Projected Bengals starters who were not on the roster last year

There is an influx of new players with each NFL offseason. If a team attacks free agency and drafts well, some new faces join teams expected to be starters. Last year, the Cincinnati Bengals added six new players to their roster who were first-time starters for the men in stripes.

How many new starters will they enter the 2024 season with? Here is the list of projected starters not on Cincinnati's roster last year.

Every Bengals starter that was not on the team last year:

Offense:

• Zack Moss
• Trent Brown

Offensive tackle Trent Brown signed as a free agent back in March. The expectation when he inked his one-year deal was that he would replace Jonah Williams at right tackle.

Despite bringing Brown in to start, Cincinnati drafted Amarius Mims in the first round of the NFL draft. The plan is for him to eventually take over the tackle position. But until he is healthy and ready, it is up to Brown to protect Burrow’s front side. 

Brown did not play in the preseason, so the first time we will see him in-game action is against the New England Patriots, the team he played for last year.

Running back Zack Moss signed this offseason after spending the first four years as a pro up the road in Indianapolis. He is considered Joe Mixon’s replacement, who departed for Houston. However, the Bengals have Chase Brown on the roster, and he is a perfect fit for what Cincinnati needs from the position. 

Moss did not play in the preseason, so fans must wait until the home opener against the Patriots to get their first official look at Moss in stripes. But don’t be surprised if Brown takes the majority of snaps and has more of an impact this season.

Defense:

• Sheldon Rankins
• Geno Stone
• Vonn Bell

After spending one year in Houston, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins signed a two-year contract with the Bengals. The team lost D.J. Reader in free agency to the Lions. Cincinnati wasted no time signing Rankins, heading into his ninth year. The team must improve upon a run defense that ranked 31st in yards per attempt allowed last season. Hopefully, with Rankins lined up next to B.J. Hill, the team will boast a much-improved run defense. 

The Bengals wrested Geno Stone from the division rival Ravens during free agency. The safety spent his first four seasons in Baltimore, making 19 starts. Dax Hill is making the switch from safety to corner. That left an opening at safety to fill. As soon as Stone signed his two-year contract with the Bengals, the expectation was that he would be one of the starting safeties once the season began. 

However, another safety, Jordan Battle, impressed last year and this preseason. If Stone wants to remain the starter, he must play well enough to hold off the second-year pro coming off an encouraging rookie season. 

Also, Vonn Bell is back in the Queen City! He wasted no time reclaiming his starting safety spot after taking a gap year with the Panthers. Bell’s return should improve some communication issues from last season. Furthermore, his presence will allow players like Dax Hill, Battle, and rookie Daijahn Anthony to develop in their respective roles on the team.

Special teams

• Ryan Rehkow

Unfortunately, incumbent punter Brad Robbins suffered a hip flexor injury that landed him on injured reserve. That opened the door for undrafted rookie free agent Ryan Rehkow.

Even though the door was ajar, Rehkow did not exactly burst through it the way the team and fans had hoped. The rookie has the job more out of default due to Robbins’ injury than winning the competition. 

However, Rehkow has the job now. Therefore, he can hold on to it if he performs well. The team and fans were not overly impressed with Robbins last season. If Rehkow is competent, it will be compelling to see what will happen once Robbins is eligible to return after week 4. 

Each of these six new starters will be critical to the team’s success this season. Hopefully, they can play up to their abilities and help the Bengals earn a divisional championship and a chance to return to the Super Bowl.