Bengals place Charlie Jones on IR

A tough break for the Bengals’ promising rookie.

The Cincinnati Bengals are placing wide receiver Charlie Jones on injured reserve. ESPN’s Field Yates broke the news first, and the team has since confirmed the move.

With Jones heading to IR, the Bengals added linebacker Devin Harper off of waivers from the Dallas Cowboys.

Jones, a fourth-round rookie out of Purdue, entered the 2023 NFL season as the Bengals’ primary punt returner. It took little time for Jones to show his worth, as he returned a punt for a touchdown in Week 2 vs. the Baltimore Ravens. He has eight total punt returns for 150 yards and one score this year.

Jones also caught one pass for six years in Week 3 vs. the Los Angeles Rams. Sadly, Jones suffered a thumb injury in the game and now has to miss the next four games before he’s eligible for a return to the Bengals’ 53-man roster.

In the meantime, fellow wideout Trenton Irwin is listed as the backup punt returner. Irwin and rookie Andrei Iosivas also figure to get more wide receiver snaps while Jones is out.