The Cincinnati Bengals have elevated former Wisconsin wide receiver Kendric Pryor from the practice squad for their Week 1 contest vs. the New England Patriots.
With star wideout Tee Higgins unavailable for Sunday’s opening bout and questions surrounding Ja’Marr Chase’s ongoing contract negotiations with the team, the Bengals elected to bring Pryor up to fill a potential wide receiver void.
Chase, while still searching for the long-term, lucrative deal he desires, will suit up for the Bengals at Paycor Stadium alongside Pryor and all-world quarterback Joe Burrow.
Pryor was just signed to the Bengals’ practice squad on Aug. 28 after being released from the 53-man roster on Aug. 27. The UW alumnus reeled in one catch for 11 yards this preseason, though missed a chunk of action with a finger injury.
Pryor has yet to record a statistic in an NFL regular season game. He has, however, entered three separate seasons as a member of several practice squads. That list includes Jacksonville in 2022 and Cincinnati from 2023-24.
With Tee Higgins (hamstring) expected to miss Sunday's opener vs. New England and Ja'Marr Chase still listed as questionable amidst contract talks, the #Bengals have elevated Kendrick Pryor from the practice squad.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 7, 2024
A strong showing could help Pryor’s’ case in becoming a full-time Bengal for the remainder of the season. With top target Chase drawing a majority of the defensive attention, Pryor could stick out against the Patriots secondary on a few offensive snaps.
At UW, Pryor played in 53 games with 37 starts at wide receiver. He caught 99 balls for 1,265 yards and 7 touchdowns from 2017-20.
Cincinnati squares off against New England at noon CT on Sunday.