How a Pair Of Under-The-Radar Preseason Injuries Could Impact Bengals’ Roster

The Cincinnati Bengals have been grappling with various injury issues during training camp and preseason. Defensive end Cameron Sample is out for the entire 2024 season due to a torn Achilles tendon, wide receiver Charlie Jones had to be carted off the field, and rookie offensive tackle Amarius Mims will miss a few weeks because of a pectoral injury.

Keep an eye on injuries to Jake Browning and Brad Robbins.

Beyond these prominent injuries, there are a couple of less obvious injuries that could affect the team’s depth chart and regular season roster. During a recent practice, Bengals coach Zac Taylor noted that backup quarterback Jake Browning (rib) and punter Brad Robbins (hip) are both dealing with injuries that might keep them off the field for a while. This is noteworthy as both players underperformed in Cincinnati’s first preseason game, which might make a solid performance critical for them.

Browning completed 10 of 18 passes for only 52 yards and an interception, struggling at times during the game. In contrast, third-string quarterback Logan Woodside shined with 8 completions on 12 attempts for 149 yards and a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Jermaine Burton, ending the game with an impressive quarterback rating of 137.2.

While Browning isn’t likely to lose his backup QB position after just one poor showing—especially considering his strong performances when Joe Burrow was absent last season—limited practice time and continued strong play from Woodside could create a scenario where Woodside surpasses Browning as Burrow’s backup. It’s unlikely, but anything can happen.

The situation for Brad Robbins is similar, though a change seems slightly more probable. Robbins struggled as the primary punter last season, and his preseason opener performance didn’t help; he was outperformed by Ryan Rehkow. Both punters had three attempts, with Rehkow totaling 168 yards compared to Robbins’ 150.

Since the Bengals likely intend to keep just one punter on the roster, the upcoming training camp sessions and the next two preseason games will be crucial in the competition between Robbins and Rehkow. If Robbins is sidelined for an extended period, it might give Rehkow an advantage.

So, while the injuries to Browning and Robbins may not be severe, they could significantly impact Cincinnati’s regular season roster and depth chart.