Bengals Player Rankings: Honorable Mentions

With the summer in full swing and NFL training camps less than two months away now, we gathered our Cincy Jungle staff to rank the top 25 Bengals of the 2020 season.

This ranking is simply who we believe are the 25 best Bengals heading into next season. It includes veterans and rookies alike, though it obviously is more favorable of players who’ve actually played snaps in the NFL, so don’t expect guys like Joe Burrow to be a top-five player right off the bat.

For a recap of the list, check out our stream here.

There was a surprising amount of consensus between the Cincy Jungle staff when we all put together our top 25 Bengals of 2020. The ballots collected featured a total of 30 names, and five of them only made one ballot each. As a result, these five did not qualify to make the final list, but they were closer than any others on the roster who did not make it.

Before we reveal our top five Bengals of 2020, we wanted to recognize the handful of honorable mentions that just missed the cut.

Xavier Su’a-Filo, guard

Highest ranking: No. 20

Four free agents the Bengals signed this offseason made the final 25, and Su’a-Filo was almost the fifth. The former second-round pick has been a middling starter turned backup in his six-year career, but he does have more career starts to his name than any other offensive lineman the Bengals currently roster. His brief stint as a spot starter for the Dallas Cowboys earned him a chance to continue racking up starts for the Bengals.

The offense is hoping his athleticism and physical demeanor makes for an upgrade over John Miller at right guard.

C.J. Uzomah, tight end

Highest ranking: No. 23

To no one’s surprise, there were no tight ends in our rankings. If there were, Uzomah would’ve been the lone representative for the position. Uzomah is the only player from Cincinnati’s 2015 draft class that still remains with the team. A career year in 2018 that featured 43 receptions, 439 yards and three touchdowns earned him a three-year contract last offseason.

Last year was an obvious struggle, but Uzomah has proven himself to be an adequate intermediate receiver and an aggressive run blocker, as well as a notable locker room elder.

Fred Johnson, offensive tackle

Highest ranking: No. 24

It says something when Bobby Hart’s name is nowhere to be found and Johnson is already receiving this level of praise, though it may be moderate. Johnson’s truly played in just two games with the Bengals and looked damn good at left tackle during them. The competition of the lowly Miami Dolphins and the Myles Garrett-less Cleveland Browns wasn’t any sort of tough, but there’s clearly something to develop with Johnson. His immense size, strength and quickness gives the offensive line a much-needed alternative option to Hart at right tackle.

If reason prevails during training camp and the preseason, Johnson will be looking down at Hart on the depth chart.

Rodney Anderson, running back

Highest ranking: No. 24

Anderson is an even bigger projection than Johnson is. But remember, this list and the voting that made it was based off pure talent. The player Anderson was at Oklahoma seemed to match the one he showed himself to be last preseason when he racked up 51 yards after the catch on five receptions and 30 yards after contact on 13 attempts and seven avoided tackles on those 18 total touches.

There probably isn’t 25 more talented players than Anderson on this roster. He just needs to prove it first.

Michael Jordan, guard

Highest ranking: No. 25

Barely making the cut of one ballot, Jordan’s late-season awakening was pleasant to view considering the previous two months were less than encouraging to witness. Jordan’s youth and raw technique was painfully obvious last year, but like Johnson and Su’a-Filo, there’s a nastiness that comes with his burst and intimidating wingspan.

The more reps he takes on, the more we’ll know if he belongs on a future version of our rankings.