The Cincinnati Bengals have reached the halfway point of the 2022 regular season and also have arrived at their Week 10 BYE. They enter the BYE week with a 5-4 record, which is the same mark they held at last year's BYE, and we all know how that season turned out for the stripes.
The biggest difference between last year's 5-4 squad and this year's 5-4 team is the amount of injuries that have piled up. Cincinnati managed to avoid the injury bug for the most part last year but they haven't had the same luck in 2022.
During head coach Zac Taylor's Monday afternoon press conference, he addressed the injuries and gave updates as to when fans might see these players back on the field.
Zac Taylor reveals when injured Bengals might return
The biggest name that has been banged up in recent weeks is star receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who has now missed the past two games due to a hip injury. The offense looked abysmal without him in Week 8 but bounced back in Week 9 and showed they could stay afloat with their stud wideout.
Unfortunately, there's no update on Chase and when he might return.
A few injury updates, per Zac Taylor;
— Marisa Contipelli (@BengalsMarisa) November 7, 2022
Dax Hill (shoulder) and Chris Evans (knee, PCL) are considerer week to week.
DJ Reader “optimistic it’ll be sooner rather than later.” Likely to make a decision next Monday.
No update on Ja’Marr Chase.
The good news from Taylor's presser is that D.J. Reader, who has been out since he injured his knee in Week 3, could return "sooner rather than later." Taylor felt optimistic about Reader and the Bengals' defense would absolutely love to have him back for this tough slate of games they have approaching on their schedule.
As for the recent injuries, Taylor noted that both Chris Evans and Dax Hill, both of whom were injured in the Week 9 victory over Carolina, are week-to-week. It's good that the team has this upcoming week off so that these two can rest up and get healthy.
The Bengals haven't been able to avoid the injury bug in 2022 but three out of four of the updates from Zac Taylor were mostly positive.