Kyle Dugger was back on the practice field Monday for the first time in weeks, a small but important step after a quad injury kept him out for two games. The Bengals returned from the bye week with almost everyone available, and Dugger’s presence was the clearest sign that one of their depth questions is finally starting to ease.
That matters now because Cincinnati is moving straight into Week 7, and the team has had to patch together the safety spot in Dugger’s absence. PJ Jules has carried much of that load, while Russ Yeast has also been elevated from the practice squad, giving the Bengals a temporary answer while they waited for Dugger to come back.
Dugger had been declared week-to-week, so simply getting him onto the field does not settle anything. Zac Taylor would only say Dugger is “progressing along” and that they will “see where he’s at,” which leaves his game status open even after the return to practice. Taylor also described the wider roster as being “as good as he has in a long time,” a reminder that the bye week gave Cincinnati a needed reset.
There is still a difference between practicing and playing, and that is the line the Bengals have not crossed yet. Wednesday’s first injury report of the week should show whether Dugger is trending toward making up the ground he lost, or whether Cincinnati will have to keep leaning on the same backup plan for at least one more game.
