Nearly every time the Cincinnati Bengals coaches spoke about a roster battle this summer, they said that the preseason games would play a big part in determining the final 53-man roster.
When head coach Zac Taylor spoke about the offensive guards vying for a spot on the team, he said he wanted to see them in a game environment. When special teams coach Darrin Simmons discussed the kicking battle, he said he valued the opportunity to watch the two kickers in a game environment.
Even at punt returner, the coaching staff almost always brought up game reps as a determining factor.