Happy 2024!

It’s New Year’s Day which means it’s College Football Playoff time in the NCAA. The 4-seed Alabama Crimson Tide will take on the 1-seed Michigan Wolverines and the 3-seed Texas Longhorns will take on the 2-seed Washington Huskies.

As always, our odds, previews, and predictions are powered by our exclusive wagering partners at FanDuel Sportsbook. So head over there to make every moment more.

Here’s a preview of both New Year’s Day contests:

Odds – Alabama (4) vs. Michigan (1)

Spread: Michigan -1.5

Moneyline: Michigan -122/Alabama +102

Total: O/U 45.5

Storylines, Predictions, and Pick

Monday’s first game will kick off at Pasadena, California’s Rose Bowl at 5 p.m. EST.

The Alabama Crimson Tide come into this one with a 12-1 record while riding an 11-game win streak after their Week 2 loss to Texas. Their quarterback in Jalen Milroe, after being benched early on in the season, has tallied 2,718 yards passing and 23 touchdowns while adding 12 scores on the ground.

“I think the biggest thing was embracing hard,” he said when asked how he improved over the course of Alabama’s campaign. “For a quarterback to strive in the SEC and to play at an elite level you have to hard, because there are a lot of uncertainties while you play the position, and with that, you have to have the right proper mindset.”

The Crimson Tide’s opponents in the Michigan Wolverines enter Monday afternoon with a perfect record, but not without controversy. A sign-stealing scandal reportedly led by assistant Connor Stalions resulted in head coach Jim Harbaugh being suspended for three games this season, but it didn’t stop them from winning all 13 games on their slate.

That streak stops on Monday, however. I’m going with Alabama to win a tight one in Pasadena. The Crimson Tide win outright and the total goes over.

Score: Alabama 31 – Michigan 28

Side: Alabama +1.5

Total: OVER 45.5

Odds – Texas (3) @ Washington (2)

Spread: Texas -3.5

Moneyline: Texas -178/Washington +146

Total: O/U 61.5

Storylines, Predictions, and Pick

Monday’s night game is the Sugar Bowl from Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. It’ll kick off at 8:45 p.m. EST.

The second perfect team in the playoff, the PAC-12’s Washington Huskies enter this one with a 13-0 record behind a Heisman Trophy-worthy performance from quarterback Michael Penix. Though he ultimately finished second behind LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Penix’s 2023 season was arguably just as impressive. The senior signal caller threw for 4,218 yards and 33 touchdowns for Washington’s high-powered offense.

They’ll take on 12-1 Texas for a chance to play in the National Championship. Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns only loss on the season came against the 12th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in a 34-30 defeat. Other than that? Texas has been sensational thanks to quarterback Quinn Ewers, wide receiver Xavier Worthy, and a solid defense on the other side.

I’m taking the ‘Horns in this one, setting up an Alabama vs. Texas rematch in the National Championship Game next Monday.

Score: Texas 42 – Washington 38

Side: Texas -3.5

Total: OVER 61.5

Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick and head to FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook, for all of your sports wagering.

The post 2023-24 College Football Playoff – Odds, Previews, and Predictions appeared first on CLNS Media.

But, more to the point, if the Bengals had to win only two games to get to the big game in Arizona, they would’ve had much better odds.

The chances of advancing to the Super Bowl increase greatly for the team with the No. 1 seed in each conference.

Consider:

The point of all of this is that the Bengals are going to do – and should do – everything in their power to acquire the No. 1 seed in the upcoming season to give themselves the best shot at the big game to bring home the big prize.

The Bengals ran an incredible streak of great breaks and timely plays to win three games in the postseason two years ago to make it to Super Bowl LVI. They nearly pulled it off again last year, something no team has ever done, win three straight game two years in a row to make it to back-to-back Super Bowls.

The Bengals were thisclose to four road playoff wins in two years to win back-to-back AFC titles, again something no NFL team has ever accomplished, three of which would’ve come in the hardest places in the NFL to win on the road, Kansas City and Buffalo.

