The Bengals went heavy at tight end with five, light on the offensive line with eight and all in on long-shot safety PJ Jules when they cut their roster Tuesday to the regular-season maximum of 53 players.

All of that, or some of it, could change as soon as Wednesday as they peruse the NFL waiver wire, where guard and safety could be targets after they put safety Daijahn Anthony on injured reserve for the first month of the season and waived injured guard Cordell Volson.

The Bengals are also putting together a 16-player practice squad to be announced Wednesday, and the 22 players they've released are among the candidates.

Rookies are a prominent storyline on this roster, where as many as four could start the Sept. 7 opener in Cleveland. Undrafted long snapper William Wagner of Michigan is one of them after he won the training camp battle with three-year incumbent Cal Adomitis.

The biggest surprise of the day came at defensive tackle, where two more undrafted free agents, Notre Dame's Howard Cross III and Arkansas' Eric Gregory, made the club on the initial moves. They not only kept six defensive tackles, but also a dozen defensive linemen. One of them, edge Cedric Johnson, joins Anthony on injured reserve-return, making him eligible to play in the fifth week of the season.

With 11 defensive linemen and eight offensive linemen, two surprising numbers, the Bengals are keeping some flexibility if they want to add and subtract in the next 24-48 hours.

Two noteworthy moves weren't as surprising after last weekend's developments.

Linebacker Shaka Heyward, named a game captain for the preseason finale, survived the cut for the first time in his three seasons after fending off incumbent Maema Njongmeta and veteran free agent Joe Giles-Harris for the fifth backer spot. Wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley, who didn't play in the preseason finale, vaulted over Bengals veterans Isaiah Williams and Kendric Pryor for the sixth receiver spot.

They not only kept six defensive tackles, but also a dozen defensive linemen. One of them, edge Cedric Johnson, joins Anthony on injured reserve-return, making him eligible to play in the fifth week of the season.

NFL sack leader Trey Hendrickson and first-round pick Shemar Stewart lead a contingent of five defensive ends. Stewart has been running with the Ones as of late, but it's unclear if he'll become the Bengals' first first-round draft pick to start on Opening Day since wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase in 2021.

Two other rookies appear to have drawn an Opening Day start in South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., a second-round pick, and Georgia left guard Dylan Fairchild, a third-rounder.

Fifth-rounder Jalen Rivers isn't projected to start, but his emergence apparently allowed them to be flexible on the offensive line up to this point and keep just eight. He impressed them in the spring at tackle and then in the last two preseason games he held up at guard. He now teams with Cody Ford to give them guard-tackle flexibility on the bench.

Incumbent backup center Matt Lee retained the eighth spot despite missing much of camp with a shoulder issue. Tackle Devin Cochran, who had a start and other key snaps down the stretch last year, was a release, as was Seth McLaughlin, college football's Rimington Award winner just coming around from a torn Achilles'.

While going light at offensive line, they went heavy one spot over at tight end, where Tanner Hudson and Cam Grandy simply played their way on. Hudson caught two touchdown passes in the preseason opener and Grandy got solid grades consistently this preseason from Pro Football Focus in run and pass blocking.

Grandy and Jules were part of last season's undrafted rookie class who began the year on the practice squad. Grandy got promoted in midseason while Jules stayed on the entire year after dominating FCS play at Southern Illinois.

With Anthony out for a month and no move made yet to bring in a safety, Jules won a job with his tenacious tackling and special teams play.

*Parentheses next to player denote years in the league*

QUARTERBACKS (2)

Joe Burrow (6), Jake Browning (3)

WIDE RECEIVERS (6)

Tee Higgins (6), Ja’Marr Chase (5), Andrei Iosivas (3), Charlie Jones (3), Jermaine Burton (2), Mitchell Tinsley (2)

RUNNING BACKS (3)

Samaje Perine (9), Chase Brown (3), Tahj Brooks (R)

TIGHT ENDS (5)

Mike Gesicki (8), Noah Fant (7), Drew Sample (7), Tanner Hudson (6), Cam Grandy (2)

OFFENSIVE LINE (8)

C Ted Karras (10), G Lucas Patrick (9), T Orlando Brown Jr. (8), G-T Cody Ford (7), C Matt Lee (2), T Amarius Mims (2); G Dylan Fairchild, G-T Jalen Rivers (R).

DEFENSIVE LINE (11)

DE Trey Hendrickson (9), DT B.J. Hill (8), DE Joseph Ossai (5), DE-DT Cam Sample (5), DT T.J. Slaton Jr. (5); DE Myles Murphy (3), DT Kris Jenkins Jr. (2), DT McKinnley Jackson (2), DT Howard Cross III (R), DT Eric Gregory (R), DE Shemar Stewart (R)

LINEBACKERS (5)

Oren Burks (8), Logan Wilson (6), Shaka Heyward (2), Barrett Carter (R), Demetrius Knight Jr. (R)

SECONDARY (10)

S Geno Stone (6), CB Marco Wilson (5), S Tycen Anderson (4), CB Dax Hill (4), CB Cam Taylor-Britt (4), S Jordan Battle (3), CB DJ Ivey (3), CB DJ Turner II (3), CB Josh Newton (2), S PJ Jules (1).

SPECIALISTS (3)

K Evan McPherson (5), P Ryan Rehkow (2), LS William Wagner (R)