Tag: Bengals undrafted free agency

Bengals undrafted free agent might’ve locked 53-roster spot already

This Bengals UDFA just had a massive NFL debut.

Cincinnati Bengals fans might want to get to know the name Maema Njongmeta.

Granted, some fans knew the name already. After all, Njongmeta was one of two undrafted free agents the Bengals paid up extra to secure after this year’s draft.

And now we know why.

Njongmeta, quietly, just paced the Bengals in defensive snap count (45) and tackles (100) during the preseason encounter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That earned him a 91.4 PFF grade, too.

College production is a good sign of future success at the linebacker spot in the pros, so it shouldn’t come as a shock to hear he was a stat sheet-stuffer at Wisconsin.

The Bengals could always use some new blood at linebacker, too. Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt are the locks, with Akeem Davis-Gaither at least around for the short term. Njongmeta clearly has the talent to push the likes of Joe Bachie for a roster spot.

This is just how things tend to go in the NFL, too. Many went into the summer thinking it was punter Austin McNamara who could be the surprise success story as an undrafted free agent.

Instead, McNamara is no longer on the roster and here is Njongmeta, simply standing above most of the other players on the field already in his pro debut.

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Bengals undrafted free agent gets drafted in the UFL

A Bengals QB just got drafted to another league.

Cincinnati Bengals undrafted free agent quarterback Rocky Lombardi just got drafted to another league.

The UFL just held its draft and six of the quarterbacks selected are currently on NFL rosters.

That includes Lombardi, the Northern Illinois product who signed with the Bengals after the draft. The Michigan Panthers called his name in the fifth round.

Meaning that if Lombardi doesn’t earn a possible third spot on the Bengals final roster over Logan Woodside, he would have a spot in a different football league courtesy of the UFL draft and Panthers.

Other notable quarterbacks drafted included Sam Hartman of the Commanders.

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Bengals UDFA gets even more hype before training camp

More hype for a Bengals undrafted free agent.

The Cincinnati Bengals had two undrafted free agents in particular that received a lot of hype after the draft this year.

One of those was a punter. The other, Aaron Casey out of Indiana, was one of two guys the Bengals paid signing bonuses to in order to get them on the team.

Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski recently looked at the most exciting undrafted free agents for every team and picked Casey for the Bengals:

Aaron Casey stuffed the stat sheet for the Indiana Hoosiers. The first-team All-Big Ten performer amassed 195 total tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks over the last two seasons. He’s going to fill from his Mike ‘backer spot and do so with authority.

Not that long ago, we looked at how Cincinnati’s own scouting notes on Casey seemed to hint at big things.

Like then, it’s worth pointing out that his size could limit him at the pro level and undoubtedly played a role in his going undrafted. But if there’s a place where he can excel, it’s probably while learning from the likes of Logan Wilson and coordinator Lou Anarumo.

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Bengals UDFA thankful for chance with hometown team

A cool story about a Bengals UDFA who has joined the team he grew up rooting for.

The Cincinnati Bengals signed 14 undrafted free agents after the 2024 NFL draft and before the voluntary spring workouts they held this month.

One was Eric Miller, an offensive tackle who played for the Mason Comets in high school and went to college to play at Purdue and Louisville. Miller told WKRC that it was very cool for him to be signed by the team he grew up rooting for.

“It’s kind of surreal, to be honest with you,” said Miller. “First day before rookie minicamp I went in and got fitted for helmets, and to see the stripes on the helmet, it was like, ‘Oh, this is real.’ It kind of made everything a lot more real in that moment, and every single day is exciting walking in there, and I can’t imagine it being any different.”

The next step for the 6-8, 311-pound tackle is to try to make the team, but he is already thankful that he’s even getting a chance to play professional football, especially with the Bengals.

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Bengals give one of Ja’Marr Chase’s best friends shot as UDFA

A fun Bengals connection between a superstar and UDFA.

When the Cincinnati Bengals announced the 14-player undrafted free agent class, the fact one of those guys was a best friend with Ja’Marr Chase was a footnote.

But now we know more about the connection between Chase and former Tulane cornerback Lance Robinson.

As it turns out, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Chase and Robinson knew each other since they were roughly five years old and kept in touch despite attending different high schools.

“He knows my tendencies, I know his tendencies,” Robinson said, per Hobson. “We stayed away from each other. He said, ‘You do your thing, I’ll do my thing.’ I feel like if I can do well against him, I can do well against anybody.”

Friendship wasn’t the only reason player and team were drawn to one another on the post-draft market, though.

Robinson went on to tell Hobson that one of the big reasons for his interest in Cincinnati was coaches told him they would let him learn multiple positions.

And in turn, that versatility is something the team likes and will give Robinson the best chance of cracking the final 53-man roster.

The friendship note is just a proverbial cherry on top. Robinson will get to compete with the likes of draft pick Josh Newton, DJ Ivey and Jalen Davis for backup spots on a cornerback depth chart that is a rather large question mark right now, especially with former first-rounder Dax Hill making a position change, too.

