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Bengals preseason Week 2: Snap count distribution vs Chiefs

Joe Mixon continues to get extensive work with the starters.

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Bengals had a forgettable preseason outing against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.

The starting offense had a promising start, but the defense struggled mightily from start to finish versus a deep Chiefs offense. In turn, the Bengals’ offense failed to put the ball in the end zone, though they didn’t have as many possessions as a team normally would since the defense repeatedly allowed the Chiefs to have long drives that ate up clock.

That made it hard to take anything positive away from this game, but it still offered several notable developments in terms of snap count distribution. Below is the full snap count for the full roster, including special teams snaps.

Snap count takeaways:

  • The starting offensive line got in an entire half of work, something you don’t typically see until the third preseason game, if at all. However, I like this strategy for the Bengals, being that Cedric Ogbuehi, Trey Hopkins and Jake Fisher have spent very little regular-season time at their respective positions (none in Hopkins’ case). The Bengals are wise to give them extra work with Clint Boling and Russell Bodine to ensure all five guys’ chemistry is as strong as it can possibly be in Week 1.
  • Speaking of Hopkins, for the second straight week, he got all of the snaps with the starting offensive line. It’s become clear the right guard spot is Hopkins’ spot to lose, but Andre Smith still has time to make a push for that spot. After not playing last week, Smith got a good amount of work versus the Chiefs, though it wasn’t anything that makes you think he’s better than Hopkins.
  • Boom Williams has fallen way behind in the running back competition, so much that he barely saw the field at all this week. If he keeps getting 3-5 snaps per game in the preseason, it’s hard to see him even making the practice squad. However, not playing Boom much could be the Bengals trying to hide his talents and sneak him onto the practice squad.
  • Adam Jones dressed but didn’t play so the Bengals could get extended looks at Darqueze Dennard, William Jackson III, KeiVarae Russell and Bene Benwikere. Jackson looked like the best one, but after him, you could have made good cases for any of the other three. It doesn’t matter for Dennard, who has his roster spot locked up, but there’s still a heated battle between Russell and Benwikere for that final cornerback spot.
  • Ryan Hewitt rarely saw the field. Shocker. The proverbial best fullback in football continues to be the best fullback that never seems to get on the field. In his place, guys like Tyler Kroft and Cethan Carter have gotten extended looks at fullback in addition to tight end. Hewitt’s roster spot shouldn’t be in jeopardy, but paying a guy over $2 million per year to rarely see the field seems silly.
  • Joe Mixon got more playing time than Jeremy Hill while working with the starting offensive line for the entire first half. However, Mixon was able to produce just 16 yards on six runs, while Hill produced 28 on six runs. I think Hill keeps his starting job for a while, but Mixon is going to get a heavy amount of touches as early as Week 1 in the regular season.

