He is back in the fold for 2025.
Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss was looked at by many as a potential cut candidate this offseason. After his season was cut short by a neck injury with just 242 rushing yards, the emergence of Chase Brown seemed to signal Moss being a cap casualty.
What actually happened is that Moss restructured the final season of his two-year, eight-million-dollar contract to get more guaranteed money. Per Over The Cap, the move lowered his 2025 salary from $3.475 million to $1.7 million, while $375,000 of that is now guaranteed, all but locking him into a spot on the 53-man roster.
Moss averaged 5.6 yards per carry through the first five weeks of the season and earned the starting role, but Brown clearly showed he was the better fit for the offense down the stretch. Samaje Perine was brought back, and the team drafted Tahj Brooks in the sixth round, making what was a thin position group last year one that will be one of the more intriguing battles in training camp.
Perine’s contract doesn’t set the Bengals up to incur a lot of dead caps if he’s cut, so he and Brooks will likely battle for the third running back spot on game days, but the Bengals could keep all four backs on the 53-man roster. The Bengals typically carry four running backs on the roster but only activate three for game days.
The reworked deal essentially guarantees Moss will not only make the team but likely see a significant workload behind Brown, assuming he is able to bounce back from the injury.
