Johnson (calf) was placed on injured reserve by the Bengals on Tuesday, though he was designated to return.
The defensive end appeared in a protective boot at practice in early August and had to use a scooter to get around the locker room, per Ben Baby of ESPN.com. A sixth-round pick of the Bengals in 2024, Johnson made seven tackles, including 1.0 sacks, in nine regular-season games during his rookie campaign. He'll look to solidify a depth role once he's eligible to return after four games this year.
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Bengals' Cedric Johnson: Dealing with calf injury
Rotowire
Johnson was wearing a protective boot on his left foot Saturday as he deals with a left calf strain, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Johnson was also using a scooter to get around the locker room, so it appears he's not close to be ready to practice. The 23-year-old played in nine regular-season games as a rookie last year, compiling seven tackles, including 1.0 sacks. He's competing for a depth role heading into his second NFL campaign.
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Bengals' Cedric Johnson: Headed to Cincinnati
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The Bengals selected Johnson in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 214th overall.
Johnson was a pass-rush specialist throughout his time at Ole Miss. Of his 112 tackles in college, 22 went for a loss and 19.0 were sacks. He's an explosive athlete (91st percentile vertical jump, 81st percentile board jump), so with professional coaching, some of his raw skills could translate to more on-field production.
