With the 2025 NFL season right around the corner, fans are starting to get a clearer picture of who will be playing for their teams. When it comes to the Cincinnati Bengals, some positions are much more locked up than others.
With that in mind, here’s a preview of the Bengals’ starting roster entering 2025, including which players to watch during preseason.
If Joe Burrow is not starting for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025, the season has taken an awful turn. One of the four best players at his position in the entire NFL, his spot as a starter is as safe as it could be in the most normal offseason he’s faced as a Bengal.
Jake Browning is still on the roster and will continue to help coach and inform Burrow on the sidelines. Desmond Ridder was also signed this offseason, and will most likely back up Browning if something were to happen to Burrow. Browning almost led Cincinnati to the postseason without Burrow, and Ridder (despite being loved in Cincinnati as a Bearcat) has not shown that he could do the same.
Chase Brown will be the starting running back for the Bengals in 2025. Even before Zack Moss exited last season with a broken neck, Chase had usurped the role from his backfield partner.
Following Brown on the roster will be the returning Samaje Perine. Similar to his first stint with the team a few seasons ago, Perine will likely be used as a power back, particularly on third down. He’s the kind of player who always fights for an extra yard or two, and this is invaluable in these situations.
The most interesting player to watch at the position, however, will be the rookie Tahj Brooks. Taken in the third round out of Texas Tech, Brooks has been impressing during training camp in both the running and passing game.
Certainly flashing RB1 potential at times, Brooks should keep the competition relatively hot at running back. Brown has the starting role locked up to start the season, but Brooks will be a player to follow throughout the year.
Starting at WR1 will be the reigning triple-crown winner, Ja’Marr Chase. Following him will be the steel-handed Tee Higgins and the third-year Andrei Iosivas. While Iosivas has shown tremendous ability and growth through his first two seasons, it is unlikely (barring injury) that he will ascend any further on the depth chart.
Jermaine Burton will be the next WR, returning for his second season with the team. Despite a rookie season marred by off-the-field issues and professionalism concerns, Cincinnati is placing its faith in a more dedicated Burton this season.
Charlie Jones is also on the roster and may see some implementation in the passing game, but is primarily used as a return man. That shouldn’t change this season, and the Bengals’ receivers as a whole should look remarkably similar to last year in terms of playing time, except for Burton.
Possibly the most interesting position to watch, the Tight Ends on the Bengals aren’t exactly handled on a first/second/third string kind of basis. Rather, each of these players brings specific things to the table that are employed in different situations.
While Mike Gesicki is typically thought of as the number one, it may surprise some (outside of Cincinnati) that Drew Sample played over a hundred more snaps (655 to 523). Sample is the best blocking TE on the team, and thus plays a lot of snaps in an inconspicuous role.
Gesicki, on the other hand, is the best receiver at the position and will likely increase his role in this regard (particularly in the slot, with the current WR lineup).
The Bengals also just signed Noah Fant, who has maybe more upside than any other TE Burrow has played with in the Queen City. Fant is more than capable of grabbing the starting role and should become a vital piece of this offense once he gets settled into the game plan.
Behind these three will be Tanner Hudson (who has shown chemistry with Burrow in the past) and Tanner McLachlan. Erick All Jr is also rostered but will miss the entirety of the season with an ACL injury.
Each of the top three players at TE should see comparable snap counts, with each of them deployed for different purposes in different situations. Fant is the most likely to establish himself as the go-to all-around guy, and Hudson is the most likely of the backups to work his way into a more regular role.
Ted Karras, having started 53 consecutive games at center for Cincinnati and playing in 99.5 percent of plays, will continue to do so in 2025-26. Backing him will be Matt Lee, Andrew Raym, and Seth McLaughlin.
At left guard will be Dylan Fairchild, Cordell Volson, and Jaxon Kirkland. While Volson is the more experienced player, Fairchild (a rookie taken in the third round out of Georgia) could see significant playing time if he impresses during pre-season.
Lucas Patrick, Cody Ford, and Andrew Stueber will play at right guard. While these (along with Center) are probably the least-sexy positions to watch entering the season, their output will still be a focal point of how well Burrow and company can move upfield.
Orlando Brown Jr will be the Bengals’ starting left tackle entering 2025. Brown is in his eighth season and should remain the starter at the position throughout the year. Behind Brown Jr on the depth chart will be Devin Cochran and Andrew Coker.
