​The Cincinnati Bengals gave Jalen Rivers half of his rookie season to prove himself as a starter. The former fifth-round pick is slated to back up both guard spots in his second year. We are 48 days away from the Bengals’ preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, and every day we’ll break down a different member of the team’s 90-man roster in the lead-up to final cuts. If you missed previous profiles, you can catch up here. Up next in the series is a player who started a handful of games last year as a rookie.
Date: 23 years old, in his second year, a guard by trade, hailing from the University of Miami, wearing jersey number 74. Jalen Rivers was selected No. 153 overall in the fifth round by Cincinnati in the 2025 NFL Draft. Before entering the NFL, Rivers spent five years at Miami (2020–24), where he appeared in 38 games and started 29 of them, though his tenure was repeatedly interrupted by injuries. He began his college career at left guard and gradually shifted to left tackle during his final two seasons, even as a redshirt senior. By the time the regular season arrived, the Bengals were already developing him at tackle, but he quickly moved inside to guard. Rivers emerged as one of the first interior linemen off the bench and started seven consecutive games at right guard when Lucas Patrick was sidelined by injury and Dalton Risner remained a backup.
A knee injury cut Rivers’ starting run in Week 11, and he appeared in only two more games for the remainder of his rookie season. On the financial side, Rivers is entering the second year of a four-year, $4,620,988 rookie contract. His base salary for 2026 sits at the minimum for his experience level, $1,005,000, which also constitutes his cash figure for the season. When factoring in the $105,247 signing bonus proration, his 2026 salary cap hit comes to $1,110,247.
From the start, the Bengals gave Rivers half a season to prove himself as a starter. Injury cut his opportunity short, and at times he faced inconsistent play as a Day 3 pick adjusting to the NFL grind. Still, a rough rookie year doesn’t close the door on his future with the team’s offensive line. The coaching staff has signaled confidence in Rivers’ potential, and his growth will be a focal point as Cincinnati works to strengthen its interior protection heading into 2026.
For the upcoming season, Rivers is projected to back up both guard spots, giving him a clear path to carve out a steady role on the line. He’ll be joined by rookie sixth-round pick Brian Parker II and rookie fourth-rounder Connor Lew as interior backups. Lew brings natural center versatility, while Parker played guard in high school and is likely to see time at guard more often than not. The Bengals have room on the 53-man roster to keep all three of these interior reserves, along with at least one backup tackle. Given the organization’s investment in Rivers and the developmental track record they’ve established for him, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him earn more considerable reps as the season progresses.
In the grand scheme of Cincinnati’s offensive-line plan, Rivers remains a high-upside, low-expectation project who could grow into a reliable depth option or perhaps even push for extended opportunities if he continues to show improvement and consistency. The evaluation of his progress will be a key storyline to watch during training camp and the preseason, as the Bengals aim to bolster their interior protection and provide better support for the quarterback and running game.
This piece originally appeared on A to Z Sports as part of the Bengals Player Profile series, with a focus on Jalen Rivers’ path after being thrust into prominent action as a rookie. For more on Rivers and the rest of Cincinnati’s roster, read the full profile and keep an eye on how he develops in 2026.