CINCINNATI — The Bengals are adding to their defensive line room.
Cincinnati acquired defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson on waivers from the San Francisco 49ers on Friday.
The Bengals tried to add Jefferson to their roster during final cuts in August when they put a claim in on the second-year defensive end. The 49ers also claimed Jefferson and had a higher waiver priority (11) than the Bengals (17).
Jefferson was picked in the fourth round (116th overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bengals picked McKinnley Jackson 97th overall, 19 spots ahead of Jefferson.
Jefferson, 24, showed flashes of quality play as a rookie, finishing with a 62.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. He had 12 tackles and one sack in eight games.
He appeared in just one game for the 49ers this season, playing 12 total snaps on defense.
The Bengals waived defensive tackle Howard Cross III to make room for Jefferson on the 53-man roster. Cross appeared in one game for Cincinnati this season and was inactive for the other three contests.
NFL Draft Evaluation
Jefferson received a sixth-seventh round draft grade from Dane Brugler. He was ranked one spot (20th) ahead of Jackson (21st) in Brugler’s defensive tackle rankings.
“Jefferson needs to develop his technical efficiency to be more disruptive, but his burst off the ball and upper-body strength can give him an early advantage into battle,” Brugler wrote. “He projects as a rotational lineman on the interior who still has some upside left.”
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com gave Jefferson a sixth round grade.
“Jefferson has a proportional frame with good upper-body thickness. His game against Alabama was discouraging, as he was often overwhelmed at the point of attack by the size and power of the Crimson Tide,” Zierlein wrote. “However, it is hard to ignore his first-step quickness and ability to shoot into the backfield as a run-play disruptor. Teams will need to invest the time to get him stronger and to improve his take-on technique. He might be worth a draft and stash for one-gapping teams willing to put developmental work into him.”
Defensive Tackle Room
Jefferson joins a defensive tackle room that includes TJ Slaton, B.J. Hill, Kris Jenkins Jr., Mike Pennel and Jenkins.
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