Bengals make a surprise call at receiver as Week 1 inactives drop
The headline from Cincinnati’s game-day sheet isn’t an injury. It’s a choice. Wide receiver Jermaine Burton is inactive as a healthy scratch for the season opener in Cleveland, and Mitch Tinsley will dress in his place. For a team chasing its first opening-day win since 2021 and only the second of the Zac Taylor era, that’s a loud early statement about how the staff wants to attack the Browns.
The Cincinnati Bengals ruled out six players for Sunday afternoon’s 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. These aren’t medical setbacks as much as roster math and game-plan preferences. The Browns did the same on their side, leaning on healthy scratches and listing rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the emergency third quarterback—available only if the first two passers are knocked out of the game.
Who’s inactive for Week 1—and why it matters
Here’s the full list of Bengals inactives for Week 1 at Cleveland:
- CB Marco Wilson (#24)
- C Matt Lee (#65)
- WR Jermaine Burton (#81)
- TE Cam Grandy (#85)
- DT McKinnley Jackson (#93)
- DT Howard Cross III (#95)
And the Browns’ inactives:
- QB Shedeur Sanders (emergency third QB)
- DT Mike Hall
- G Zak Zinter
- OT KT Leveston
- WR Gage Larvadain
Both lists lean heavily toward healthy scratches, which tells you this opener is about tactics, not triage. On Cincinnati’s side, sitting Burton and dressing Tinsley suggests a few things: special teams value, route fit for this week’s plan, and how the staff wants to stagger personnel groupings. Coaches often weigh the fifth and sixth receiver spots by who covers kicks, who blocks on the perimeter, and who can execute a narrow set of routes cleanly on short notice.
At tight end, Cam Grandy’s scratch hints at a leaner pass-catching rotation and a heavier reliance on the top group for both inline work and red-zone concepts. Cincinnati can still flex formations with a sixth offensive lineman if it wants to mimic heavier sets without activating a deeper tight end bench.
The defensive tackle decisions—McKinnley Jackson and Howard Cross III both down—signal confidence in the top of the interior rotation. It also points to a desire for continuity on early downs against a physical divisional opponent. Young tackles often pop as the season develops, but Week 1 can be rugged inside, especially on the road. The Bengals are opting for stability over experimentation here.
Cornerback Marco Wilson landing on the inactive list shapes nickel and dime packages. Expect Cincinnati to keep things tight in coverage groupings and lean on familiar combinations rather than rolling through a deep corner rotation.
On the offensive line, center Matt Lee sits, which likely reflects the numbers game that comes with the NFL’s game-day rules. Teams can dress up to 48 players if they carry at least eight offensive linemen, and the Bengals appear comfortable with their active interior backups handling emergency snaps. This is common in openers, when coaches prioritize position flexibility over sheer volume at one spot.
For Cleveland, listing Shedeur Sanders as the emergency quarterback is straightforward under the league’s newer third-QB rule. He can only enter if the first two quarterbacks are out due to injury or disqualification; he can’t sub in for performance reasons. Up front, the Browns also made depth calls on the offensive line (Zak Zinter, KT Leveston) and wide receiver (Gage Larvadain), leaning on experience to start a long season. Mike Hall sits at defensive tackle, a nod to veteran interior snaps against a precision passing attack that prefers clean pockets.
If you’re wondering why there are scratches at all, the NFL’s roster structure is the reason. Teams carry 53 players on the active roster, but only 46 or 48 dress on game day, depending on offensive line numbers. That squeeze forces coaching staffs to prioritize special teams, package-specific roles, and emergency coverage. Week 1 often looks conservative while coordinators get a live feel for rotations.
So what shifts on the field? With Tinsley active, the Bengals may emphasize timing routes, spacing concepts, and motion to stress leverage. He’s shown he can be assignment-sound, and that matters in a divisional opener where one blown landmark can flip a drive. Expect the staff to script early touches to test how Cleveland handles bunch looks and quick-game tempo.
Defensively, going lighter on the inactive interior tackles hints at confidence in the core front to handle early-down runs without frequent substitutions. That can help Cincinnati keep its rush group fresh on late downs. If the Browns lean on play-action, the Bengals will rely on gap discipline more than volume rotations to hold the line.
Special teams often decides field position in these early-season AFC North games, and this inactive sheet nods to that. Depth receivers who can run, tackle, and avoid penalties are valuable in a matchup that usually swings on hidden yards. Watch the first two punts and kickoffs—those units will tell you whether Cincinnati’s roster calls are paying off.
For the Browns, the offensive line scratches clarify their protection plan: experience now, development later. With a divisional game out of the gate, continuity beats curiosity. And if the passing game runs into trouble, the emergency QB designation gives them a safety net without burning a standard game-day seat.
Big picture for Cincinnati: Taylor’s group needs a clean opener. The Bengals haven’t started 1-0 since 2021, and in a division where tie-breakers bite in December, September precision matters. The inactive choices aim at exactly that—clean special teams, dependable interior defense, and a receiving rotation built for rhythm rather than splash. If the Bengals stay ahead of the sticks and protect the ball, these small roster edges can compound.
What to watch once the ball’s in the air? Three quick tells: First, how early does Tinsley see the field, and where—slot, boundary, or motion across the formation? Second, how frequently do the Bengals sub along the defensive interior on sustained drives? Third, do the Browns test Cincinnati’s corner depth with tempo to force lighter personnel onto the field?
None of this guarantees anything in an opener that usually starts tight. But the logic is clear. Cincinnati trimmed for versatility and control. Cleveland trimmed for steadiness and contingency. Now it’s on the starters—and a handful of role players—to make the math look smart.
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