Updating Cincinnati Bengals' Key Position Battles in Training Camp

Two preseason games are behind us, and we're continuing to inch ever closer to the NFL regular season.  Heck, I had to turn in my fantasy football cuts today—this is such an awesome time of year.

Getting back on track here, the Cincinnati Bengals have started off not looking to shabby in two preseason games.  Yes, they are preseason, but when guys are performing well, you can't help but have high hopes for the team.

Guys are stepping up out of nowhere to make an impact and ensure they get noticed.  This makes for some incredible position battles, and there are still some positions that are wide open for the taking.

After training camp and two preseason games, how are the key battles shaping up?

Inside Linebacker

Is Rey Maualuga in any real danger of losing his starting job right now?  Probably not, but it's worth noting that he is hurt and though he's expected to be ready for Week 1, guys are stepping up to try to take his spot.

Most notably, undrafted rookie Vontaze Burfict had a good appearance against the Jets, intercepting Tim Tebow and making a tackle (in addition to four assists).  He added a couple more tackles against the Falcons last night. 

Listening to interviews with the guy, it appears he's matured quite a bit over the last several months.

Also keep an eye on Roddrick Muckelroy, who wasn't as impressive against the Jets, but bounced back nicely against Atlanta, racking up five tackles.  He missed all of last season with an Achilles injury, but is ready for a bounce-back season.

No. 2 Tight End

It's clear that Jermaine Gresham is going to be the starting tight end in Cincinnati—no questions asked.

As for the guy that plays on the other side of the line, that position is still up for grabs.  It seems that Colin Cochart is all but out of the running, as he's listed last on the depth chart.  Plus, it doesn't help him that he's made no catches in two preseason games. 

That brings us to veteran Donald Lee and rookie Orson Charles.  Charles, out of Georgia, has the same style of play as Gresham, while Lee is more of a bruising blocker. 

While no one is really taking the reigns and running away with the position, Donald Lee tallied four catches against the Falcons, while Charles had a few nice plays and a solid 20-yard reception. 

I'd prefer to see Charles win the battle, mostly because if he turns out being the gem he's supposed to be, the Bengals could have a stellar tight end duo just like they do in New England.

Strong Safety

Taylor Mays is still a young kid and has time to improve his game.  The problem right now is that he can't seem to get right between the ears. 

Many are under the belief that there is a position battle here simply because Mays has been hurt.  Whether that's true or not I can't say for sure, but Mike Zimmer should be considering other options right now. 

There are several safeties on the roster, but it appears Jeromy Miles is the guy who could give Mays the most competition.  Miles has seen limited playing time in two seasons with the team and hasn't been given much credit, but it may be time to see what he can do.

Perhaps we could move Nate Clements to safety?  He's not the same guy in coverage anymore but is still a good tackler.  He could certainly be valuable there. 

This battle is still wide open, so keep a good eye on what the Bengals do here.

Cornerback

With Dre Kirkpatrick questionable to start the season, the Bengals will need to figure out who would be the starter in his place.  Leon Hall is expected to be back for Week 1, so that side of the field appears to be covered.

That leaves the other side up to Terence Newman, Nate Clements and Pacman Jones.  The reality here is that Pacman isn't going to get the job, so we'll move on from that.

Newman and Clements are both veterans with plenty of experience.  However, Clements proved last season that he's not quite the same player that he used to be, and he can't cover receivers who are even slightly above average.

As for Newman, he's still capable of covering pretty well, so he should be the winner here.  My belief, though, is that until Kirkpatrick returns, these two veterans will alternate for awhile.

Wide Receiver

At the present time, it appears that Brandon Tate and Armon Binns are the favorites for the spot. 

I'll admit, my previously abysmal hopes for both guys have risen considerably.

While I still have a few doubts and still believe that Mohamed Sanu will take the position by the end of the season, Binns and Tate have looked good thus far—until the Falcons' game, when Tate caught one ball for six yards and Binns saw no balls. 

Still, they've been impressing coaches in training camp and both had a couple catches against the Jets.  For now, Binns is listed ahead of Tate, but that could change at the drop of a hat.

Now, why did I not title this slide "No. 2 Receiver?" 

Well, because other than the top spot, the whole thing is wide open.  Jordan Shipley, a former guarantee to be the third receiver out of the slot, is not adjusting well to Jay Gruden's offense. 

Meanwhile, rookie Marvin Jones has been stellar this preseason, and you can't forget about Andrew Hawkins.  Sanu caught a touchdown in last night's game, finally making his name known.

At this point, based on what we've seen so far, the lineup appears to go A.J. Green, Armon Binns, Brandon Tate and Marvin Jones.