Throughout the summer leading up to the regular season, we will go through the entire 2024 Cincinnati Bengals roster. Every single day until the season opener against the New England Patriots, we will break down a player on the roster including his background, contract status, and path towards making the team.
Today, we welcome back safety Tycen Anderson. The third-year defensive back caught everyone’s attention last preseason and played well during the first half of the regular season before an injury sidelined him. Now he’s back in the mix, ready to pick up where he left off from 2023.
Tycen Anderson
- Age: 25
- Year: 3rd
- Position: Safety
- College: Toledo
- Previous Teams: None
- Jersey Number: 26
Anderson was drafted by the Bengals with the 166th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Cincinnati traded the 226th overall pick in the seventh round selection to move up eight picks in order to draft Anderson, making it the third-largest draft trade up in franchise history.
Anderson played five years at Toledo, his hometown team. He was originally a three-star recruit at cornerback who had an offer to play at Kentucky, but chose to stay close to home and become a Rocket. He made the switch to strong safety as a true safety, but didn’t emerge as a starter until his junior year in 2019. He posted 84 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and five passes defensed that season. The shortened COVID-19 season of 2020 saw Anderson earn team captain status and Second Team All-MAC honors. He was named a captain for his final season in 2021 and earned First Team All-MAC honors despite missing three games. On top of being a defensive leader, he logged 843 career snaps on special teams.
Missing time has been a consistent theme for Anderson’s NFL career thus far. Following a promising preseason campaign, a hamstring injury ended his rookie season in 2022 before it ever began. He was designated to return in the playoffs, but never saw the field. His return to the field was memorable as he intercepted two passes in Cincinnati’s opening preseason game in 2023. That game alone was enough for him to make the 53-man roster a few weeks later, but his value was found on special teams where he originally made a name for himself in college.
Anderson took hold of his special teams roles on four separate units (kickoff coverage, kickoff return, punt coverage, punt return), playing 123 snaps in seven games before suffering his second season-ending injury in as many years. He tore his ACL during Cincinnati’s Week 8 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Contract details
Anderson is in the third year of his four-year, $3,966,084 rookie contract. He will earn a base salary of $985,000 for the 2024 season.
When adding on the $306,084 signing bonus that’s been prorated throughout the entirety of his deal, Burton’s cap hit for the season will be $1,061,521 .
Roster chances
Anderson is off to a great start just by being healthy for training camp. He avoided the active/Physically Unable to Perform list unlike DJ Ivey and Devonnsha Maxwell, so he’s on track to keep his spot as the fourth safety and special teams savant.
The Bengals spent notable resources on the safety position this offseason, adding two starters in Geno Stone and Vonn Bell, and drafting Daijahn Anthony in the seventh round to join Anderson and Jordan Battle. Stone and Bell won’t impact whether or not Anderson sticks around, but if the coaches think Anthony can play safety and in the box and slot, that might make Anderson slightly expendable.
That’s the lone scenario a healthy Anderson doesn’t make this team. He’s arguably their most valuable non-specialist special teamer, and in a year when kickoffs are set to look drastically different, special teams coordinator needs all the trust he can keep.
Anderson has plenty to prove in the durability department, but you can bet on him making it through cut day again.
Chances of making the roster: 95%
Previous player breakdowns
- Kwamie Lassiter II
- Domenique Davis
- Nate Gilliam
- Shaka Heyward
- Jaxson Kirkland
- Devin Cochran
- Justin Blazek
- Tre Mosley
- Cam Grandy
- PJ Jules
- Eric Miller
- Michael Dowell
- Lance Robinson
- Noah Cain
- Elijah Collins
- Rocky Lombardi
- Cole Burgess
- Aaron Casey
- Maema Njongmeta
- Austin McNamara
- Devonnsha Maxwell
- Matt Lee
- Daijahn Anthony
- Cedric Johnson
- Tanner McLachlan
- Josh Newton
- Travis Bell
- Allan George
- Shedrick Jackson
- Jeff Gunter
- Kendric Pryor
- Jake Browning
- DJ Ivey
- Brad Robbins
- Andrei Iosivas
- Devin Harper
- Logan Woodside
- Cal Adomitis
- Chase Brown
- Erick All
- McKinnley Jackson
- Jay Tufele
- Jermaine Burton
