5 Bengals candidates to be cut going into the summer

D'Ante Smith, OT

Last year, the 2021 fourth-round pick made Cincy's roster. But this year? It might be tough for D'Ante Smith to make the final cut. At the moment, Orlando Brown Jr. and Trent Brown are the starters. And, the Bengals spent a first-round pick on Georgia standout Amarius Mims who will likely step into a starting role next season, barring injuries ahead of him.

Jackson Carman is still there, too, and can play both guard and tackle. Smith's future may end up hinging on how the team views Carman, in the end.

Jay Tufele, DT

A fourth-round pick out of USC back in 2021, defensive tackle Jay Tufele spent his rookie year with the Jaguars before being cut a year later, then was claimed by Cincinnati. Having spent the past two years with the Bengals, Tufele now finds himself in an uphill battle to make the roster.

The Bengals have reshaped their defensive line, starting with the signing Sheldon Rankins in free agency this year. They also went out and used a second rounder on Michigan's Kris Jenkins and followed it up by selecting Texas A&M's McKinnley Jackson in the third round. Tufele is behind all three of them, along with B.J. Hill on the interior, and it will be tough for him to make it as a fifth interior lineman.