Bengals 2025 Roster Breakdown: William Wagner looking to improve Cincinnati's special teams as a rookie

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By John Sheeran | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 12:01 PM ET

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.

46 days remain until the Bengals' first game of the 2025 season, and another long snapper enters the conversation in No. 46 William Wagner.

William Wagner

Age: 24
Year: 1st
Position: Long snapper
College: Michigan
Previous Teams: None
Jersey Number: 46

Wagner enters his first season in the NFL and with the Bengals after going undrafted during the 2025 NFL Draft. He spent six years at Michigan and played in 53 games as the team's long snapper. He stayed as a graduate student in 2024 and became a finalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, which is annually given to nation's top long snapper.

Cincinnati agreed to terms with Wagner on a college free agent contract along with 12 other UDFAs after the draft.

Contract Details

Wagner signed a three-year, $2.975 million college free agent deal in May following the draft. He earned a $10,000 signing bonus, and can earn a non-guaranteed $840,000 base salary this season.

Wagner's salary cap hit for the season is $843,333 and he can earn $850,000 in cash this year. Should the Bengals waive him sometime this offseason, they'd only be on the hook for his $10,000 signing bonus as dead money.

Roster Outlook

Wagner was signed this offseason to directly compete against Cal Adomitis, who's been the Bengals' long snapper ever since he took over for an injured Clark Harris in 2022. Adomitis has held the fort since then, but special teams struggles last year has coordinator Darrin Simmons looking for a challenger to the incumbent just like three years ago when Harris was at the end of his career.

I gave Adomitis the edge when going over his profile purely off experience alone, but if Wagner has a better training camp and preseason, Simmons won't deny him the job.

Roster odds: 30%
Projected role: Long snapper