The goal is to win the Super Bowl. Getting there is half the battle. And with that, I present the Bengals 2023 schedule forecast:

Week 1, Sunday, Sept. 10:
At CLEVELAND:
We all know the storyline here. The Bengals and Joe Burrow have been brutal in this venue since Burrow began his career in 2020. Burrow is 0-2 at FirstEnergy Stadium, with the loss in Week 2 of 2020. The Halloween show last year was a true nightmare, the 31-13 blowout that saw the Bengals lose No. 1 corner Chido Awuzie to a torn ACL. The Bengals have just one win against the Browns in the Burrow era in six tries. The Bengals will feel the urgency to get over this hurdle in Week 1. They’ll have answers for Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Deshaun Watson and Nick Chubb.
Bengals 27, Browns 23

Week 2, Sunday, Sept. 17:
BALTIMORE at Paycor:
If the Bengals want home field in January, they need to establish it in September. And they need it against their most fierce competitor in the AFC North. They barely beat the Ravens in the wild card round. The offense should be sharper this time around and the defense will be ready for Lamar Jackson. The home opener should be a good one for the Stripes.
Bengals 30, Ravens 20

The defense continued to dominate. pic.twitter.com/UL2PdOK3C8

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 10, 2023

Week 3: Monday, Sept. 25:
LA RAMS at Paycor:
It will be a festive night, with the two latest names going up on the Ring of Honor on the East facade of Paycor at halftime of Monday night football. The Bengals have the better roster. The Rams will be traveling cross-country and coming off two big NFC West games to open the season, at Seattle and home to the Niners. This one should be a relatively strong statement win.
Bengals 34, Rams 17

Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 1:
At TENNESSEE:
The Titans are rebuilding and Ryan Tannehill will be battling rookie Will Levis. The game is on the road but the Bengals have shown over the last several seasons, they’re not intimidated playing in Nashville. The Bengals are 3-0 against the men of Mike Vrabel since the 2020 season. Bengals figure to take care of business in this one.
Bengals 24, Titans 14

Cincinnati winning streaks

The AFC's longest winning streak of 2022: @JoeyB and the @Bengals' 10-game stretch on the way to the AFC Championship pic.twitter.com/noge2JFV2F

— NFL (@NFL) June 22, 2023

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 8:
At ARIZONA:
Another rebuilding team that doesn’t figure to be in the same class as the Niners or Seahawks in the NFC West. A second-straight road game traveling cross country to Arizona has usually been a formula for a loss. But these Bengals should be prepared for the travel. Keep Kyler Murray from running all over and this one should be another road win.
Bengals 23, Cardinals 17

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 15:
SEATTLE at Paycor:
This game will test the Bengals secondary. Geno Smith now has DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba as targets running all over the place. How will Nick Scott, Dax Hill, Chido Awuzie and Cam Taylor-Britt handle it? Home game gives the Bengals just enough of a boost to help Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins put the game away late.
Bengals 27, Seahawks 24

Week 7: BYE (Watching Reds in NLCS)

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 29:
At SAN FRANCISCO:
Nothing like coming out of the bye with the second-toughest road game (on paper) on the regular season schedule. For the third time in five seasons, the Bengals refresh their most intense rivalry from the NFC. The Bengals have struggled against San Francisco over the years. They were blown out in Zac Taylor’s second game as Bengals head coach in 2019 when they lost 41-10 in Cincinnati. Two years later, they lost the heartbreaker, 26-23, in overtime. These Niners of Kyle Shanahan will test Lou Anarumo’s defense unlike any team this side of Kansas City. Their defense was shutting down everyone last season until they ran into Jalen Hurts and the Eagles in the NFC title game. Bengals find a way to win at Levi’s (like they did in 2015) and stay perfect as Evan McPherson kicks game-winner.
Bengals 22, 49ers 20

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 5:
BUFFALO at Paycor:
This will be an emotional game for the whole country as the two teams meet on the same ground that Damar Hamlin collapsed on Jan. 2. But business is business, and that emotion will give way to the significance of the game for the Bengals, who will need the game for home field purposes in January. The Bengals started out hot in that Jan. 2 game on a Monday night. The Bengals dominated with a strong run game in the AFC Divisional. The Bengals find a way to stay perfect.
Bengals 23, Bills 19

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 12:
HOUSTON at Paycor:
In typical years, this would serve as the classic letdown game, as was the case in 2015 when the Bengals had their perfect 8-0 start ruined by DeAndre Hopkins and the Texans in a 10-6 win on Monday night football. Not this year. The Bengals are a much, much hungrier and focused club.
Bengals 24, Texans 12