Starting at right tackle will be the second-year Amarius Mims. By the end of last season, he had played in 73.53 percent of downs on defense, and this rate should only continue to increase as he gets more comfortable at this stage. Behind Mims will be Jalen Rivers and Caleb Etienne.
TJ Slaton Jr will be the starting left defensive tackle entering 2025, and BJ Hill will start opposite him at right defensive tackle. Backing Slaton Jr will be McKinnley Jackson, McTelvin Agim, and Eric Gregory. Behind Hill will be Kris Jenkins Jr, Taven Bryan, and Howard Cross III.
The Left End position, unlike the Right End, could be more contested than expected. With Myles Murphy currently the starter and Shemar Stewart the second, either of these guys could realistically take the role.
Murphy, while entering his third season, hasn’t been used nearly as often as other guys. Last season, he finished with the third-fewest snaps played at 353.
Stewart, on the other hand, is an unproven rookie joining camp late due to contract disputes. He is, however, extremely large and athletic, and could very well be molded into an elite-level talent.
While Murphy’s experience and reps should see him start the season at the position, Stewart does have the potential to have a good enough pre-season to earn some more reps early. Each of these players has shown they’re on the higher side when it comes to talent, so whoever ends up the starter should prove to be effective despite their age and lack of experience.
At Right End for the Bengals will (finally and thankfully) be Trey Hendrickson, followed by Joseph Ossai, Cam Sample, and Raymond Johnson III. Having led the league in sacks last year at 17.5, Hendrickson will be a welcome return and should have a firm grasp on the starting spot, as Ossai should on the second.
Starting at linebacker for the Bengals in 2025 will be Logan Wilson at middle linebacker, Oren Burks on the strong side, and Demetrius Knight Jr. on the weak side. However, there is some potential for movement at these positions.
The rookie out of Clemson (Barrett Carter) could prove to be stronger, as both he and Knight Jr are entering their first season in the NFL. Maema Njongmeta could improve, too, as last season he was an effective part of the special-teams unit.
While the Week 1 starters are likely established, this is one of the more malleable positions on this team. If any of these rookies or second-string players have a good pre-season, don’t be surprised to see them get more snaps in the regular season.
It’s pretty safe to say Cam Taylor-Britt will be the primary cornerback for this team. Having played 1039 snaps at the position last season, which is significantly more than anyone else, he should continue to see the most reps locking down WR1s.
With the loss of Mike Hilton to the Miami Dolphins, the other corners on the roster should see an elevation in their roles. Particularly DJ Turner II, who will likely take the mantle of CB2, having played the third-most snaps (507) in 2024-25 after Taylor-Britt and Hilton.
Rounding it out at the nickel will be Dax Hill and Josh Newton. The talent for competent, and possibly even strong, receiver coverage is certainly there; it’s now about how these guys develop and how new Defensive Coordinator Al Golden implements them.
Last season, it was Geno Stone manning Free Safety and Jordan Battle at Strong Safety, and it looks to be the same entering the 2025-26 season. The fewest percentage of snaps Stone played last season was 86% in Week 15, so he should see the same level of involvement going forward.
Battle, however, will be expected to take a bigger step. Going from playing in under 50 percent of snaps before their bye in Week 12 to 74 percent or higher in each game after, his production should establish him as the clear go-to at the position.
Backing up Stone will be Tycen Anderson and Jaylen Key, and behind Battle will be Daijahn Anthony, PJ Jules, and Shaquan Loyal.
Evan McPherson has the starting Kicker position for 2025 (and the foreseeable future) locked up for the Bengals. Having about as magical a rookie year as a kicker could have, McPherson is beloved in Cincinnati and is one of the few players at his position to have his jersey peppered throughout his home crowds.
As much as McPherson has Kicker locked up, Ryan Rehkow also has the Punter position. Recording a franchise-record 80-yard punt as a rookie (while averaging almost 50 yards a punt), Rehkow’s cannon leg is one of the more entertaining aspects of any punter, period.
Charlie Jones (AKA ‘Chuck Sizzle’) has been the primary return man for Cincinnati and will continue to be in 2025. Having returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in his career, while only seeing a total of 10 targets in two years as a receiver, this should continue to be his role with the Bengals.
While there is some potential for movement in a few spots, most of Cincinnati’s roster is set entering the 2025 season. Both the offense and defense will look largely the same as last season, with the potential for a couple of rookies and younger players to have breakout years in their respective roles.
Players to watch in this regard are Brooks, Burton, Fairchild, Murphy, Stewart, Knight Jr, and Carter. The Bengals kick off their first preseason game this Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles at 7:30 pm.
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