Bengals Preseason Week 2 Snap Counts

# NAME POS. Snaps % time played Special teams snaps % time played on ST
# NAME POS. Snaps % time played Special teams snaps % time played on ST
3 Elliott, Jake K -- -- 4 16%
4 Bullock, Randy K -- -- 4 16%
5 McCarron, AJ QB 28 46%
6 Driskel, Jeff QB 8 13%
7 Monday, Will P -- -- 4 16%
9 Hamilton, Karel WR 13 21%
10 Huber, Kevin P -- -- 4 16%
11 LaFell, Brandon WR 23 38%
12 Erickson, Alex WR 11 18% 6 14%
13 Whitfield, Kermit WR 18 13% 2 8%
14 Dalton, Andy QB 25 41%
15 Ross, John WR DNP DNP
16 Core, Cody WR DNP DNP
17 Russell, Alonzo WR 18 30% 2 8%
18 Green, A.J. WR 21 34%
20 Russell, KeiVarae CB 40 60% 9 36%
21 Dennard, Darqueze CB 29 43% 5 20%
22 Jackson, William CB 31 46% 4 16%
23 Benwikere, Bene CB 35 52% 9 36%
24 Jones, Adam CB DNP DNP
25 Bernard, Giovani HB DNP DNP
26 Shaw, Josh CB 32 48% 9 36%
27 Kirkpatrick, Dre CB DNP DNP
28 Mixon, Joe HB 19 31%
29 McRae, Tony CB DNP DNP
30 Peerman, Cedric HB DNP DNP
31 Smith, Derron S 52 78% 10 40%
32 Hill, Jeremy HB 14 23%
33 Carson, Tra HB 21 34% 9 36%
34 Williams, Stanley HB 3 5%
36 Williams, Shawn S 15 22% 2 8%
37 Cox, Demetrious DB 22 33% 10 40%
39 Williams, Jarveon HB 5 8% 8 32%
40 Wilson, Brandon S DNP DNP
42 Fejedelem, Clayton S 28 42% 6 24%
43 Iloka, George S DNP DNP
44 Laufasa, Darrin FB 3 5% 2 8%
46 Harris, Clark LS -- -- 8 32%
47 Dawson, P.J. LB DNP DNP
49 Albright, Bryson LB 12 18% 9 36%
50 Evans, Jordan LB 31 46% 10 40%
51 Minter, Kevin LB 18 27% 3 12%
52 Bell, Brandon LB 17 25% 6 24%
53 Flowers, Marquis LB 19 28% 2 8%
55 Burfict, Vontaze LB 19 28% 2 8%
56 Nickerson, Hardy LB 25 37% 14 56%
57 Rey, Vincent LB 12 18% 6 24%
58 Lawson, Carl LB DNP DNP
59 Vigil, Nick LB 31 46% 6 24%
60 Johnson, T.J. C 23 38% 3 12%
61 Bodine, Russell C 30 49%
62 Redmond, Alex G 23 38%
63 Westerman, Christian G 23 38% 1 4%
64 Dielman, J.J G 8 13% 1 4%
65 Boling, Clint G 30 49% 1 4%
66 Hopkins, Trey G 29 48% 3 12%
67 Glasgow, Ryan DT 29 43% 7 28%
68 Tupou, Josh DT 21 31% 1 4%
69 Williams, DeShawn DT 13 19% 1 4%
70 Ogbuehi, Cedric OT 30 49% 2 8%
71 Smith, Andre G 23 38%
72 Stanton, Dustin G 8 13% 1 4%
73 Winston, Eric OT 23 38% 3 12%
74 Fisher, Jake OT 30 49% 3 12%
75 Billings, Andrew DT 21 31% 3 12%
76 Brown, Ryan DE 15 22%
77 Lechler, Landon OT 8 13%
78 Perkins, Kent OT 8 13% 1 4%
79 Lee, Cameron G 8 13%
79 Dean, David DT DNP DNP
80 Malone, Josh WR 20 33% 7 28%
81 Kroft, Tyler TE 20 33% 7 28%
82 Carter, Cethan H-B 20 33% 8 32%
83 Boyd, Tyler WR 18 30%
85 Eifert, Tyler TE 25 41%
86 Schreck, Mason TE 17 28% 3 12%
87 Uzomah, C.J. TE DNP DNP
88 Brown, Chris WR 19 31%
89 Hewitt, Ryan H-B 3 5% 8 32%
90 Johnson, Michael DE 19 28% 2 8%
91 Hardison, Marcus DE 24 34% 1 4%
92 Sims, Pat DT 15 22% 2 8%
93 Clarke, Will DE 22 33% 3 12%
94 Smith, Chris DE 22 33% 2 8%
95 Gilberry, Wallace DE 7 10%
96 Dunlap, Carlos DE 20 30% 2 8%
97 Atkins, Geno DT 14 21% 1 4%
98 Thompson, Brandon DT 11 16% 1 4%
99 Willis, Jordan DE 24 36% 8 32%
# NAME POS. Snaps % Time Played Special Teams Snaps % time played on ST

What are your top takeaways from the snap breakdown?