The Cincinnati Bengals exceeded all expectations last season by making it to the Super Bowl. The youthful squad performed significantly ahead of their developmental curve and took a massive leap last year. There is still a great deal to prove this season as the slates have been wiped clean. Cincinnati will have to prove themselves once again this season and start from scratch with new expectations on their plate.
Training camp is now in full swing and the Bengals have begun to get prepared for next season. The first depth chart of the year has been released for a window into where each player ranks. While most of the rankings came in as expected, there were three notable takeaways from the initial Bengals depth chart:
3 biggest surprises from Zac Taylor's first Bengals depth chart of 2022
Jessie Bates listed as starting safety
One of the main reasons for uncertainty surrounding the Bengals has been the status of Jessie Bates. The star safety played out the remainder of his rookie contract and has yet to agree to a long-term extension. Cincinnati elected to extend a franchise tag on the 2020 All-Pro second team member but the two sides have been unable to reach a long-term deal. The 25-year-old decided to hold out from training camp in search of long-term security and it has been reported that he may consider continuing his holdout into the regular season. In his absence, Dax Hill has received valuable reps and has opened some eyes.
The Bengals clearly hope that Bates returns to the field and made this evident by listing him at the top of the depth chart. In his four seasons with the organization, he has raked up 408 total tackles and 10 interceptions. It is worth noting that he is coming off a down year where he struggled in coverage and had a career-low 88 tackles in 2021. If Bates returns to the team it is clear the job is his, however, the issue does not seem so simple.
Trent Taylor looking to be lead punt returner
After being a fifth-round pick by the 49ers in 2107, Trent Taylor has made an impact as a punt returning immediately in his career. In his first season with the Bengals, he also competed for this role on special teams. Taylor remained in the mix throughout the season but had just seven returns for 52 yards during the year. He ultimately was beaten out by Darius Phillips who handled the bulk of punt and kick return opportunities. The cornerback ranked 19th in punt return yards last season. Phillips signed with the Raiders this offseason which has opened the door for Trent Taylor to be given an opportunity this season.
Following the release of the first depth chart, Trent Taylor finds himself in the driver's seat for this role. While he averaged a career-low of 7.4 yards per return last season, he was given limited opportunities and the hope is he can improve. Rookie Kwamie Lassiter II is listed as the second option on the depth chart. This will be an important year for Taylor as he must prove his worth to the team. He was ineffective in the passing game last season and caught a career-low two receptions. Providing positive production in the return game would go a long way to securing his NFL future.
Kevin Huber holding the starting job
Another special teams battle that is being fought is at the punter position. Kevin Huber has been the franchise's starting punter for the past 13 years and has had some great success in the role. He is the Bengals career leader in just about every punting category including punts, punting yards, gross average, and net average. However, the 37-year-old is nearing the end of his NFL career and the Bengals have shown some doubt about him serving as the starter next season. The franchise elected to sign Drue Chrisman to an undrafted free agent deal following last year's draft and brought him back once again this season.
The Ohio State standout has been given a chance to win the job for his hometown team and has had some positive moments to start camp. While he was unable to win the job last season, Cincinnati's decision to bring him back clearly indicates they have some sort of long-term faith in his leg. The expectation seemed to be that Huber was considering retirement last season but his decision to come back may mean Chrisman stays away from the time on the field at the moment. The Bengals have listed Huber as the number one punter on the depth chart for now and it appears he is not ready to give up his starting spot just yet.
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