On Friday night, the Cincinnati Bengals will take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in what will be the third and final preseason game for both teams.
With Cincinnati resting the starters, the game will provide a last opportunity for some of the players on the roster bubble to make a name for themselves and secure a spot on the 53-man roster.
Among those players is a former Jacksonville Jaguars draft pick who was originally viewed as a long shot to make the team, but after an impressive camp his chances have gotten better.
Cincinnati Bengals May Have Found Hidden Gem
Javon Foster, a former fourth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, has impressed this offseason with the Bengals. Bengals Wire’s Chris Roling wrote of Foster: “Javon Foster was a very quiet add by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025. One year later, he’s making a lot of noise.
The emergence of several rookies helped explain the Bengals’ surprise cut of Cody Ford. Foster is right there as a big part of the reason, too.
Foster, after all, is in the mix with Jalen Rivers and others to be the first offensive tackle off the bench behind Orlando Brown and Amarius Mims.”
Additionally, veteran tackle Orlando Brown had some high praise for Foster, as he said, “He might have some of the best feet on the team, just in terms of his foot speed and quickness. It’s really, really unique in a way, and I think it’s helped him a lot just being able to be consistent because he’s got such a large amount of pop in his feet. He’s been playing his ass off all camp right and left tackle. He’s prepared every day.”
Bengals.com’s senior writer Geoff Hobson wrote of Foster competing for the primary backup spot on the offensive line: “Heading into Friday’s finale in Philly, it would seem that Javon Foster, locked in a tussle with backup guard Jalen Rivers for the job, has a lot going for him.
Also in the mix is practice squad incumbent Andrew Coker, among others. Foster is the man getting most of the reps. Foster isn’t experienced. He’s a fourth-round pick of the Jags from 2024 with only four games under his belt.”
Javon Foster Player Profile
Javon Foster spent only one season with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being drafted. With the team’s front office and coaching staff changing in 2025, the former fourth-round pick was waived. Foster then spent the season on Cincinnati’s practice squad, and may now find himself as a member of the 53-man roster.
Coming into the 2024 NFL Draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote of Foster: “Durable three-year starter whose arm length and strain can help make up for below-average athletic qualities as a tackle. Foster lacks fluidity in his pass sets and proper footwork with certain run blocks, but he gets his job done. He’s very capable as a zone blocker, maintaining his pacing and sustain, and he’s a thinker in pass sets with a nice approach to diversifying his punch to keep rushers guessing. Foster isn’t a natural knee-bender and that lack of leverage shows up as a drive blocker and when handling bull rushers. The question for Foster will be whether he can improve his footwork enough to become a more efficient blocker. He has the tape to project as a backup with starter potential.”
It appears that a year on Cincinnati’s practice squad has helped him develop into a better player, and a potential asset for the Bengals in 2026.
Bengals May Have Found Hidden Gem in Former Jaguars Draft Pick