The Cincinnati Bengals will have some very different faces in different places. After the 2023 offseason, certain parts of their team look completely different from the previous year. Other facets of the team remain largely unchanged, due to the success they had last season.

However, change is inevitable. Over the course of the preseason, certain factors can and will change the team's roster decisions heading into 2023. There's a couple of players on the roster that could see their starting job be taken from them. Let's take a look at which Bengals first-stringers could lose the starting gig before the 2023 season.

Safety: Nick Scott (to Jordan Battle)

The Bengals' secondary was the biggest position group affected by the 2023 offseason chaos. Three of their four regular starters left in free agency or were let go. Both starting safeties in Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell departed for the NFC South, with Bates heading to Atlanta while Bell joined Carolina. Meanwhile, Cincinnati let CB Eli Apple go, with Apple eventually joining the Dolphins.

The secondary won't be without familiar faces: Chidobe Awuzie, Daxton Hill, and Cam Taylor-Britt all figure to take over the roles left behind the departures. Additionally, the Bengals signed Nick Scott to slot beside Hill at the safety position. However… Scott's position might be in danger due to the presence of a particular rookie.

Jordan Battle, the Bengals' third-round pick out of Alabama, could potentially swoop in and take the starting position alongside Daxton Hill. Scott, the newcomer from the Rams, doesn't exactly have the same job security that Hill has. In a lot of ways, Scott is more similar to Battle, having to learn Lou Anarumo's schemes for the first time.

Already, Battle has been impressive during training camp. The rookie took first-team reps during the Bengals' OTAs as Scott recovered from a prior injury. He also performed well during their first preseason game. If the Bengals' coaching staff feel more comfortable with Battle's performance, we could see an early takeover of one of the safety positions.

Running Back: Joe Mixon (to Chase Brown)

Joe Mixon has been a bit of a polarizing figure in recent months. On one hand, he was a key contributor to the Bengals' Super Bowl bid two years ago, and by all accounts seem to be a good locker room presence. On the other hand, his sharp decline last season and various off-field drama this offseason seem to have soured the opinion of some fans.

The Bengals restructuring Mixon to keep him around for 2023 was a savvy move for all parties involved. Cincinnati didn't have a better option from the market and was able to keep their starting running back for cheap. Meanwhile, Mixon was unlikely to find a team that would exceed the salary he got (due to the RB market and his past production). This was absolutely the right move for both sides.

However, Mixon's spot on the roster could be supplanted by yet another rookie coming in. His job was already shaky after last season, with Samaje Perine's strong play threatening his hold on the RB1 spot. Perine seemed to be a better runner than Mixon, and while he isn't as versatile as a weapon, he's much better at pass protection. Had Perine stayed with the Bengals instead of signing with the Broncos, it's not a stretch to imagine him taking the RB1 role.

Chase Brown has a chance to dethroning Mixon's spot. Brown is projected to be behind Mixon in the Bengals' depth chart, with him filling in for the role that Perine played as a third-down back. However… if Mixon continues to underperform to start next season, it's not a stretch to see Brown getting more time as RB1 and leading the way.