Bengals bring back familiar face to the roster almost exactly one year after they first reunited with him

Woodside, a seventh-round draft pick of the Bengals all the way back in 2018, spent the 2024 season on Cincinnati's practice squad. He was signed to the active roster leading up to Week 15 and returned to the practice squad before Week 17. He did not appear in a regular season game all year.

Woodside ended the season on the practice squad, and the Bengals did not retain him with a futures deal. He became a free agent to sign with any team, and the Bengals have him back under contract for the second consecutive offseason.

In-between his rookie offseason in Cincinnati and last year, Woodside spent time with the Tennessee Titans on and off again from 2018-22. He spent the 2023 season with the Atlanta Falcons.

The Bengals played Woodside often during the 2024 preseason and the Frankfurt, Kentucky native completed 41 of 58 passes for 379 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. It was enough for the team to make him the de facto third QB on the team with his spot being on the practice squad instead of the active roster. Injuries later in the year allowed him to be a part of the active roster for two games. 

Now with a week before the 2025 NFL Draft, Woodside becomes the 72nd player on Cincinnati's roster and gives the club three QBs once more. The Bengals were unlikely to draft a QB in next week's draft, though they did meet with Montana State's Tommy Mellott, who could switch positions to wide receiver in the NFL.

Cincinnati has 18 offseason roster spots left to fill and six draft picks. Linebacker Joe Giles-Harris, who was on the practice squad for a week last year, was also signed to a new contract this month. The rest will likely be filled by undrafted free agents signed after the draft, and a possible veteran free agent such as Dalton Risner could join the fray as well.