Throughout the summer leading up to the regular season, we will go through the entire 2024 Cincinnati Bengals roster. Every single day until the season opener against the New England Patriots , we will break down a player on the roster including his background, contract status, and path towards making the team.
Today, we're focusing on Rocky Lombardi, the lone rookie of the quarterback room. To say he's got competition at the position would be an understatement, but let's see what he's all about.
Rocky Lombardi
- Age: 25
- Year: 1st
- Position: Quarterback
- College: Northern Illinois
- Previous Teams: None
- Jersey Number: 4
Lombardi signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL Draft. His first four years in college were spent at Michigan State where he was a teammate of Elijah Collins for three years. He started a total of nine games for the Spartans with his best season being his last in 2020, the year he led the charge against rival Michigan in a 27-24 win on Halloween.
COVID eligibility and a medical redshirt helped Lombardi get three more years out of college at Northern Illinois, where he had much more statistical success. He finished his career ranked second in program history in passing yards per game, and third in completions per game despite missing most of the 2022 season with injury. He opted to return as a seventh-year senior in 2023 to cap off his Husky career with 17-12 record as a starter . He's now one of the oldest rookies in the NFL with his 26th birthday coming up on July 30.
Contract details
Lombardi signed a three-year college free agent deal with the Bengals in May that will pay him the minimum salary for the 2024 season.
His salary will cost $795,000 for the entire season if he's kept on the team for the entire regular season, but with a $10,000 signing bonus prorated throughout the deal, his cap hit as of now is $798,333 for the year.
Roster chances
To be very frank, it would be an astronomical upset for Lombardi to be a member of the initial 53-man roster. The Bengals would prefer to keep just Joe Burrow and Jake Browning on the team without using a third roster spot for another backup. Last year became an exception as Burrow was dealing with a calf strain to start the season, but when both Burrow and Browning are healthy, those are the only two expected to remain on the team in September.
Browning's ascension as a capable spot starter has eliminated any and all debate as to whom should be Burrow's long-term backup. The Bengals will always keep an extra arm on the practice squad, but for players like Lombardi, that's all they can hope to be unless another injury occurs.
Lombardi will compete with Logan Woodside for that practice squad spot, and nothing more. And yet, this was said about Browning not too long ago.
Chances of making the roster: 2%
Previous player breakdowns
Related: Bengals Roster Breakdown: Elijah Collins has speed on his side to separate from other running backs
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