Bengals reveal roster battle winners without saying anything leading up to preseason finale

Jobs are on the line this week when the Cincinnati Bengals face the Indianapolis Colts to close out the preseason on Thursday Night Football. But not everyone will be sweating bullets.

The last week of practice and game action has told us a lot about where the Bengals are in terms of deciding a couple of competitions on the roster. Only one of them may result in a player being cut, but both are vital for the team.

Let's see where they both stand with a week to go.

Bengals have found their backup center

It took seventh-round pick Matt Lee 15 literal snaps in the preseason opener to turn heads. Lee outperformed fourth-year center Trey Hill in Cincinnati's exhibition against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the depth chart since then has proven that.

Lee's been taking the reps with the second-string offensive line ever since, including every snap of the team's second preseason outing against the Chicago Bears. He's one of seven rookie offensive linemen to play significant snaps in two preseason games and not allow a single pressure in pass protection.

First impressions matter, and Lee's made a great one in the eyes of veteran starter Ted Karras.

"He's a guy that's done all the right things enough to play his way onto an NFL roster," Karras said of Lee on Monday . "That's important for this program and this organization. As a 31-year-old center with two years left on my contract, to have a guy in the pipeline has to be a relief for upstairs. As Bengals fans, I'd be thrilled to have a guy like that in the pipeline."

The Bengals extended Karras' contract for another year two months ago, before Lee started putting out starting-caliber tape at the position. They have to feel extremely confident about the position as whole now.

As for Hill, the former sixth-round pick may've lost his job as Karras' backup, but there's still a chance he can snag a spot at guard. He'll need a much better game on Thursday with three fewer penalties than he was charged with last week.

Cornerback battle is Dax Hill's to lose

Just like Lee has dominated the second-team reps at center, Hill has owned the starting cornerback job over the last week. He's seen significantly more time with the first-team defense in comparison to incumbent starter DJ Turner II. The more reps he's gotten, the more comfortable he's played.

"Slowing my mind down," Hill said following Monday's practice. "I feel like there was a time mentally where everything slowed down. My technique slowed down. I'm able to play faster and be able to really know what I'm going to get in terms of the offense."

Hill's production from two preseason games is on a level that's unsustainable in the coming weeks. Pro Football Focus has him graded at 90.2 in coverage with three forced incompletions on four targets.

The tape doesn't paint any different kind of picture. Hill has transitioned extremely well to outside cornerback after a college career in the slot and two years playing safety with the Bengals. Head coach Zac Taylor wasn't ready to name Hill the winner, but even if he goes with Turner, Hill will still get chances to see the field.

"However it shakes out, there are roles for people, and certainly you prefer to have one guy that's the starter," Taylor said Monday . "That doesn't mean that's the way it has to be. But there are opportunities for roles beyond that, whether a guy's a starter or not."

The reps don't lie: Hill is ahead of Turner at this moment, and that's how the battle is likely going to conclude.

Related: Cincinnati Bengals 53-man roster projection following second week of preseason