Demetrius

Knight

Wilson has effectively been supplanted by rookie LBs Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter in recent weeks, yet he ties for fourth on the team in tackles (28). Wilson could help a team in need of an early-down thumper, though he is limited as a coverage defender.

The Broncos’ pass catchers hurt Nix with a few costly drops, but his interception was largely on him. The play occurred inside the Bengals’ five-yard line. Nix rolled out to the right and fired a pass to the right side of the end zone, straight into LB Demetrius Knight’s hands. It is unclear whether Nix intended to hit RB RJ Harvey or WR Troy Franklin running behind him, but it was an errant pass nonetheless. Aside from that error, Nix looked sharp throwing on the move. He is a low-end QB1 against the Eagles next week.

The Bengals spent a second-round pick on Knight this offseason, and the rookie was penciled in as the team’s co-starter alongside LB Logan Wilson. The Bengals’ defense is already talent-deficient and EDGE Trey Hendrickson’s contract dispute has not yet been resolved. Bengals LB Oren Burks is Knight’s primary competition for the starting role and has had a strong camp. The injury could push the rookie into a backup role to begin the year.

Speaking on the Rich Eisen Show, Pelissero explains that the Bengals’ participation agreement “did not provide the same level of protection as [what] other teams give their rookies.” The protection language ensures “that you are taken care of financially,” if “something were to happen, injury or otherwise.” Knight, the Bengals’ second-round pick, and the front office agreed to a contract after Knight skipped the first offseason practice, which caused less of an issue than Stewart’s ongoing saga has. Aside from the participation agreement language, Stewart also takes issue with the Bengals’ recent change in contract language. The team opted to bring their rookie contract language in line with the rest of the league, after constructing contracts uniquely in prior seasons.

An elder statesman of the class, Knight Jr. (6’2/235) arrived on the college scene in 2019 enrolling at Georgia Tech where he only played 67 defensive snaps in 2021 and 2022 before transferring to Charlotte in 2023 following the dismissal of former GT HC Geoff Collins. The decision worked out perfectly for Knight Jr as he posted 96 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and three interceptions to go with four PBUs and a First Team All-AAC nod. He parlayed that into a return to the Power Four where he started 10 games with 82 tackles, eight TFLs and 29 stops with an 83rd% defensive grade in the vaunted SEC. Knight Jr. has a filled out frame but he can still fly, recording a 91st percentile 4.58s 40-yard dash and a 4.25s shuttle (85th%) with 32 5/8th” arms for an 8.17 RAS. An aggressive downhill linebacker who has pop in his hands and a measured approach to his game, Knight Jr. has an early down thumper profile and a determined play style that will appeal to NFL defensive coordinators.

Curry spoke to his new teammate’s athletic upside and drive at the ACC Football Kickoff last week, telling reporters that the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Knight is “insanely fast” and noting that the freshman’s work ethic is “unbelievable.” To the latter point, Curry explained, “Me and him are constantly leading the linebacker group in runs and stuff like that.” Knight was actually recruited by former HC Paul Johnson as a quarterback, but he came out of high school with experience at multiple positions, which helped to grease the wheels for Georgia Tech to start him out at linebacker. Barring injury ahead of him on the depth chart, the speedy true frosh is most likely to see work as a special teams cog this coming season.