Cincinnati filled a veteran depth need by signing Mike Pennel to bolster the nose tackle position, planning to start him on the practice squad and elevate him as a gameday option. Noah Fant and Dalton Risner add important pieces to the offense—Fant as a versatile tight end and Risner as an interior-line stabilizer—complementing a front that's aiming for more consistency before Week 1. The move comes amid a waiver-wire hiccup with the Patriots and a contract-incentive-heavy push from Trey Hendrickson, underscoring a proactive, depth-minded approach to roster-building.

These shifts signal Cincinnati’s strategy to hedge upfront while preserving cap flexibility, prioritizing run defense and pass-game versatility in a bid to improve the roster without overcommitting at the margins.