★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
★
Sep 1, 2026
Bayer did well just to turn a midseason practice-squad chance into a spot on the 53. He is still the third center and has not played an NFL snap, so I am at a four. This year is about learning from Karras, showing he can make the protection calls and becoming more than emergency depth.
Strengths: Bayer has NFL-caliber interior size and has now spent meaningful time inside Cincinnati's protection system. His roster survival suggests the staff trusts his developmental habits.
Weaknesses: There is no regular-season performance to evaluate, and he sits behind two centers. Anchor, processing speed and technique against starting defenders are all unproven.
