The Cincinnati Bengals took care of the waiver wire this week, adding one player and attempting to add another while looking at both sides of the ball.
Now the question is simple: why?
After passing the trade deadline, why act on the need issues now and with these players?
WR Isaiah Williams
THE Bengals got Williams off waivers from the Detroit Lions. He’s a 5’10” rookie with interesting versatility to play base offense and kick return on special teams.
While some may cite the Jermaine Burton drama as the reason for this decision, it’s probably more about Charlie Jones. Despite being one of the most dangerous returners in the league when healthy, Jones is once again on the shelf due to injury. A groin injury kept him from training all week. They need guys to soak up reps in practice, and even get on the field during games.
BY Yannick Ngakoué
The Bengals were one of only two teams to claim Ngakoue, the veteran who was just waived by Baltimore. But New England had a higher priority, so they didn’t get it.
This one will frustrate fans. Rather than finding a deal they were happy with at the trade deadline, the Bengals waited and hoped to find help down the line. They need rotation depth because for some reason former first rounder Myles Murphy isn’t playing much.
What does that mean?
Expect the Bengals to use the wire again in the near future. At the very least, the team can recognizing needs, just like trading for a running back, even though it seems like a case of too little or too late.
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This article was originally published on Bengals Wire: Why did the Bengals add a rookie and try to claim the Pro Bowler?
