The Cincinnati Bengals invested significant resources before the start of the season to bolster the back end of their roster on both sides of the ball. This was on full display against the Cleveland Browns, with contributions from newcomers Noah Fant and defensive tackle Mike Pennel. The orange and black weren’t done either when they added DE Isaiah Foskey to the practice squad from the New Orleans Saints. Look for Foskey to get called up on game days, with sophomore McKinnley Jackson apparently in the doghouse. Let’s examine these three players more closely and how they fit on a roster that’s trying to climb back to the top of the AFC North.
Depth Charge Providing Boost to the Cincinnati Bengals
Noah Fant
Fant comes from the Seattle Seahawks on a one-year prove-it deal as he looks to cash in on Joe Burrow’s magic. He wasted no time showing his worth with a nice touchdown pass from QB1 last Sunday.
Noah Fant starting the season off strong
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— Barstool Iowa (@BarstoolUIowa) September 7, 2025
Fant balances out the rest of the Bengals’ TE room very well. This includes Drew Sample, Mike Gesicki, Tanner Hudson, and Cam Grandy, who all have different skill sets that complement each other. This will help maximize their ability to win depending on the game plan and opponent. When asked about this dichotomy early in the week, Fant stated, “It’s kind of like one of those things that I got here from Seattle quite late, and usually teams have their roster set. It’s kind of nice having the rotation between me and Drew (Sample), me and Mike, and Drew, whichever way you want to dice it up. It just keeps us all fresh. Each game is going to be different, where Mike will have the most plays, Drew will have the most plays, maybe I’ll have the most plays. But my biggest focus is trying to do what’s asked of me on each possession, each drive, and each play, and let everything else take care of itself.”
Mike Pennel
One of the more underrated signings in the league was Cincy bringing in two-time Super Bowl Champion Pennel, who comes from the Kansas City Chiefs. His ability to clog up running lanes was evident in Week 1, even in 22 snaps. Pennel made the most out of his limited work and was effective in also allowing the EDGE rushers to do their job as the game progressed. Golden will likely keep Pennel on a pitch count to keep him fresh for late-game situations.
Isaiah Foskey
Foskey was drafted by the Saints in the second round in 2023 and played under Golden at Notre Dame in 2022. This certainly helped to put him in stripes, and Foskey has good size at 6’5″, 270 pounds. He’s another player like Pennel who might start on the practice squad only to get signed to the active roster after showing out in a game.
If Cincinnati can continue to get contributions from these three late additions, it would go a long way in helping them reach their ultimate goal for the first time in franchise history.
Main Photo: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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