How Bengals' Zack Moss decision impacts their RB room

The Cincinnati Bengals have decided to part ways with veteran running back Zack Moss before the preseason has even begun, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. 

Moss has been in the league since 2020, when he was selected in the third round by the Buffalo Bills. He had two interesting seasons in Buffalo and a resurgence with the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 (when he rushed for 794 yards and five touchdowns). He signed a two-year deal with the Bengals heading into the 2024 season and ended up rushing 74 times for 242 yards and two touchdowns while splitting time with Chase Brown. 

Moss restructured his deal heading into the 2025 season with Cincinnati, but the Bengals feel they can do without him.

He'll cost just $1.88 million in dead cap money for the Bengals while providing them a savings of $1.2 million, according to Baby.

Cincinnati has to feel good about moving on from Moss because of Brown. He came on at the end of last season and ended up rushing for 990 yards and seven touchdowns while also adding 360 yards and four touchdowns through the air. 

The Bengals want to give Brown the reins of the offense as the de facto RB1, and he proved last season that he has the chutzpah to do it.

Behind him is veteran Samaje Perine, who is good for a few tough carries a game, and Cincinnati seems high on rookie sixth-round running back Tahj Brooks out of Texas Tech.

Brooks may end up being the biggest beneficiary of Moss getting cut, because the pathway to playing time just opened up for him in a big way.

Without a doubt, though, this move was a signal to Brown that he's going to be "the guy" in the backfield behind Joe Burrow for the foreseeable future.

No pressure.