Bengals – Patriots Snap Counts: Disturbing trend in players drafted with premium picks

The Bengals had seven picks in the first three rounds of the 2023 and 2024 drafts combined who took a total of seven snaps vs. the Patriots.

Seven players took every offensive snap for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 vs. the New England Patriots. Joe Burrow and the offensive line being on the field every play shouldn’t surprise anyone, but who would have guessed that the seventh player would be Andrei Iosivas?

Ja’Marr Chase’s 84% was the next highest, followed by Trenton Irwin at 65%. Charlie Jones saw only eight snaps on offense, and rookie Jermaine Burton was out there for four. While it was expected that we wouldn’t see much of Burton, this is particularly distressing in a game where the team was desperate for an explosive play.

Drew Sample’s snap counts backed up his billing as TE1. He took 27 snaps compared to 18 for Mike Gesicki. Erick All actually saw more action than Tanner Hudson, taking 12 reps to Hudson’s 9.

Zack Moss looks to be RB1, taking two-thirds of the running back snaps and 75% of the carries.

Defensively, DJ Turner, who started at corner a year ago, saw three snaps. That’s three more than former starting safety Jordan Battle. This is very disappointing for the team’s second and third-round selections from a year ago.

Despite the absence of Myles Murphy, defensive end Joseph Ossai was only on the field for 13 snaps.

The Bengals’ use of personnel in Week 1 raises some serious concerns about the value they are getting from young players, particularly those taken with premium picks. The Bengals had seven picks in the first three rounds of the 2023 and 2024 drafts combined.

These players took a total of seven snaps in this game (Burton 4, Turner 3).

Bengals vs. Patriots Snap Counts