Cincinnati Bengals: The Cincinnati Bengals Will Have to Rely on 2019 Undrafted Free Agent With Star Receiver Out.

Trenton Irwin committed to play college football at Stanford for the 2015 season. Irwin played every game during his freshman season, recording 12 receptions for 150 yards.

Irwin was on Phil Steele’s All-Pac-12 Preseason Third Team and was an honorable mention to the Pac-12 All-Academic team in his sophomore season. Irwin led the team in receiving, with 37 receptions for 442 yards and one touchdown.

Irwin was a Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention for the second straight year in his junior season. He was second in receiving behind JJ Arcega-Whiteside with 43 receptions for 461 yards and two touchdowns. He also had eight punt returns for 68 yards. He returned for his final season at Stanford.

Irwin was a Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention for the third straight year in his senior season. He was the second-leading receiver behind JJ Arcega-Whiteside with 60 receptions for 685 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 14 punt returns for 162 yards.

Irwin finished eighth all-time in career punt return average, tenth all-time in receptions, and twelfth all-time in receiving yards at Stanford. Trenton Irwin declared for the 2019 draft.

Irwin’s journey to the NFL.

Trenton Irwin went undrafted in the 2019 draft. The Miami Dolphins signed him as an undrafted free agent after the draft. Miami released him on August 31, 2019.

Cincinnati signed him to the practice squad on October 3, 2019. They promoted him to the active roster on December 27.

Cincinnati waived him on September 5, 2020. They later signed him to the practice squad the next day. Cincinnati elevated him to the active roster in Week 16 and recorded his first career catch on a 5-yard pass from Brandon Allen.

Cincinnati released him on September 1, 2021, and re-signed him to the practice squad. They elevated him to the active roster on September 15. He had two receptions for 34 yards in seven games.

Irwin got playing time due to injuries in 2022.

Irwin re-signed with Cincinnati on March 21, 2022. They waived him on August 30 but re-signed him to the practice squad the next day.

Ja’Marr Chase suffered a hip injury in Week 7 and missed the next four games. Cincinnati signed Irwin on November 22 to fill in for the injured Chase. Irwin also filled in for Tee Higgins, who left the game against  Cleveland with a hamstring injury. Irwin had 15 receptions for 231 yards and four touchdowns in nine games.

Irwin filled in for the injured Higgins.

Tee Higgins suffered a rib injury in Week 4 and missed Week 5. Irwin filled in for Higgins in Week 5 and had eight receptions for 60 yards with Higgins out of the lineup. He has 11 receptions for 101 yards in the 2023 season.

Expect Trenton Irwin to start in place of Tee Higgins.