Examining the Bengals' wide receiver depth after the first wave of free agency

Depth: Charlie Jones, Kwamie Lassiter II

Now we get to the depths of the depth chart -- players who will likely only see the field in the event of injury and/ or a blowout (hopefully with the Bengals on the giving rather than the receiving end). First up is another member of last year's draft class, like Iosivas: Charlie Jones.

The former Boilermaker hardly saw the field on offense in 2023, and that's not likely to change in 2024. Even if the Bengals don't draft or sign any other wideouts, Jones will still be behind Irwin and Iosivas, both players who have shown more potential than he has, so there's little reason to think that he'll leapfrog either.

Now, as a returner? Jones is electric and he'll certainly carve out a role for himself in that aspect of the game. But that isn't likely to translate to his snaps as a receiver.

Then there's Kwamie Lassiter II, who has been a practice squad player for the past couple of seasons. With Lassiter, a trend has emerged. He spends most of the season on the practice squad before Chase or Higgins or whoever else inevitably gets injured. Then he's then elevated to the official roster and comes in for a few snaps before the injured player ultimately returns. That script is unlikely to be flipped this season, but Lassiter will continue to provide some needed depth for the Bengals.

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference.