Bengals Roster: Realistic expectations for Markus Bailey in 2023

Seventh-round draft picks have a tough path toward getting to an NFL roster but that didn't stop Markus Bailey from doing just that. After the Cincinnati Bengals spent a seventh-round pick on him in the 2020 NFL Draft, Bailey has proven himself to be a solid special teams contributor.

As a rookie, Bailey appeared in 11 games and appeared in 43% of special teams snaps. In 2021, he appeared in 16 games and 52% of special teams snaps. This past year, he played in all 16 regular season games and appeared in 64% of special teams snaps.

So, as you can see, Bailey is utilized heavily on special teams and that's more than likely going to be the case for him again in 2023.

What should Bengals fans expect from Markus Bailey in 2023?

The Bengals will carry at least four linebackers and Bailey should be one of the four. His biggest competition for the fifth spot would be Joe Bachie but personally, I predict the Bengals will carry five linebackers on their roster because of how important both Bailey and Bachie are on special teams.

Bailey is entering the final year of his rookie deal and he has a lot to prove this year. He's already shown that he can be a special teams ace who can also step up on defense when need be. Bailey is probably mostly going to be playing special teams but it's always nice to know those players can be utilized on defense or wherever their natural position is when called upon.

To sum up, Bailey should be a massive special teams contributor once again in 2023.