nugent signed with the cincinnati bengals on april 23, 2010. he competed with dave rayner throughout training camp and the preseason for the bengals starting job. nugent eventually won the competition when the bengals released rayner on september 4, 2010, after nugent made 54- and 52-yard field goals in the team's final two preseason games. nugent was named the afc special teams player of the month for the month of september by going 8 for 8 on field goal tries in the bengals' first three games of the season.