Bengals' latest roster moves have clear implications for multiple players, including 2 who aren't on the active roster

Heyward, who suffered a hairline fracture to his fibula this past Sunday against the New York Jets, is a backup linebacker who almost exclusively plays special teams. He's played a total of seven snaps on defense this season. Lee is the backup center who sticks to the field goal/extra point blocking unit. Pennel has been the backup nose tackle and has appeared in all eight games this year, playing 133 snaps along the defensive line.

Now that all three are out of the picture, temporarily or entirely, a few players are expected to fill in the now vacated roles.

DE Cedric Johnson

Pennel's departure clears up a spot along the d-line, and with five defensive tackles still on the roster, Cincinnati can afford to add a sixth defensive end to the group. Johnson was cleared to practice for the first time last week after being placed on I.R. at the beginning of the season.

Johnson, a sixth-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft, was expected to make the 53-man roster before a hamstring injury derailed his training camp and preseason. He recorded seven tackles and a sack in nine games as a rookie last year.

The club has two more weeks to fully activate Johnson, so one of the roster spots is virtually guaranteed to be his. Expect his activation to be sometime this week.

LB Joe Giles-Harris

Heyward going to I.R. means another linebacker is needed, and Giles-Harris already answered the call last week when he was elevated from the practice squad. He played 18 special teams snaps against New York while Heyward missed most of the game due to his injury.

The Bengals added Giles-Harris to their practice squad in Week 16 of last season, but he only spent a week in town before he was claimed by the Jags and played in the final two games of the year. Jacksonville did not re-sign him this offseason, which allowed the Bengals to do so in April. 

Cincinnati has only two more elevations to use on Giles-Harris, so signing him to the active roster makes sense. There's now a roster spot to make that happen.

C Lucas Patrick

Lee's absence for the next month is going to free up a clear role for Patrick, who was recently activated from I.R. earlier in the month. Patrick was signed to potentially start at right guard this year, but Jalen Rivers is holding down that spot for now.

Patrick has experience playing center, and he's now a clear choice to be the backup for starter Ted Karras. He can also backup either guard spot if needed like he did on Sunday when Dylan Fairchild missed a snap, but he's now the only player on the active roster with center experience aside from Karras.

The Bengals may promote one of their practice squad 0-linemen to the active roster as well, but Patrick should be trusted over any one they could promote.