before 2023 NFL Draft

By Leigh Oleszczak

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) and wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) celebrate on
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai (58) and wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) celebrate on / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY
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The 2023 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night and runs through Saturday. While the Cincinnati Bengals will add playmakers in the draft that will make the 53-man roster, let's take our best guess as to what the 53-man roster would look like right now.

Bengals pre-draft 53-man roster prediction

Quarterback (2)

  • Joe Burrow
  • Jake Browning

This one is pretty easy so far. The Bengals haven't re-signed Brandon Allen so Burrow and Browning are the only two quarterbacks on the roster. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Bengals spend a late-round draft pick on a quarterback, especially if they're planning on rolling with Browning as the backup.

Running Back (3)

  • Joe Mixon
  • Trayveon Williams
  • Chris Evans

There were rumblings that Mixon would either be asked to take a pay cut or get cut himself but then Brian Callahan said that the team is looking to find a running back who complements Mixon. If the Bengals draft a running back on Day 3, Evans' spot on the roster might be in jeopardy. If they add one earlier, I still won't be shocked if Mixon is let go.

Wide Receiver (6)

  • Ja'Marr Chase
  • Tee Higgins
  • Tyler Boyd
  • Stanley Morgan Jr.
  • Trenton Irwin
  • Trent Taylor

Without knowing what the team does in the draft, this is pretty easy to predict. I don't anticipate Boyd or Higgins getting traded and the other three depth pieces either play a role on special teams or had a good 2022 campaign.

Tight End (3)

  • Irv Smith Jr.
  • Drew Sample
  • Devin Asiasi

This will likely change after the draft, as it feels like a near-certainty that Cincinnati will select a tight end at some point this weekend. Whether that's in the first round, Day 2, or Day 3 depends on how comfortable they feel with Smith as their starter. Asiasi is probably the easy one to cut when a new tight end enters the picture.

Offensive Line (10)

  • Orlando Brown Jr.
  • Cordell Volson
  • Ted Karras
  • Alex Cappa
  • Jonah Williams
  • La'el Collins
  • Jackson Carman
  • Trey Hill
  • Max Scharping
  • Cody Ford

The Bengals will surely add offensive linemen in the draft so this position will see some shakeups after this weekend. For now though, I gave every starter a backup. I left Hakeem Adeniji off because unless he really impresses this summer, he'll likely be a cut candidate.

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