Bengals 2025 Roster Breakdown: Caleb Etienne enters intriguing training camp for Cincinnati's offensive line

Bengals roster breakdown is back! During the 99 days leading up to Cincinnati’s regular season opener against the Cleveland Browns, the player with the matching jersey number as days remaining will become the day’s highlighted player.

77 days remain until the Bengals’ first game of the 2025 season, giving us a chance to take a dive into No. 77 Caleb Etienne.

Caleb Etienne

Age: 23
Year: Rookie
Position: Offensive tackle
College: BYU
Previous Teams: None
Jersey Number: 77

Etienne enters his first season in the NFL after going undrafted during the 2025 NFL Draft. He played the last two years at BYU, but his college career began at Fort Scott in 2019. He transferred to Butler Community College in 2020 but didn’t play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He then transferred to Oklahoma State in 2021 and appeared in three games that season before starting the entire 2022 season at left tackle.

Etienne transferred one last time to BYU in 2023 and made a handful of starts at both right guard and right tackle. He took over at left tackle in 2024 just like he did for OSU two years prior.

Contract Details

Etienne signed a three-year, $2.980 million college free agent deal in May following the draft. He earned a $15,000 signing bonus and can earn a non-guaranteed $840,000 base salary this season.

Etienne’s salary cap hit for the season is $845,000 and he can earn $855,000 in cash this year. Should the Bengals waive Etienne sometime this offseason, they’d only be on the hook for his $15,000 signing bonus as dead money.

Roster Outlook

Etienne joined Seth McLaughlin as one of two UDFA linemen signed by Cincinnati this offseason, and it’s an interesting year for a rookie tackle looking to make the 53-man roster. Fifth-round pick Jalen Rivers is a virtual lock for the team as starting LT Orlando Brown Jr.’s backup, and Devin Cochran has the best odds of sneaking on as OT4, but a strong camp and preseason from Etienne can insert himself into the conversation as well.

The Cody Ford variable may end up determining if Etienne has a real shot or not. If Ford loses the starting right guard battle, his value as a backup swing tackle comes back into the picture, and a spot for Etienne may not exist thanks to Rivers’ draft status.

The scenario in which Etienne claims a spot is ultimately more on the unlikely side, but the practice squad should have his name written all over it.

Roster odds: 10%
Projected role: Reserve offensive tackle