The Cincinnati Bengals have made a lot of moves this offseason to patch up all the roster holes they had after last season. They've bolstered up their defense quite a bit by adding players like Jonathan Allen and Dexter Lawrence on the defensive line, Boye Mafe and Cashius Howell at edge rusher, and Bryan Cook in the secondary.
But they still have a few holes on their roster, some of which are bigger than others.
ESPN's Aaron Schatz recently put together a list with one roster hole for each team in the NFL. For the Bengals, Schatz highlighted wide receiver depth as the biggest roster hole in Cincinnati right now.
Do Bengals Have a Wide Receiver Depth Problem?
Georgia wideout Colbie Young
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia wideout Colbie Young (WO46) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
"Obviously, the Bengals are in serious trouble if Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins goes down, but frankly they aren't really in a great position if they lose slot receiver Andrei Iosivas either," Schatz wrote. "Right now, the top outside backup is fourth-round rookie Colbie Young. The top slot backup is Charlie Jones, who has caught just one regular-season pass over the past two years. There are a number of veteran receivers still on the market; Deebo Samuel might be a little costly for a fourth receiver, but the unrelated Curtis Samuel might be a good choice."
Instant Analysis
There are a few things to unpack with this claim.
The Bengals would be in a bad spot if Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins were hurt and lost for the season. Chase is one of the best, if not the best, wide receiver in the league. Higgins is a top 15 wide receiver in the league, too.
Colbie Young and Andre Iosivas are both solid options, with Young being a high-potential rookie. The Bengals have four solid wide receivers on their roster right now, but they could look to add another depth option, like Curtis Samuel or DeAndre Hopkins. They shouldn't be willing to break the bank for a wide receiver because it's not that big of a roster hole.
If wide receiver is the Bengals' biggest roster hole heading into the season, they're in a very good spot. They have one of the most talented wide receiver groups in the league right now. Iosivas is in a contract year and has a lot to prove. Young is a rookie, but the Bengals had him high on their draft board.
Cincinnati is banking on both players to round out their receiver room behind Chase and Higgins.
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