Week 11: Thursday, Nov. 16:
At BALTIMORE:
This is the logical first spot for a loss. Ravens, short week, desperate to make a statement and catch up in the AFC North with a win over a Bengals team that is the midst of a run to an unprecedented third straight AFC North title. Lamar Jackson gets the crowd going early and often.
Ravens 31, Bengals 16

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 26:
PITTSBURGH at Paycor:
Ten days to lick their wounds from Baltimore should be enough to handle second-year QB Kenny Pickett and the Steelers at home.
Bengals 28, Steelers 13

Week 13: Monday, Dec. 4:
At JACKSONVILLE:
Trevor Lawrence shines in this game. Any quarterback that can overcome a 27-0 hole in a playoff game deserves all sorts of respect. Lawrence has become the man in Jacksonville and this is the Jaguars chance to prove a point against a Bengals team that has Super Bowl aspirations. This is likely an AFC playoff preview, maybe even the AFC championship game that nearly happened in January when the Jaguars came up just short in KC.
Jaguars 20, Bengals 17

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 10:
INDIANAPOLIS at Paycor:
This game should be a no-brainer for the Bengals. Just don’t let running back Jonathan Taylor go off. Anthony Richardson is a rookie quarterback. This also marks the homecoming for former UC receiving star Alec Pierce. This is all Bengals.
Bengals 41, Colts 20

Week 15: Sat. or Sun. Dec. 16/17
MINNESOTA at Paycor:
Justin Jefferson comes to town to compare Griddy moves with former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals barely survived the Vikings in their last visit to Cincinnati, the 27-24 overtime thriller in the 2021 season opener. This one should not be as close. Vikings are not rebuilding but trying to rework their roster and could likely be chasing the Lions in the NFC North by this point. Bengals have more weapons on both sides of the ball. No last-second Evan McPherson heroics needed this time.
Bengals 26, Vikings 21

Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 23:
At PITTSBURGH:
Two days before Christmas on the road. My mind immediately goes back to Foxboro last year when the Bengals raced out to a 22-0 lead before nearly suffering an epic meltdown before Vonn Bell forced a Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled that saved Christmas. Bengals should have plenty in the tank in terms of motivation and sweep the Steelers for the second time in three seasons, and not look ahead to the Week 17 matchup in KC.
Bengals 19, Steelers 16

This just in! pic.twitter.com/GcpAVxqwSQ

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 10, 2023

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 31:
At KANSAS CITY:
The entire NFL will have their eyes on this game that will lead everyone into New Year’s Eve celebrations. The Bengals and Chiefs will be playing this game for the third straight year in the regular season and the No. 1 seed will be on the line. The whole point of this exercise was to stress the significance of the top seed in the AFC and the ONLY first-round bye. The Bengals, if healthy, will have enough to contain Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce this time. The Bengals find a way to beat the Chiefs like they have in three of the last four meetings between the two hottest AFC rivals. Evan McPherson wins the No. 1 seed at the gun
Bengals 30, Chiefs 28

December 4, 2022 vs Chiefs@GermainePratt7 said “GIMMIE THAT”

Let's go back to Week 13 pic.twitter.com/Z5Djeqjrb4

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) June 7, 2023

Week 18: Sat. or Sun. Jan. 7/8:
CLEVELAND at Paycor:
Like 2021, the Bengals will have a game against the Browns in the final week that won’t impact their chances at the No. 1 seed. This time, though, they will have it wrapped up. And this time, Trevor Siemian starts and throws three TDs and goes for 325 yards and there’s a QB controversy. Not quite. But Siemian leads the Bengals to their 15th win and the Bengals become the seventh NFL team with 15 regular season wins, and the first in the AFC since the 2007 Patriots went 16-0.
Bengals 24, Browns 20

There you have it. This is how the Bengals capture the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Just go 15-2, simple as that. All that’s left is to go out and do it.

The post Bengals Beat: Projecting The 2023 Schedule And A No. 1 AFC Seed for Cincinnati appeared first on CLNS Media.

Urgency. That is the word you’re going to hear more than any other when it comes to the 2023 Bengals, who know full well that the time is now to bring home to Cincinnati its first Super Bowl title.

The players know it. The coaches feel it. The staff on the field and in the offices at Paycor can sense it.

