As the Cincinnati Bengals prepare for final roster cuts that are due by 4 pm ET on Tuesday, there will be a lot of eyes on the running back room. With Joe Mixon set to return but Samaje Perine departing for the Denver Broncos, the backup running back job is up for grabs.
Entering his third year out of the University of Michigan Wolverines, Chris Evans finds himself in the thick of the battle. Evans has flashed talent over his career in Cincinnati but has struggled to find consistent playing time. He is looking to fend off rookie Chase Brown and veteran Trayveon Williams for the role behind Mixon.
Evans has mentioned working to improve his pass protection, something that he did seem to do better at this preseason. Evans also provides special teams value, having experience as a kick returner.
Aside from earning the backup role, Evans could just be fighting for a spot on the final roster. With Williams being injured for most of the preseason, we will see if the coaches are confident enough with what they’ve seen in him previously to keep him on the roster.
With Brown, the Bengals invested a draft pick in him in April, so one would assume he should make the roster. While not jumping off of the tape in the preseason, Brown has run the ball well and drawn nothing but praise from the coaching staff.
Evans provides potential but hasn’t been able to put it all together consistently over the last two seasons. It will be interesting to see his status when final cuts are due.
It also hurts that Evans suffered a minor injury that kept him out of practice last week and in the preseason finale, which could have given him a chance to lock his roster spot up.
Now, Evans will be sweating this out.
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