The Cincinnati Bengals get a well-deserved break in Week 10 and could see several high-profile names return after the bye.
Sitting in second in the AFC North with a 5-4 record, the Bengals can finally take a breather. The last month saw Cincy crush the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, but the team also dropped key points to their division rivals, the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens look like the favorites to win the division after their resolute Week 9 victory, but this is the AFC North, and anything can happen.
Good news for the Bengals: this upcoming bye week will give their injured players extra time to rest so they can potentially return to game action without missing a beat.
Cornerback Mike Hilton, who underwent finger surgery last week, will reportedly recover in time to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11.
Bengals' injured roster gets a much-needed break during Week 10 bye
Mike Hilton said he had surgery on his finger last week but he will be good for the Steelers game
— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) November 7, 2022
Along with Hilton, safety Dax Hill and running back Chris Evans are considered week-to-week, and the bye should no doubt help them along in their respective recoveries.
Another key player set to return to the fold is top defensive tackle D.J. Reader, who was placed on injured reserve after injuring his knee in Week 3 against the New York Jets.
Head coach Zac Taylor said the team will "get a feel" for where Reader is at during the bye and re-evaluate the situation. Luckily, Reader didn't need surgery and the general sentiment surrounding his rehab appears to remain optimistic.
The bad news for the Bengals is that there's still no definitely timeline on when Ja'Marr Chase will be back. Chase is currently dealing with a hip issue that wasn't serious enough to place him on injured reserve, yet Taylor declined to give a update on how Chase's rehab is progressing.
After the Panthers game, quarterback Joe Burrow spoke a bit about Chase's injury and told reporters that Chase "feels good...maybe after the bye, we'll see physically."
Here's to hoping everyone heals up in Week 10.