The team doesn’t reconvene until July 25, when players report for physicals. Camp begins the next day.

Here are some things to keep top of mind this summer about the Bengals as you’re enjoying a beverage in the backyard:

• The Bengals are in the perfect mental space to be ready for the challenge come July:

All you have to do is listen to how comfortable Zac Taylor is with his team’s approach to the offseason workouts, practices, OTAs and mandatory minicamp to get a sense that everyone is taking the Super Bowl mission very seriously. Many teams chose to end minicamp early and send players on their way. Not the Bengals, partly because Taylor chose to go light at the front end and work them a tad harder on the back side.

“I think that we got really good work in. I think guys have an understanding what we’re all about here, guys that are new our program. The vets really hit the ground running this offseason and I really enjoyed the urgency. It wasn’t the most physical or taxing practices probably in the league right now, but that’s because of the urgency these guys attack walkthroughs with and the individual drills. So, there’s an appreciation from the coaching level that aspect of how the guys approached it and proved that they can handle this type of workload. And so we come out of this thing relatively healthy and these guys can continue to build on the foundation that they’ve presented for themselves over these next five weeks so that when training camp hits, they’re ready to hit the ground running and you’re ready to go.”

• Urgency is there:

Echoing what Joe Burrow said on Tuesday, Taylor made it clear that these Bengals are mentally locked in. While not going physically full speed, they were making up for it in the mental reps. Be in the right place at the right time. Blocking assignments on punts and kickoffs, blitz pickups, receiver routes, communication on the backend of a new-look secondary. None of those require physical exertion. But they do require diligence. And that’s what was noticeable in the minicamp practices inside Paycor Stadium.

“It can mean a lot of different things. It’s an urgency to iron out some details in plays. It’s an urgency to run from drill to drill and finish drills full speed. So there’s a lot of different ways they can use, but I think it’s a very applicable word for just how we want to operate here. There’s a sense of urgency where we’re not laid back and it is we want to get moving and we’ve got expectations for ourselves.”

"I really enjoyed the urgency." Zac Taylor on the end of Bengals offseason practices Thursday. Urgency is biggest buzzword of Bengals 2023 season pic.twitter.com/0krcpJqWO4

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) June 15, 2023

• All aboard:

Tom Brady would always let the newcomers and rookies in New England know that when they report for camp, they better be ready to go because they train will be getting up to speed fast and if you’re not on board, you will be left behind. It’s no different with Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Burrow, in his quiet way, has conveyed that same message with the full support of his head coach.

“I think you just watch 11 on zero offense, 11 on zero defense, 11 on zero (special teams), you feel that you feel like this thing is way ahead of we’ve been years past, just from especially the first day I got here. So you can see the details. Guys are moving so quickly because they understand. It’s such a great understanding. The players here are empowered, they’ve taken ownership of our schemes and so that allows them to take the next step. It’s new players I think feel that, and they feel the need to study up and maximize the reps they get because they can see guys that have been in these systems for years now at the high level that they’re playing, the high level of understanding of what we ask them to do and that’s a really good thing for our team.”

Asked Zac Taylor about new players jumping on moving train that is the Bengals. "You feel this thing is way ahead of where we've been in years past." pic.twitter.com/eRQI6rrTtw

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) June 15, 2023

• Business is business:

Joe Burrow has not looked distracted by his off-the-field negotiations for a massive extension that is coming his way before his fourth NFL season. No details have been leaked except for a possible scenario whereby Burrow receives an average annual valued contract of about 16 percent of the team’s annual cap for the life of the deal. The biggest variables? Years and guaranteed cash. Burrow’s guaranteed money could range from Patrick Mahomes’ $141 million to Lamar Jackson’s $185 million to Deshaun Watson’s $230 guaranteed number. The higher the number of years, the more flexibility for the Bengals. The years could range from the five of Jackson and Watson to the 10 of Mahomes. A length of 7-8 sounds about right. But again, pure speculation. The structure is likely in place. The details are what is taking longer, which is to be expected. Both sides would like to have this announced formally before camp begins and that could happen anytime in the next five weeks. Once that’s resolved, then it’s time to get a deal done for Tee Higgins (if he and agent David Mulugheta are open to it) and linebacker Logan Wilson.

