Bengals 2025 Roster Breakdown: Marco Wilson covering ground in a cornerback room full of questions

Bengals roster breakdown is back! During the 99 days leading up to Cincinnati’s regular season opener against the Cleveland Browns, the player with the matching jersey number as days remaining will become the day’s highlighted player.

24 days remain until the Bengals’ first game of the 2025 season, and we've got our eyes closed in the pool calling out for No. 24 Marco Wilson.

Marco Wilson

Age: 26
Year: 5th
Position: Cornerback
College: Florida
Previous Teams: Arizona Cardinals (2021-23), New England Patriots (2023-24)
Jersey Number: 24

Wilson enters his fifth season in the NFL and first full year with the Bengals after being drafted 136th overall in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Cardinals. He spent four years at Florida where he played in 36 games (35 starts). Arizona rostered him for nearly three full years and played him in 43 games until waiving him late in the 2023 season. The Patriots claimed him the very next day and played him in one game to close the year out. New England signed him to a renegotiated deal during the 2024 offseason and he played in 10 more games for the Pats that season until he was waived following Week 11.

Cincinnati claimed Wilson off waivers entering its bye week, needing a cornerback after losing DJ Turner II to a season-ending injury. He ended up playing in the final six games of the season, logging 36 snaps including 12 against the Dallas Cowboys. He recorded his lone pass breakup with the team during that game.

Contract Details

Wilson re-signed with the Bengals on a one-year, $1.52 million deal this offseason. He's already earned his $150,000 signing bonus along with a $50,000 workout bonus and can earn a base salary of $1.22 million along with $100,000 in per game roster bonuses. He can earn a total of $1.52 million this year, but his salary cap hit for the season is $1,514,118 as only 94.1% of his per game bonuses count against the cap.

Roster Outlook

Being a part of Cincinnati's late-season defensive revival, Wilson was brought back (with a new jersey number) for another year to round out the cornerback room. He suffered an injury early in training camp but is back practicing and has a great shot at making the team, especially with starters Dax Hill and Cam Taylor-Britt working back to full health.

Cornerback depth looked like an issue in the Bengals' opening preseason loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, particularly with DJ Ivey's rough outing. If Wilson can stay healthy and look competent in the final two exhibitions, he should lock in a roster spot.

Roster odds: 90%
Projected role: Reserve cornerback

Previous Player Profiles

• No. 99: Myles Murphy
• No. 98: T.J. Slaton Jr.
• No. 97: Shemar Stewart
• No. 96: Cam Sample
• No. 95: Howard Cross III
• No. 94: Eric Gregory
• No. 93: McKinnley Jackson
• No. 92: B.J. Hill
• No. 91: Trey Hendrickson
• No. 90: Kris Jenkins Jr.
• No. 89: Drew Sample
• No. 88: Mike Gesicki
• No. 87: Tanner Hudson
• No. 86: Kole Taylor
• No. 85: Cam Grandy
• No. 84: Tanner McLachlan
• No. 83: Erick All Jr.
• No. 82: Mitchell Tinsley
• No. 81: Jermaine Burton
• No. 80: Andrei Iosivas
• No. 79: Andrew Coker
• No. 77: Caleb Etienne
• No. 76: Devin Cochran
• No. 75: Orlando Brown Jr.
• No. 74: Jalen Rivers
• No. 73: Andrew Stueber
• No. 71: Amarius Mims
• No. 69: Dante Barnett
• No. 68: Seth McLaughlin
• No. 67: Cordell Volson
• No. 66: Tashawn Manning
• No. 65: Matt Lee
• No. 64: Ted Karras
• No. 63: Dylan Fairchild
• No. 62: Lucas Patrick
• No. 61: Cody Ford
• No. 60: Jaxson Kirkland
• No. 59: Craig Young
• No. 58: Joseph Ossai
• No. 56: Raymond Johnson III
• No. 55: Logan Wilson
• No. 53: Joe Giles-Harris
• No. 52: Cedric Johnson
• No. 51: Isaiah Thomas
• No. 50: Shaka Heyward
• No. 49: Barrett Carter
• No. 48: Cal Adomitis
• No. 47: Shaquan Loyal
• No. 46: William Wagner
• No. 45: Maema Njongmeta
• No. 44: Demetrius Knight Jr.
• No. 43: Jaylen Key
• No. 42: Oren Burks
• No. 41: Nate Brooks
• No. 40: Quali Conley
• No. 39: Lance Robinson
• No. 38: DJ Ivey
• No. 37: PJ Jules
• No. 36: Kendall Milton
• No. 35: Jalen Davis
• No. 34: Samaje Perine
• No. 33: Daijahn Anthony
• No. 32: Gary Brightwell
• No. 30: Chase Brown
• No. 29: Cam Taylor-Britt
• No. 28: Josh Newton
• No. 27: Jordan Battle
• No. 26: Tycen Anderson
• No. 25: Tahj Brooks