You know what rookie I have ignored for most of these posts throughout the season?
William Wagner.
Evan McPherson has kicked 26 field goals and 31 extra points this season, and Ryan Rehkow has punted the ball 50 times. Wagner has snapped every one of those balls, and do you know why we never hear his name? Because they are always on the money.
We were spoiled with 13 years of Clark Harris’ reliability. His Week 1 injury in 2022 thrust tight end Mitchell Wilcox into the unenviable position of having to replace him on the fly. It did not go well. His first snap led to a block that cost them the game, and his second snap was high, and McPherson pulled it left.
That day, we learned the importance of having a long snapper you can count on.
McPherson certainly had trust issues after that. Cal Adomitis never seemed to earn McPherson’s confidence.
Wagner came in as a UDFA this season and took his job. The Bengals haven’t looked back since.
Third-round selection Dylan Fairchild looks like he could be the centerpiece of the Bengals’ interior line for years to come. Fairchild looked very good in pass protection again this week, but his run blocking is still a work in progress.
The unit has really come along over the past few weeks, and for the first time in the Zac Taylor era, improving the offensive line might not be a massive offseason priority. Another rookie, Jalen Rivers, is also a part of that. Although the fifth-round pick was benched in favor of Dalton Risner, he showed solid potential and could be a plus depth player.
The embattled rookie linebackers faced some struggles again this week, but tight ends running up the seam and quarterbacks scrambling for massive gains are not always the fault of the linebackers.
Both have shown flashes, but Barrett Carter seems to be improving at a more consistent rate. Carter has not only taken every defensive snap since Week 6, but he has also been calling the signals.
Demetrius Knight has been a bit more unpredictable, although he has benefited from the team leaning into his versatility and allowing him to play on the line of scrimmage in recent weeks.
This was an important rookie class for the Bengals, and many questions remain.
Running back Tahj Brooks is one unknown commodity.
They also have rookie free agents like defensive back Bralyn Lux, center Seth McLaughlin, and defensive tackle Howard Cross III on the practice squad, all of whom have shown great promise.
They also have recently acquired pass-rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, who had some crazy collegiate production.
The jury is still out on this group, but early returns leave much to be desired.
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