• Battles to watch:

From the three days of high-energy minicamp inside Paycor Stadium, it’s apparent where most battles lie. “I don’t think that there’s an area where there’s not going to be competition, whether it’s at the starter level or the backup level,” Taylor told me. “I think this team has really high end starters and really talented depth and so I’m excited to see how it shakes out. I don’t go into camp with any foregone conclusions that this is how it’s going to play out. I think you just let it play out and we’re going to get plenty of reps, plenty of opportunities for guys to have an opportunity to showcase what they can do and take a spot on the team and we’re very open to all that.”

Jackson Carman is the leader in the clubhouse for the starting right tackle spot. But with Jonah Williams back for minicamp, he made it clear that he’ll be ready for camp and ready to win the job that was put before him and getting moved from left tackle after the signing of Orlando Brown Jr. La’el Collins is a definite candidate to start camp on PUP.

Joe Mixon is the No. 1 running back. Off-field legal issues, speculation about his $12.8 million cap price for this season and his spotty production from last year haven’t changed that. He is still a leader in the locker room, well-respected for his work ethic and remains committed to showing he can still play an important role in the offense.

Trayveon Williams is the leader for the Samaje Perine role. Rookie Chase Brown will be given reps along with Chris Evans in the preseason.

Charlie Jones looked smooth working with all three QBs and will battle with Trent Taylor and Kwamie Lassiter II for punt return reps. It’ll be fascinating to see what kind of run time Jones gets with Burrow and the big three of Higgins, Chase and Boyd in camp and the preseason.

Nick Scott and Dax Hill will be the two safeties. Zac Taylor wasn’t committing just yet to Chido Awuzie being full strength and ready for camp but he sure looked the part on the rehab part of the field during minicamp. Awuzie, Taylor-Britt and Hilton are the corners.

Corner DJ Turner II and safety Jordan Battle will get reps in preseason while Myles Murphy will slot in behind Joseph Ossai for edge reps behind Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard. Murphy and Battle will definitely be part of Darrin Simmons’ special team units.

Trevor Siemian looks for all the world to be the No. 2 QB behind Burrow and ahead of Jake Browning.

Finally, rookie Brad Robbins looked the role of starting punter in minicamp with some booming kicks and some good directional work. Drue Chrisman, if things go well for him and no other team needs a punter at the end of August, could still land on the practice squad.

For the Bengals and any team with championship aspirations, the No. 1 goal of the next five weeks is to stay safe, healthy and out of the headlines.

That goes for you, too. Stay safe, soak up the sun, take in a red-hot Reds team that might just be ready to shock the world like the 2021 Bengals and make a deep playoff run. Who knows? There’s FCC, which is enjoying an historic run in Major League Soccer. There’s Taylor Swift at Paycor on June 30-July 1. July 26 and the opening of Bengals camp will be here soon enough. Rest up and enjoy, Cincinnati. The Bengals are getting ready for an epic season.

Training Camp Set for July 26-Aug. 16:
Bengals Training Camp presented by Kettering Health kicks off on Wednesday, July 26 and will feature 10 open practices for fans. Four additional practices will be open exclusively to Season Ticket Members and Waitlist Members. The Bengals will practice inside Paycor Stadium on Saturday, July 29 as part of the NFL’s Back Together Weekend, presented locally by Swift Meats. Mobile tickets are required for all fans attending this practice. Tickets are free and will be made available the week of July 17, with Season Ticket Members and Waitlist Members receiving first access.

All other open practices will take place at the Kettering Health Practice Fields located just west of Paycor Stadium. The entrance is located on the corner of Central Avenue and West Pete Rose Way. Fans are encouraged to park in Lot 1, Lot A or Lot B for practices at established prices.
The Kettering Health Practice Fields have bleacher seating for 1,250 fans next to the fields, plus additional standing room along the sidelines. Admission is free and no ticket is required. Fans are encouraged to arrive early since capacity is limited and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Concessions and Bengals merchandise will be available to purchase.

The NFL Clear Bag Policy will be in effect for all practices. Visit bengals.com/bagpolicy for more information about the sizes and types of bags that will be permitted.
Bengals players will sign autographs for fans along the sidelines following open practices at the Kettering Health Practice Fields. Different position groups will be available each day after practice.