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Bengals UDFA’s scouting report could hint at big things

This writeup on a new Bengals UDFA LB will turn some heads.

Of the 14 members of the Cincinnati Bengals undrafted free agents class this year, a punter seems to reel in the most hype right now.

But that might not hold true for long.

The Bengals paid out extra in signing bonuses for two linebackers while formulating that undrafted free agents class.

One of them — Aaron Casey out of Indiana — sounds like a perfect fit who probably shouldn’t have slipped out of the draft.

Just look at the scouting report provided by Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com after the team made the UDFA class official:

SCOUT’S TAKE: “Pretty cool he ‘ll be able to keep that No. 44 here. Heartbeat of that defense. Multi-year special teams starter. Left a big legacy over in Bloomington. Culture guy. Very instinctive. Good against the run. Good QB spy on third down.”

It might as well say: Chess piece for coordinator Lou Anarumo.

Casey might get hit with “undersized” chatter at 6’1″ and 231 pounds, but he already checks a lot of the Zac Taylor era boxes such as coming from a big program, production and fitting the culture.

And his skillset that allows him to excel on special teams and as a quarterback spy in key situations could see him crack the final 53-man roster, then eventually contribute.

There’s a long road ahead before that can happen, but of the undrafted free agents, Casey is one of the guys who stuck out the most right away and the scout’s take sure doesn’t hurt that idea.

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Bengals lost UDFA LB target to Broncos, Sean Payton

The Bengals were after an UDFA who signed with the Broncos.

The Cincinnati Bengals expressed interest in Fresno State linebacker Levelle Bailey in undrafted free agency.

Bailey, though, wound up signing with the Denver Broncos, securing a $15,000 signing bonus with $125,000 of his contract guaranteed.

According to the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson, the Bengals were one of the teams after Bailey, but two calls from Broncos head coach Sean Payton swung the outcome:

Bailey said he also was contacted by Carolina, Cincinnati and Minnesota about signing as a free agent. But did he get the same treatment from those teams that he did by Payton calling?

“No,’’ he said. “I didn’t talk to their head coaches.”

And that’s just how it goes in undrafted free agency. The Bengals didn’t draft a linebacker with one of their 10 picks in the draft itself, but did add two others in undrafted free agency.

In fact, both of the linebacker prospects they agreed with in undrafted free agency even got a big signing bonus from the Bengals, too.

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Bengals fans will like this stat about undrafted free agent punter

The Bengals have an UDFA punter on the way with some notable stats.

As seen in the annual Cincinnati Bengals undrafted free agents tracker, punter Austin McNamara from Texas Tech makes the list.

And while undrafted free agent signings aren’t in any way official until announced by the team, McNamara would be a huge get for the Bengals.

Mcnamara’s possible arrival with the Bengals is the team’s response to Brad Robbins’ struggles last year. In fact, it was a little surprising the team didn’t use one of its 10 picks on the position during the draft itself.

Clearly, the team likely knew something outsiders didn’t about how the draft board would shake out — but it’s still surprising given some of the numbers making the rounds out there, such as this from Pro Football Focus:

It’s not often a punter challenges as the most-hyped undrafted free agent signing by a team, but Bengals fans know better than most how important the position can be, say, in key playoff situations.

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Bengals give UDFA RB Elijah Collins notable signing bonus

More details on the Bengals going after a RB in undrafted free agency.

The Cincinnati Bengals will dole out big signing bonuses to a pair of undrafted free agent linebackers after the 2024 NFL draft — and it sounds like they will do the same at running back.

Like linebacker, the Bengals didn’t draft a running back with one of their 10 selections as expected, so the front office seems to be making up for it with signing bonuses in free agency.

As previously noted, the eventual signing of Oklahoma State’s Elijah Collins will also include an $8,000 signing bonus, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston.

These bonuses are a way for the team to reel in players on the open market, so it speaks to the Bengals really liking Collins’ potential fit this summer in training camp battles.

Undrafted signings aren’t official until the team announces them.

Our entire Bengals undrafted free agency tracker is live.

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Bengals to pay notable signing bonuses to UDFA LBs

The Bengals are opening up the checkbook for UDFA linebackers.

The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t use one of their 10 picks in the 2024 NFL draft on linebacker, so the fallout is seemingly opening up the checkbook in undrafted free agency.

As previously noted, the Bengals will hit Wisconsin’s Maema Njongmeta with a $15,000 signing bonus.

It turns out that, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the team will do the same for Indiana linebacker Aaron Casey.

That means two rookies will have a chance to compete for final roster spots this summer with the likes of Devin Harper and Shaka Heyward as the Bengals secure preferred targets with signing bonuses after the draft.

Undrafted signings aren’t official until the team announces them.

Our entire Bengals undrafted free agency tracker is live.

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