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 learn a little more about linebacker Devin Harper. He joined the Bengals in the middle of the 2023 season, and is under contract for two more seasons. He'll first have to defend the roster spot he claimed last year.
Devin Harper
- Age: 26
- Year: 3rd
- Position: Linebacker
- College: Oklahoma State
- Previous Teams: Dallas Cowboys
- Jersey Number: 56
Harper was drafted by the Cowboys with the 193rd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent six years at Oklahoma State, playing five seasons and appearing in 59 games. It wasn't until his super senior season in 2021 that he became a starter for OSU. He registered 96 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and six sacks on his way to earning All-Big 12 honorable mention.
Harper made Dallas' initial 53-man roster as a rookie, but his first season was cut short due to Achilles tendinitis. He only played in three games for the Cowboys that season before going on Injured Reserve in late October.
2023 saw Harper come back from his injury to make the Cowboys' roster again. He was a prominent special teams player for the first three games of the year before being waived by his original team leading up to Week 4.
With Harper available on waivers, the Bengals sent in a claim and were awarded the second-year linebacker. He suited up for six of Cincinnati's remaining 14 games and recorded two tackles on special teams.
Contract details
Harper signed a four-year, $3,837,520 deal with the Cowboys in 2022 that will pay him the minimum salary for a player with his level of experience for the 2024 season.
His salary will cost $985,000 for the entire season if he's kept on the team for the entire regular season. Since the Bengals claimed him on waivers, they are not responsible for putting his prorated signing bonus on their cap sheet. His cap hit for this season will be the same as his salary at $985,000.
Roster chances
Harper is the most experienced of four linebackers who could be competing for just one roster spot next month. Undrafted rookies Aaron Casey and Maema Njongmeta along with second-year backer Shaka Heyward will all make pushes to take the spot Harper held last season.
I truly believe it'll be an equal battle between all four of them for that final spot.
Harper may have the edge in terms of experience and was the only drafted player of the bunch, but he'll have to prove more valuable in this new age of special teams to get the nod. Qualifications for who's needed on kickoff teams may change more than we expect. Until the pads start clashing, it's foolish to assume one player is ahead of the other.
Chances of making the roster: 25%
Previous player breakdowns
Related: Bengals Roster Breakdown: Shaka Heyward set to enter an open free-for-all at linebacker
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