The Bengals have reduced their roster to 53, but the biggest news from the team Saturday did not include cuts.
Guard Bobbie Williams, among the best at his position in the league, was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing drugs. The news came out of nowhere and hurts a young Bengals offense.
The team also stashed Adam “Pacman” Jones on the PUP list and placed tight end Bo Scaife on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Linebacker Keith Rivers was placed on the reserve/NFI list, knocking him out for the first six weeks of the season like Jones.
The cuts weren’t quite as noteworthy, but the team did release three veterans: CB Jonathan Wade, DE Victor Adeyanju, and G Max Jean-Gilles. (PFT broke that news earlier.)
The team waived 19 players: FB Fui Vakapuna, CB Brandon Ghee, QB Dan LeFevour, CB Rico Murray, TE John Nalbone, DT Jason Shirley, FB James Develin, CB David Pender, DE James Ruffin, WR Calvin Russell, DT Cornell Banks, DB DeQuin Evans, RB Jay Finley, RB John Griffin, WR Andrew Hawkins, CB Korey Lindsey, T Matthew O’Donnell, G Chris Riley and K Thomas Weber.
Chris Pressley made the team as a fullback. The Bengals only carried two quarterbacks. Recent trade acquisition Taylor Mays made the team, as expected.