The Cincinnati Bengals have added to their running back corps following the NFL draft, signing former Michigan State starter and Oklahoma State transfer Elijah Collins.
Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report broke the story on April 27, which was subsequently verified by KPRC2 NFL insider Aaron Wilson. Include a financial remark.
“[The] Bengals deal for running back Elijah Collins includes [an] $8,000 signing bonus, per a league source,” Wilson said in his report. A small incentive to keep the 6-foot ball carrier in Cincinnati.
Collins debuted as a rookie starter at Michigan State in 2019 (after a redshirt season). He gained over 1,000 scrimmage yards that season, 988 of which came on the ground (4.5 yards per carry). Collins also had five touchdowns for the Spartans that season.
Unfortunately, the situation took a turn after that.
New Bengals’ UDFA Running Back Elijah Collins struggled with injuries and opportunities after his freshman season.
There’s a reason Collins was passed over during the draft. He showed potential early in his undergraduate career, but there was a drop in performance later on, whether due to injury or effectiveness.
Following his great rookie season, Collins had a terrible second season during the COVID-19 epidemic. In 2020, the Michigan State playmaker’s yards per carry average dipped to a career low of 2.2 YPC, with no touchdowns and 124 scrimmage yards in seven appearances.
Then, in 2021, an injury delayed Collins. The ball carrier missed five games that season but appeared in seven again. This time, his yards per carry average was significantly higher, with a career-high 5.7 YPC and one receiving score — but total performance was still low due to fewer opportunities.
After 222 carries in 2019, Collins did not have more than 50 carries in a season until 2022, when he had 70. In a comeback season, the Spartan proved he could still bear the weight, averaging 4.5 yards per run and over 400 scrimmage yards.
Collins transferred to Oklahoma State following that, and his possibilities were reduced once more. Having said that, he frequently held his own in terms of yards per carry, averaging 4.5 or more in every year but 2020.
Perhaps that little of stability prompted the Bengals to take a look.
Collins ran a 4.51-second 40-yard sprint at Oklahoma State’s pro day, according to Wilson. The RB demonstrated impressive physical abilities, including a 38-inch vertical, 10’5″ broad jump, 4.25-second shuttle, 7.10-second three-cone drill, and 16 bench reps.
The Bengals’ running back room enters the post-Joe Mixon era with Zack Moss at the helm
Zack Moss was brought in as the probable starter after the Bengals released long-time club captain Joe Mixon in 2024.
Behind Moss, the room is similar to last year, with the exception of Collins, who is a rookie.
Chase Brown, a 2023 fifth-round pick, is entering his second season in the league. As a rookie, the Illinois product was called upon 44 times on the ground, totaling 179 yards and a YPC of little more than four per carry.
Chris Evans, a sixth-round pick in 2021, is still with the team as well. His use has decreased dramatically since his first season, when he had 77 running yards and 151 receiving yards.
Finally, the group’s veteran is Trayveon Williams, another former sixth-round pick who has never rushed for more than 157 yards in a season.
Needless to say, Collins has plenty of space to make a roster push in this team. Moss and Brown likely lead the depth chart in September, but the RB3 position may be up for grabs throughout training camp.
Unseating staff favorites will not be easy, but a good summer might push Cincinnati to make some difficult decisions.
Michael Obermuller has been covering the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and Cincinnati Bengals for Heavy.com since 2021. His former bylines include FanDuel’s The Duel, King Fantasy Sports, and Pro Football Mania. He is a Quinnipiac alumnus and resident of the New York City region. More about Michael Obermuller.
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