The Cincinnati Bengals are adding a former top-50 draft pick to the defensive line.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, defensive end Isaiah Foskey is being signed to the Bengals’ practice squad.
Foskey, a second-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2023, had been searching for a home after being cut by the Saints last month.
GettySANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 18: Joshua Dobbs #5 of the San Francisco 49ers scrambles away from the defensive pressure of Isaiah Foskey #55 of the New Orleans Saints during the first half of a preseason game at Levi’s Stadium on August 18, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Bengals Have Depth At Defensive Line
The Bengals recently moved backup edge rusher Cedric Johnson to IR but have depth at the position with five other defensive ends on the active roster.
There’s star Trey Hendrickson, who has been rumored to be involved in trades in recent weeks. The others are Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy, Shemar Stewart and Cam Sample.
Cincinnati’s expectations for Foskey are far more modest than what the Saints had envisioned when they selected him with a second-round pick. He is expected to develop on the practice squad, with the possibility of seeing playing time if injuries create opportunities for him to be elevated to the active roster.
Bengals Connected to Isaiah Foskey in Many Ways
Foskey to the Bengals makes sense as in his final year of college football at Notre Dame in 2022, Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden was the Fighting Irish’s defensive coordinator.
In addition to reuniting with Golden, Foskey brings familiarity with Bengals defensive tackle Howard Cross III, having played alongside him all four years at Notre Dame. He also shared a connection with Cincinnati’s linebackers coach, Mike Hodges, who held the same role during Foskey’s time in New Orleans.
Foskey also drew interest from the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles.
Isaiah Foskey is a Notre Dame Great
Foskey’s first two seasons in the NFL have been underwhelming, but it’s easy to understand why the Bengals might still be intrigued by the raw talent he brings to the field. At Notre Dame, he left a lasting mark, walking away as the program’s all-time leader in sacks.
During his time with the Fighting Irish, Foskey was a constant nightmare for opposing quarterbacks, recording 11 sacks in each of his final two seasons. In 2022, he tied for the sixth-most sacks in the FBS and even surpassed former NFL All-Pro Justin Tuck on Notre Dame’s all-time leaderboard, finishing his college career with 26.5 sacks—a testament to the explosive potential that scouts still see waiting to be unlocked.
The main criticism of Foskey, however, centered on his rawness as a pass rusher. He relied on an aggressive, bull-rushing approach that kept him productive in Notre Dame’s defense, but, as an NFC personnel executive noted during the pre-draft process, he still needed to refine his technique and develop a more fluid, versatile style to succeed at the next level.
“He’s a really productive rusher and he’s still learning how to do it, so I think his upside is really high,” the NFC personnel executive told NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein in 2023.
The Saints selected Foskey with the 40th overall pick in the 2023 draft, hoping he could help fortify the trenches after Marcus Davenport’s departure. But he has struggled to carve out a consistent role, appearing in 27 games while logging just 147 defensive snaps over his first two seasons. At 24, he is still searching for his first career sack or quarterback hit, leaving his potential largely untapped at the professional level.
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