Bengals place La’el Collins on non-football injury list; Alex Cappa, four others added to PUP

The Cincinnati Bengals made some roster moves on Saturday ahead of the start of training camp. The team announced that it placed offensive tackle La’el Collins on the non-football injury list, and offensive guard Alex Cappa, running back Samaje Perine, safety Brandon Wilson, defensive end Khalid Kareem and linebacker Joe Bachie on the physically unable to perform list. 

Collins and Cappa are the headline items here. Cincinnati’s offensive line was the weak point of its team last year, and the Bengals spent this offseason pursuing upgrades. Cappa and Ted Karras were first in the door, followed by Collins. Cappa was signed to a four-year, $35 million contract, while Collins received a three-year, $21 million deal after being released by the Cowboys. 

The duo figures to be in line to start on the right side of the offensive line, with Cappa at guard and Collins at tackle. Protecting Joe Burrow and giving him time to deliver the ball to Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and the rest of the team’s skill players is obviously a top priority, and they’ll need these guys on the field in order to do that. 

Perine operated as Cincy’s passing-down back for much of last season, and was the intended target of Burrow’s pass on the final play of the Super Bowl loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Given how the coaching staff has talked about its utilization of starting running back Joe Mixon, it seems likely that Perine and/or Chris Evans will fill that role again in 2022. 

Wilson could be in line for an increased role this season depending on what happens with Jessie Bates, who received the franchise tag from the Bengals but has repeatedly insisted he will not play on the tag. He’s mostly been a special-teamer so far in his career, but may have to be more than that if Bates holds out. 

Bachie and Kareem each played rotational roles as backups last season, and could do the same this year.