NFL teams, in theory, are at their best when the cut days are the hardest, a situation the Cincinnati Bengals will know in the coming days.
With cut days looming, there's no easy way to figure out how coach Marvin Lewis and the front office will go about whittling the roster down to the league mandated 53 limit. Thanks to strong performances and solid offseason additions, Cincinnati's leftovers don't figure to last long on the market.
Within, let's take a stab at the final 53-man roster based on talent and roster construction. Remember, in a 4-3 scheme, certain positions are more important than others and not every rookie stands as a lock to make the team.