Bengals Starters NOT PLAYING vs. Bears, Bengals Joint Practice, Sal Stewart Plays Hero Again

The Cincinnati Bengals are changing course for preseason Week 2. After giving their starters a brief run in last week’s 16-14 victory over the Detroit Lions, Zac Taylor has decided the first-teamers will sit Saturday night against the Chicago Bears.

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That decision makes sense, particularly with Cincinnati and Chicago spending the week together in a joint practice. The Bengals are getting a much more valuable evaluation opportunity against the Bears’ starters during practice, where coaches can watch players compete over a larger sample of snaps and situations without putting their established starters through another preseason game. The preseason matchup kicks off Saturday, Aug. 22, at Paycor Stadium.

So what will Cincinnati be watching?

Quarterback depth is a major storyline. With Joe Burrow sitting, Joe Flacco, Josh Johnson and Sean Clifford should get the opportunity to show who can operate the offense efficiently behind the starter. Flacco saw extensive action against Detroit, while the Bengals continue evaluating how the entire quarterback room fits together.

The roster battles are even more important. Cincinnati has legitimate competition at wide receiver, tight end, defensive line, linebacker and defensive back. Rookie tight end Jack Endries, receivers Colbie Young and Dohnte Meyers, and several young defensive linemen made strong impressions against Detroit. Saturday gives those players another chance to turn flashes into consistency.

The offensive line will also be under the microscope. The Bengals need to determine which backups can protect the quarterback, move defenders in the run game and provide dependable depth if injuries hit during the regular season.

Ultimately, Saturday isn't about proving whether the Bengals' stars are ready. Cincinnati already has a pretty good idea of what Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and the other core starters can do. This game is about figuring out who belongs behind them—and who is making a legitimate push for a roster spot.

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