LA Rams vs. Bengals Round II: Who dey? What dey saying?

Bengals roster surprises

Ramblin Fan V: The LA Rams have a hot undrafted rookie WR name Lance McCutcheon who is creating quite a lot of buzz. Name one of the Bengals rookies who will be a pleasant surprise this season. One player who may be a big disappointment?

Stripe Hype: The pleasant surprise will be defensive back Dax Hill.  Even though defensive back Jessie Bates has finally returned, Hill is still going to play a lot this year.  Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has long wanted his base defense to feature three safeties, and now he can do that with Bates, Vonn Bell, and first-rounder Hill.

Hill has looked absolutely electric in his preseason opportunities thus far and seems to have a nose for the football.  If you’re looking for a deeper name, I’ll throw out seventh-rounder edge rusher Jeffrey Gunter.  All of the camp reports have been positive, and he’s going to get a real opportunity to earn snaps as the final pass rusher.

As far as disappointments, I’ll say defensive back Eli Apple.  He had the best year of his career last year, but his best coverage grades came in man coverage and the Bengals play primarily zone.  The Bengals drafted defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt with the intention of having him eventually supplant Apple, which will likely happen by the end of the season.

Ramblin Fan Bonus Question: What is your prediction for the Rams-Bengals preseason matchup? For the Bengals season this year?

Stripe Hype: For the preseason game, we’ll say 20-10 Rams.  I have no idea who will be playing QB for the Bengals, but it won’t be starting quarterback Joe Burrow, and backup quarterback Brandon Allen (a former Rams quarterback)has been downright terrible and is fighting to keep his job.  They’ve really struggled to move the offense with him under center.  For the season, though, anything worse than 12-5 would be a major disappointment.

While this is not a complete roster breakdown of the Cincinnati Bengals, this is a very in-depth look into the Bengals outlook for their 2022 NFL season, and of a team who could be facing the LA Rams in Super Bowl LVII. We’d like to thank both Stripe Hype, our FanSided sibling that covers the Cincinnati Bengals, and contributor Lee Metzger, whose insights and perspective certainly have given a broader spectrum view of the Bengals team, and of the AFC North Division.

Both the Bengals and the Rams will have a tough go of it this season. But neither team backs down from a challenge.