Bengals roster news: Hardy Nickerson signed to practice squad

The Cincinnati Bengals have re-signed Hardy Nickerson to the practice squad, the team announced Wednesday.

Nickerson was waived earlier this week to make room for running back Brian Hill, who was signed off of the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad. The Bengals needed to add a third running back with Jeremy HIll on injured reserve, and Nickerson was the ideal guy to cut as a reserve linebacker rarely seeing defensive snaps.

Nickerson is the son of Hardy Nickerson Sr., who was a four-time All-Pro and member of the NFL’s All-1990s team while playing for the Steelers and Buccaneers. Nickerson Sr. was actually coached by Marvin Lewis in the 90s when they both were in Pittsburgh.

The younger Nickerson initially made the Bengals’ 53-man roster after a good training camp and preseason. He came out of college with the rare honor of being an all-conference performer in two Power 5 leagues. He began his career at Cal, where he was an All-Pac 12 performer in 2015 after registering 111 tackles.

The 6-foot, 232-point Nickerson would spend a postgraduate season at Illinois, where his father was named defensive coordinator in 2016. The younger Nickerson had 107 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions that season, which earned him All-Big Ten honors.

While Nickerson made the initial 53-man roster, he was eventually waived to make room for Vontaze Burfict following his three-game suspension. But an injury to Kevin Minter allowed Nickerson to re-join the 53-man roster. Seeing him get waived this week for a third running back, one has to think Minter is getting very close to a return.

With Nickerson back in the fold, the Bengals now have a full 10-man practice squad. Here’s what it looks like heading into Week 11:

• LB Brandon Bell (undrafted rookie out of Penn State)
• CB Tony McRae (undrafted in 2016 out of North Carolina A&T)
• G J.J. Dielman (rookie fifth-round draft pick out of Utah)
• HB Jarveon Williams (undrafted rookie out of UT-San Antonio)
• WR Kermit Whitfield (undrafted rookie out of Florida State)
• TE Scott Orndoff (undrafted rookie out of Pittsburgh)
• CB Sojourn Shelton (undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin)
• OT Kent Perkins (undrafted rookie out of Texas)
• DT DeShawn Williams (undrafted in 2015 out of Clemson)
• LB Hardy Nickerson (undrafted rookie out of Illinois)