Bengals need to avoid making a mistake they made last year after key player avoids major injury

A week after losing two players to season-ending injuries, the Cincinnati Bengals got a lot luckier with edge defender Myles Murphy after the second-year player suffered a non-contact knee injury during Tuesday's joint practice against the Indianapolis Colts.

Per Sports Illustrated's James Rapien , Murphy avoided serious injury and won't be out for an extended period of time. Even if he's not back for the regular season opener in 18 days, that's still a major win for Cincinnati.

Murphy's scare was just the latest in a long line of defensive linemen injuries the Bengals have gone through this month. Depth at the edge position, specifically, has taken a hit with Cam Sample out for the year and Jeff Gunter retiring out of the blue . Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard were also banged up to start training camp.

The situation isn't exactly dire, but it's pretty close to it. For this reason alone, the Bengals can't afford to overplay Joseph Ossai to close out the preseason like they did last year.

Bengals need to remember the mistake they made last year with Joseph Ossai

The preseason has rarely been a friend to Ossai. He suffered a torn meniscus in his first-ever exhibition game back in 2021, taking him out for the rest of the season. What happened almost exactly a year ago was even more frustrating for all parties involved.

Cincinnati wasn't holding Ossai back during the 2023 preseason, playing him for 45 snaps during the first two weeks to ensure he was properly tuned up for the regular season. His projected role of being the third edge was the same as it is in this current moment with Murphy out, so when the coaching staff sent him out for the preseason finale against the Washington Commanders, it felt like a mistake.

The feeling was confirmed when Ossai injured his ankle just seven snaps into the game.

Ossai would only miss the first two games, but it took him several weeks to get his feet back under him and provide value in the pass rush. His season was hindered from the start.

Though Ossai was ahead of Murphy and Sample on the depth chart at the time, the Bengals still had both players to step into larger roles with Ossai out and recovering. They don't have that luxury now. Rookie sixth-round pick Cedric Johnson, undrafted rookie Justin Blazek, and recently-signed Joshua Pryor is all who remain to round out the group.

Johnson has been a big winner due to the losses of Sample and Gunter and has looked promising in limited preseason action, but he'd be the next man up if something were to happen to Ossai. Is trusting a rookie drafted late on Day 3 round to play significant pass-rushing snaps a situation the Bengals want to risk unfolding?

That's what will happen if Ossai gets hurt, and it needs to be avoided at all costs.

The plan without Ossai isn't perfect, but it is necessary

Deciding who plays and who doesn't in the preseason comes down to risk versus reward. Even though Joe Burrow is 100% healthy and can play against the Indianapolis Colts Thursday night, head coach Zac Taylor told media members that he doesn't expect Burrow and the starters to suit up. The games that count are just over two weeks away; ensuring the most important players on the team are healthy is priority #1 now.

Ossai is now set for a role could net about 10-20 snaps per game, a very significant number at such an important position. That should be enough to keep him off the field and avoid another needless injury.

Murphy's injury makes this decision easy, but there is a catch. Without Ossai playing, the Bengals would be down to just three edge defenders for Thursday's game. Johnson and Blazek would be the starters with Pryor coming off the bench oftentimes to give them rest. Maybe defensive tackle Zach Carter, who's still fighting for a roster spot of his own, could relive his college days and kick outside for a little bit.

Whatever they have to do to get through this game with the players who *need* to play should be done. Ossai should not be one of them, but if he is, every Bengals fan should be holding their breath.

Related: Bengals Roster Breakdown: Joseph Ossai has one last chance to breakout in Cincinnati