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Bengals fullback Chris Pressley could be heading into training camp facing some competition for the 53-man roster. Though he's still arguably the team's best fullback, the Bengals are experimenting by converting tight end Orson Charles into an H-Back, much like Reggie Kelly's role towards the end of his Bengals career. Charles theoretically gives Cincinnati more options and versatility at the position.
The problem is, Pressley could miss training camp entirely.
Pressley suffered a knee injury against the Philadelphia Eagles, emerging that night with a pair crutches and saturated fear that he could miss the rest of the season. Within 24 hours, the team placed Pressley on Injured Reserve and then signed Cincinnati native John Conner.
It's even possible that Pressley lands on PUP to start the season.
"It's a little frustrating because I'm injured right now, trying to recover from that," he told the Cincinnati Enquirer from Kentucky Speedway on Saturday. "That's also to show I'm still fighting through, though. Nothing's going to keep me down like that. I'm coming back strong. I just think it's a cool full circle kind of thing (for me). I like it a lot."
The physically unable to perform list allows Pressley to become a roster exception, allowing the team to keep him without counting against the maximum 53-man roster during his rehabilitation.