Bengals undrafted free agent might've locked 53-roster spot already

Cincinnati Bengals fans might want to get to know the name Maema Njongmeta.

Granted, some fans knew the name already. After all, Njongmeta was one of two undrafted free agents the Bengals paid up extra to secure after this year’s draft.

And now we know why.

Njongmeta, quietly, just paced the Bengals in defensive snap count (45) and tackles (100) during the preseason encounter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That earned him a 91.4 PFF grade, too.

College production is a good sign of future success at the linebacker spot in the pros, so it shouldn’t come as a shock to hear he was a stat sheet-stuffer at Wisconsin.

The Bengals could always use some new blood at linebacker, too. Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt are the locks, with Akeem Davis-Gaither at least around for the short term. Njongmeta clearly has the talent to push the likes of Joe Bachie for a roster spot.

This is just how things tend to go in the NFL, too. Many went into the summer thinking it was punter Austin McNamara who could be the surprise success story as an undrafted free agent.

Instead, McNamara is no longer on the roster and here is Njongmeta, simply standing above most of the other players on the field already in his pro debut.