Ranking Bengals' most underrated players ahead of training camp
While there won't be many outright starting jobs up for grabs, plenty of depth roles remain undecided, as do 53-man roster spots.
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Just look at last year, when a contention-ready roster still rewarded undrafted linebacker Maema Njongmeta with a spot.
That sort of theme in mind, here's a look at some underrated players on the Bengals roster.
RELATED: Cincinnati Bengals' 53-man roster projection following 2025 offseason
DE Cam Sample
Sample is the name folks keep forgetting about when looking at the contract drama for Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart, never mind the continued hope that former first-rounder Myles Murphy pans out. The Bengals made a point to bring him back after a torn achilles last year and he's extremely valued for his versatility across the line and ability to stop the run and rush the passer. He's a sleeper rotational standout in 2025.
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LB Oren Burks
Yes, we're already saying this about the new arrival. Much of the attention in the post-Germaine Pratt world has gone to rookie Demetrius Knight starting next to Logan Wilson. But Burks is a former third-round pick who was just the third-highest-graded linebacker in the playoffs while filling in for an injured player. He's got the versatility to help at multiple spots and on special teams, too.
TE Drew Sample
Talk about being a perfect summation of underrated. Sample carried the hype of being a second-round pick for years but never lived up to it, at least in terms of serving as a receiving threat in the passing game. But he's a stellar blocker who makes an impact in ways that don't show up on the stat sheet, at least for himself. To his credit, he's looked much more comfortable as a pass-catcher over the last few years, too.
RELATED: Joe Burrow feelings on Trey Hendrickson contract standoff revealed
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Ranking Bengals' most underrated players ahead of training camp
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