CINCINNATI — Kevin Huber has the chance to break another record. The Cincinnati native will remain the Bengals punter this season, needing only one game to break his tie with Ken Riley for most regular season games played in franchise history.
At the 4 p.m. deadline to announce 53-man rosters, the Bengals announced they are waiving 23 players including Tri-State native Drue Chrisman, who was vying to unseat the 37-year-old punter.
The entire list of players who have been waived includes:
- LS Cal Adomitis
- QB Jake Browning
- P Drue Chrisman
- OT Devin Cochran
- DT Domenique Davis
- CB Javaris Davis
- TE Nick Eubanks
- G Lamont Gaillard (injured)
- G Nate Gilliam
- LB Clarence Hicks
- CB Delonte Hood
- WR Trenton Irwin
- DE Raymond Johnson III
- LB Keandre Jones
- WR Kwamie Lassiter II
- TE Thaddeus Moss
- G Desmond Noel (injured)
- HB Jacques Patrick
- WR Kendric Pryor
- TE Justin Rigg
- LB Tegray Scales
- DT Tyler Shelvin
- DT Tariqious Tisdale
Cincinnati also released three players to free agency: safety Trayvon Henderson, defensive end Noah Spence and wide receiver Mike D. Thomas. Linebacker Joe Bachie was placed on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury.
Players who have been waived can be signed to the Bengals practice squad after clearing waivers. Cincinnati will announce its practice squad Wednesday.
The Bengals' choice to keep Huber over newly-signed, 25-year-old Chrisman was an unexpected one. Chrisman joined the Bengals during the offseason in 2021, but was waived before the season started in favor of Huber. He re-signed with the Bengals roster at the end of the 2021 season, but Huber signed a one-year contract in May.
Chrisman, a Lawrenceburg native and 2016 La Salle grad, played at The Ohio State University before being signed to the Bengals training camp squad.
In the preseason, Chrisman had 7 punts for an average of 49.57 yards with a long of a 65-yarder. He signed with the Bengals as a college free agent in 2021 and spent his rookie offseason with Cincinnati. He had four separate stints on the practice squad throughout the regular season and playoffs. He officially joined the team on a futures contract after the Super Bowl.
Whether or not he remains with the team's practice squad or gets signed by another team remains to be seen. The Buffalo Bills are in need of a punter for the regular season and could look at Chrisman for the immediate need and the future.
"I have no doubt in my mind he will be in the NFL for a long time and do some unbelievable things there because of how talented he is as a punter," said Baldwin Wallace University football coach Jim Hilvert, who coached Chrisman at La Salle in 2014 and 2015.
Huber said during the team's Super Bowl run he hopes to play until age 40.
"I feel like I'm kicking the ball better than I have in years past as far as strength-wise so I'm not worried about my strength and my endurance for the season," Huber said. "It's just tweaking some mechanics I think is what I'm going to focus on this offseason and I think I've got plenty of leg to last for several more years."
