Trying to predict roster moves today

The Bengals will announce 22 transactions sometime later today, cutting down from 75 to 53 players.

Here’s one somewhat educated guess at how the roster might look by the end of the day:

QUARTERBACKS (3)
Starter: Carson Palmer.
Backups: Anthony Wright, Doug Johnson.

RUNNING BACKS (4)
Starters: Rudi Johnson, Jeremi Johnson (FB).
Backups: *Chris Perry, Kenny Watson.
*Though Perry has yet to practice and remains on the active PUP list, the Bengals would be wary to put him on the shelf for six weeks on the inactive PUP list.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN (9)
Starters: Levi Jones, LT; Eric Steinbach, LG; Rich Braham, C; Bobbie Williams, RG, Willie Anderson, RT.
*Backups: Andrew Whitworth, Eric Ghiaciuc, Stacy Andrews, Scott Kooistra.
*Each one of the backups can play more than one position. The last spot is probably between Koositra and C-G Ben Wilkerson, unless they decide to go with 10.

WIDE RECEIVERS (7)
Starters: Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
*Backups: Chris Henry, Tab Perry, Antonio Chatman, Reggie McNeal, Bennie Brazell.
*Henry's legal status (he might get a four-game suspension) makes this position difficult to figure. Brazell has been hurt most of the preseason. Kelley Washington might be kept around for one more year.

TIGHT ENDS (3)
Starter: Reggie Kelly.
Backups: Tony Stewart, *Ronnie Ghent.
*Ghent is a former fullback, and a strength of all three of the tight ends is blocker and the ability to line up in the I formation in front of the tailback. What this position might lack in receiving ability, it more than makes up for as blockers.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (8)
Starters: Justin Smith, John Thornton, Sam Adams, Bryan Robinson.
*Backups: Robert Geathers, Domata Peko, Shaun Smith, Frostee Rucker.
*DE Jonathan Fanene could go on PUP (out six weeks) or injured reserve (out for season) with a hamstring injury that doesn't seem to heal.

LINEBACKERS (7)
Starters: David Pollack, Brian Simmons, Landon Johnson.
*Backups: Rashad Jeanty, Marcus Wilkins, Ahmad Brooks, A.J. Nicholson.
*All four of the backups are strong on special teams, as is Landon Johnson. Caleb Miller is probably the odd man out. Suspened linebacker Odell Thurman does not count against the roster until he is re-instated after four games.

CORNERBACKS (4)
Starters: Deltha O’Neal, Tory James.
*Backups: Johnathan Joseph, Keiwan Ratliff,.
*The thinking here is that either corner or safety had to lose a player because the Bengals are likely to go with seven linebackers. Cornerback Greg Brooks goes in this analysis because safeties Williams and Kaesviharn can play cornerback in an emergency.

SAFETIES (5)
Starters: Dexter Jackson, Madieu Williams.
Backups: Kevin Kaesviharn, *Ethan Kilmer, Herana-Daze Jones.
*Kilmer is learning to play safety; he has to have a position. But he is a ready-made star on special teams. He might come in as one of the league's best gunners (outside cover men on punts) in the league.

SPECIALISTS (3)
Kicker: Shayne Graham.
Punter: Kyle Larson.
Long snapper: Brad St. Louis.
*The specialists are set in stone. Coverage and return units in the kicking game determine some of the rest of the roster, such as linebacker and safety, where Nicholson and Kilmer are espected to make major contributions on special teams.

Cuts of note: Caleb Miller, LB; Greg Brooks, CB; Ben Wilkerson, C-G; Quincy Wilson, RB; Patrick Body, CB; Eric Henderson, DE; Pete Lougheed, OL.

Under new NFL rules, third-year players can be signed to the practice squad if they clear waivers and are not signed to another team’s 53-man roster.

Miller and Brooks are in their third seasons and eligible for the practice squad, though Miller, especially, probably would be signed by another team. Wilson is another candidate who could end up with another team. Wilkerson is eligible for the practice squad, too, though he would be attractive to another team.

Injured reserve: Jonathan Fanene, DE.

Hopefully, it goes without saying, but this analysis is made with knowledge that people's careers are on the line. There are people inside the helmet and uniforms. The thinking here is strictly business and done in an attempt to figure out how the roster might take shape.