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 give wide receiver Kendric Pryor a proper welcome back. The standout from the 2022 offseason spent over a year away from Cincinnati in hopes of making an impact on a 53-man roster. When he became available again, the Bengals pounced at the chance to bring him back to the fold.
Kendric Pryor
- Age: 26
- Year: 3rd
- Position: Wide receiver
- College: Wisconsin
- Previous Teams: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jersey Number: 19
Pryor signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft. He played five years at Wisconsin and was there for six, appearing in 53 games and making 37 starts for the Badgers. Due to the nature of the offense, he averaged just under two receptions a game and nearly 24 yards per game for his career. He actually had nearly half as many carries (40) as he had receptions (99). That's Wisconsin football for you.
Going from a run-first college scheme to a pass-first NFL offense allowed Pryor's true colors to show in the summer of 2022. He emerged as a training camp star despite quarterback Joe Burrow sidelined with an appendectomy. His work translated well into preseason action starting with 89 yards and a fourth quarter touchdown. He was the team's leading receiver throughout the month, and even if there wasn't room for him to make the 53-man roster, he was an obvious priority for the team to bring back on the practice squad.
The Jags made him a larger priority and claimed him off waivers before Cincinnati could sign him back. Pryor was added to Jacksonville's active roster to start the season and remained with the team for the entire season. He couldn't make the team again in 2023 and ended up in limbo for the first month of the season.
That's when the Bengals added him to the practice squad in October and kept him there for the remainder of the year. Injuries at the position allowed receivers like Kwamie Lassiter II and Shedrick Jackson to be elevated for regular season games, but Pryor was kept on the practice squad. Now they're all together for the ramp up to September.
Contract details
Pryor signed a one-year futures deal with the Bengals back in January that will pay him the minimum salary for a player with his level of experience.
His salary will cost $915,00 for the entire season if he's kept on the team for the entire regular season, and his cap hit for the year is the same amount.
Roster chances
That Lassiter and Jackson got play last year off the practice squad and Pryor didn't is reason enough to believe Pryor is currently lower on the totem pole. Add on the reality that maybe only one of them can sneak on to the roster without injuries occurring, and it's looking like Pryor will be a long shot once again.
But the Bengals didn't have to bring Pryor back when they did last year. Their evaluation of him clearly didn't dwindle from the year prior. Not many get to have second chances in this fashion, but that's how the dominoes fell.
Can Pryor recapture that preseason magic he exuded two years ago? He should have better quarterback play to work with, but opportunities won't be as frequent beyond the third-string. He may've already been here before, but he might as well be back at square one.
Chances of making the roster: 8%
Previous player breakdowns
Related: Bengals Roster Breakdown: Jeff Gunter keeps chipping away for another chance off the edge
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