What To Know About Bengals Waiver Claim K.J. Henry and the Likely Corresponding Move

CINCINNATI – With just four healthy defensive ends, the Cincinnati Bengals claimed K.J. Henry off waivers from the Washington Commanders today.

Henry joins Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, Joseph Ossai, and rookie sixth-round pick Cedric Johnson in the team’s defensive end room after a productive preseason in which he recorded 10 pressures on just 51 pass-rush attempts.

Bengals Add Depth at Defensive End By Claiming K.J. Henry

On Tuesday, the Bengals placed Myles Murphy on injured reserve-return, meaning the 2023 first-round pick will miss at least the first four games with a knee injury he suffered in the joint practice against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 20.

Coincidentally, Henry lined up opposite Murphy at Clemson and also was a member of the 2023 draft class, going in the fifth round to Washington.

After being a healthy scratch in Games 2-8, Henry had a breakout game in Week 11 against the New York Giants, recording 1.5 sacks.

Those would be the only sacks he would register as a rookie. Henry finished the season with 19 tackles while playing roughly 50% of the Commanders’ defensive snaps from Week 11 on.

Henry is the ninth player the Bengals have claimed on waivers after cutdown day in the Zac Taylor era.

• 2024: DE KJ Henry
• 2023: None
• 2022: TE Devin Asiasi, OL Max Scharping, DT Jay Tufele
• 2021: CB Nick McCloud, DE Wyatt Ray
• 2020: G Shaq Calhoun
• 2019: WR Pharoh Cooper, RB Samaje Perine

Henry was born in southeastern Ohio, where Joe Burrow grew up, but moved to North Carolina at age 2 when his father, Keith, followed head coach Jim Grobe to Wake Forest.

Keith is currently the head coach at North Carolina A&T.

K.J. was a five-star recruit out of high school and appeared in the Under Armour All-American Game. He also was a standout on the basketball court, amassing 1,156 points despite sitting out his senior year.

According to Dane Brugler in the 2023 Beast, KJ used $100,000 in NIL money to help pay the uncovered medical costs for Keith’s kidney transplant.

K.J. graduated Clemson with a degree in sports communication add earned a master’s degree in athletic leadership.

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The Bengals will need to announce a corresponding move to make room for Henry on the 53-man roster.

It isn’t likely to be a defensive end, with Cincinnati being so light there for at least the first four games. Yet, it could be a defensive tackle, where the team went unusually heavy, keeping six.

Jay Tufele could be the odd man out, but the Bengals would certainly have interest in bringing him back on the practice squad.

Running back Trayveon Williams could be an option as well, although that would leave the team with only two on the 53-man roster.

Henry will have a chance to play against his former team on national television in Week 3 when the Commanders visit Paycor Stadium for a Monday Night Football game.