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Quick look at the 53

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Stanford's Ryan Hewitt, the only college free agent on the roster.

How the 53 breaks down:

QBS (2)

Jason Campbell (10), Andy Dalton (4)

By going on reserve/non-football injury, which means AJ McCarron didn't hurt his shoulder on site, he can go on the roster in six weeks if his rehab progresses. Head coach Marvin Lewis would only say on Saturday, "He's fine." Don't look for a QB on the practice squad.

WIDE RECEIVERS (6)

Brandon Tate (6), A.J. Green (4), Dane Sanzenbacher (4), Marvin Jones (3), Mohamed Sanu (3),  James Wright (R).

Wright (concussion) may not be ready for the opener. They usually don't dress all six, but they kept Wright in large part for his special teams play. If Cobi Hamilton doesn't get claimed, will he come back to the practice squad?

RUNNING BACKS (4)

Cedric Peerman (5), Giovani Bernard (2), Rex Burkhead (2), Jeremy Hill (R).

There are only 219 NFL carries now that the Law Firm has been disbarred. Any nicks and will he be there if they come calling? Look for James Wilder Jr. on the practice squad.

 FULLBACKS (1 )

Ryan Hewitt (R)

Hewitt can also play tight end and H/Back for them and was just more comfortable playing fullback than Orson Charles. It looked like Charles was out of position the last two years. Will they keep Whitlock on the practice squad? The most a pure fullback plays is about 10 to 14 snaps a game. But if he blossoms on special teams…

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TIGHT ENDS (3)

Alex Smith (10), Jermaine Gresham (5), Tyler Eifert (2).

Knocking on wood here. Gresham started camp on PUP,  Eifert missed most of the spring and preseason with a shoulder problem, and Smith is 32.

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

LT Andrew Whitworth (9), G-C Mike Pollak (7), RT Andre Smith (6), T Marshall Newhouse (5), G Clint Boling (4), G Kevin Zeitler (3),  G-T Tanner Hawkinson (2), C-G T.J. Johnson (1), C Russell Bodine (R).

Hawkinson has looked OK playing both guard and tackle and now has to step up as the fourth tackle. They opted not to keep five tackles and cut a nine-year veteran in Will Svitek even though Smith (concussion) didn't play a snap in the preseason. But they'll get more out of a seventh linebacker than a fifth tackle because the fifth tackle isn't active.   

DEFENSIVE LINE (9)

E-T Robert Geathers (11), DT Domata Peko (9), E-T Wallace Gilberry (7), T Geno Atkins (5), E Carlos Dunlap (5),  Brandon Thompson (4), T Christo Bilukidi (3),  E Margus Hunt (2),  E Will Clarke (R).

Clarke most likely won't be active on game day early on. The guys who have really come on compared to last year are Hunt and Thompson, and, remember they didn't have Geathers last year. Long live Michael Johnson, but Geno is back, too.

LINEBACKERS (7)

Rey Maualuga (6), Vincent Rey (5), Vontaze Burfict (3), Emmanuel Lamur (3), Jayson DiManche (2), Sean Porter (2), Marquis Flowers (R).

All seven made it. Take a bow, special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons.

DEFENSIVE BACKS (9) CB Terence Newman (12), CB Leon Hall (8), CB Adam Jones (8), S Reggie Nelson (8), S Taylor Mays (5), CB Dre Kirkpatrick (3), S George Iloka (3), S Shawn Williams (2),CB Darqueze Dennard (R).

It's probably OK to keep just five safeties when all of them are first rounders. They love Mays. He'll do whatever you ask, then hit you.

SPECIALISTS: (3)

K Mike Nugent (10), LS Clark Harris (6), P Kevin Huber (6).

There are only three guys on offense still around from when these three guys started the band on Opening Day, 2010, in New England.

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