On today's special 2 hour edition of The Stone Shields Show we talk Xavier hoops with Paul Fritschner, Bengals roster moves and news ahead of Bears game with Craig Sandlin, Stone's CFB Top 10 and Buy Or Sell with Casey McCollister.

In a pivotal shake-up ahead of their Week 9 clash with the Chicago Bears, the Cincinnati Bengals executed three significant roster transactions on Tuesday, October 28. Sitting at 3-5 and desperate to ignite a playoff push before the November 4 trade deadline, the team prioritized health management and depth optimization.

The headline move was the release of veteran defensive tackle Mike Pennel. The 11th-year pro, who joined Cincinnati earlier this season, appeared in eight games, logging rotational snaps at nose tackle. However, his playing time dwindled after the initial weeks amid a crowded interior line featuring B.J. Hill, Sheldon Rankins, and rookies like McKinnley Jackson. Pennel, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs, reportedly requested his release and is already visiting Kansas City for a potential reunion.

Compounding defensive woes, the Bengals placed linebacker Shaka Heyward on injured reserve with a fibula injury. The special teams ace, who provided depth behind Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson, will miss at least four weeks. Similarly, center Matt Lee landed on IR due to a knee issue, sidelining the depth piece behind Ted Karras and rookie Dylan Fairchild.

These moves cleared three spots on the 53-man roster (down to 50 players), signaling aggressive intent from GM Duke Tobin. Speculation abounds: Could DE Cedric Johnson return from IR? Might they promote practice squad LB Joe Giles-Harris for special teams? Or, with the deadline looming, pursue a trade for defensive reinforcements like a disruptive DT or edge rusher to bolster a unit allowing 26.5 points per game?

For a Bengals squad leaning on Joe Burrow's return and Joe Flacco's steady hand, these adjustments underscore urgency. A win over Chicago could vault them into wildcard contention, but roster tweaks are mission-critical. Who Dey Nation watches closely—expect more fireworks soon

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ Track Name Holy (Trap).

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ Track Name Exercise (Rock).

#Bengals #NFL #TheStoneShieldsShow