The Cincinnati Bengals made several roster transactions on Friday ahead of their matchup with the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Quarterback Sean Clifford, who has been on the practice squad the past six games, was signed to the active 53-man roster on Friday. The Bengals traded for Joe Flacco earlier this month after Joe Burrow suffered turf toe injury requiring surgery in Week 2. Jake Browning is the current backup behind Flacco.
The Bengals also returned defensive end Cedric Johnson to the active roster from the reserve/injured list. Johnson was placed on the Reserve/Injured list with a calf injury and designated to return on Aug. 26. He was officially cleared to resume practice on Oct. 22.
Bengals Make Four Defensive Roster Moves
Earlier in the day on Friday, the Bengals announced a different series of roster moves.
The team signed linebacker Joe Giles-Harris from the practice squad to the active roster. The second-year player spent the first seven games of the season on the Bengals’ practice squad before being elevated to the active roster for Week 8 against the New York Jets.
The team released defensive end Myles Cole from the practice squad. The second-year player had signed with Cincinnati’s practice squad on Sept. 9 and spent the last seven games there.
Linebacker Liam Anderson was also signed to the practice squad. Anderson (6-3, 230), a rookie from the College of the Holy Cross, initially joined the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts in 2023. He appeared in four games over his first two seasons (2023–24), spending most of that time on the Colts’ practice squad. Anderson was waived by Indianapolis on Aug. 12 and remained unsigned through the first eight weeks of the 2025 season.
The team also signed linebacker Brian Asamoah II to the practice squad. Asamoah (6-1, 230), a fourth-year player from the University of Oklahoma, was originally selected by Minnesota in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Over three seasons with the Vikings (2022–24), he appeared in 46 games, recording 20 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and 10 special teams tackles. He spent the first eight weeks of the 2025 season on the Las Vegas practice squad.
Bengals Have Multiple Players Asking for Trades
The Bengals front office could still make a move or two ahead of the Tuesday’s trade deadline.
After losing Burrow for possibly the season, the Bengals stumbled out to a 3-5 record and face the prospect of falling to six loses as the renewed Bears come in at 4-3. Cincinnati was a Super Bowl contender at the beginning of his season and now has players asking to be traded.
According to Ben Baby of ESPN, defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson is the latest Bengal to want out of Cincinnati.
“Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson has requested a trade or release, a source told ESPN on Thursday,” Baby writes. “Jackson is the third defensive player in recent weeks to request to be moved.
“Jackson, a third-round pick in the 2024 draft, has been a healthy scratch for six of the team’s first eight games this season. His only in-game action came on six defensive snaps in a Week 5 loss to the Detroit Lions.”
Last week, linebacker Logan Wilson requested a trade due to reduced playing time.
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