CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Bengals announced three cuts Friday afternoon, one day after their 41-39 loss in the preseason opener at Kansas City.
Receivers Conner Vernon and Jeremy Johnson, along with defensive tackle Zach Minter, were released. All three appeared in Thursday night's game. Vernon caught a touchdown pass from third-team quarterback Matt Scott in the closing minute of the ballgame. The 12-yard reception was his only catch.
Johnson also had one catch, an 11-yard reception across the middle.
Minter didn't record a statistic but was playing on interior defensive line during a fourth-quarter Chiefs' drive that saw them run seven times into the middle of the Bengals' line. Kansas City's running backs gained 33 yards on those carries. The last one was a 2-yard touchdown run by Cyrus Gray. It came as both Minter and fellow tackle Larry Black were moved to the side by the Chiefs' offensive line.
None the three was expected to last long in camp. Vernon and Johnson were added near the start of training camp when receivers Marvin Jones and Ryan Whalen were still injured. Both returned to practices last Monday. Minter was on the roster during the spring, but he was already near the bottom of a crowded defensive tackle group.
The cuts come after undrafted free agent receiver Alex Neutz was cut just after camp began. The Bengals are now down to 86 players on their current roster.