Season Ticket Members and Waitlist Members will have access to four exclusive practices, including the joint practice with the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday, Aug. 9. Members will receive more information via email the week of July 31 about how to claim free tickets to the members-exclusive practices. Fans can visit bengals.com/tickets to learn more about the Season Ticket Member Waitlist.

The post Bengals Beat: Everyone Feels The Super Bowl Urgency, 5 Things To Keep In Mind About 2023 Bengals During Summer Break appeared first on CLNS Media.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise since Joe Burrow has the most at stake making sure that his potential starting right tackle is playing at a high level.

Burrow has already demonstrated by example that he is a proactive leader, bringing teammates together whenever he can. He did it when he hosted La’el Collins last offseason. He did it with Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. He did it back before the 2021 season with Riley Reiff, Mike Hilton, Chido Awuzie and Trey Hendrickson.

This time there was no dinner. Just a simple gesture of reaching out to make sure he was okay.

“It meant a lot. I consider Joe to be a good friend and phenomenal teammate, as you guys all see,” Williams said. “He’s that way in real life too. So it’s great to hear that from him. I would love to win the Super Bowl with him, so I’ll do that at left (tackle), I’ll do it at right, I’ll do it wherever.”

“We all talk about the chemistry we have in the locker room, and the team unity, and that’s just part of it,” Burrow added. “That’s I think why we’ve had a lot of success here, because guys love each other in that locker room. That’s real love, true love that you have for your teammates.”

Joe Burrow explains why he reached out to Jonah Williams to support him. Says there's "true love for teammates" in Bengals locker room. pic.twitter.com/oiyFV0GAfX

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) June 13, 2023

Williams made it clear Tuesday on the first day of mandatory minicamp that he was pretty ticked that the team didn’t reach out to him and let him know what was going down with Orlando Brown Jr. before the team signed their new starting left tackle.

“So I finished the season,” Williams said as he spoke for the first time in front of his locker Tuesday after the first mandatory minicamp practice. “Obviously, I hurt my knee and missed out. And that was tough. I was rehabbing and hoping to make it to the Super Bowl and would be able to play. Might have been a stretch but I was in here grinding, hoping I could do it. And I had good exit interviews with the coaches and everything. And they didn’t give me the impression that anything was going to change.

“So, in my mind I was like, ‘Ok, I’m going to go out to California. Rehab my knee. Have my baby girl and come back and play.’ That’s what I was working on. That’s the presumption I was working under. So, the main issue for me was the way that I found out. The way the communication happened because I’m sitting on my couch. My fiancee is 40 weeks pregnant. Her due date was in I want to say three days, and I’m rehabbing my knee and all that stuff.”

Then Williams looked down at his phone and couldn’t believe what he was reading.

“I found out that we signed Orlando on my phone, on Apple news,” he said. “Actually had a teammate, text me before. ‘Hey, have the Bengals talked to you? I was like, ‘No, have a good one.’ I didn’t know what he meant, and so I found out on Apple news. And so then, the following day, my agent was calling the front office trying to get a hold of someone. And he just never got a hold of anyone and no one responded to us and I just didn’t know what was going on and I just wanted to hear it from them.”

This left Williams to figure out on his own that he was being displaced and that if he wanted to start for the Bengals, it would be on the other side of a now refortified offensive line.

“And the frustrating thing is that I still haven’t heard anything back. We had a request to trade via text. I felt that I’ve started 47 games, 37 straight, and I felt that if it were communicated, ‘Hey, we have the opportunity to sign this guy and we like him. We want you to bump over and play right, tackle.’ You know, it sucks. It would be hard to hear, but I think in a couple of days, I would’ve been like, ‘Okay, let’s go, let’s do it.’ And I just never got that. So, it was never left tackle, right, tackle. I know a lot of people made it out to be that. It wasn’t that. There are 64 tackle spots in the league. To have any of them is a crazy, amazing opportunity that I’m super grateful for the chance. So, the plan is to play me at right tackle.

“I’m fired up to do it. Let’s go, I’m working my knee. I think I’m going to be cleared soon. I feel great moving around and so that that was never the issue. I know, that’s kind of how it was made out to be and it was never like a personal thing. I love all my teammates, love all my coaches love. Love the team, city, fans. The last couple years have just been amazing, for me personally and for the city, and we really felt that. So yeah, that’s most of the points. I just wanted to clear up about it. I’m back now (at) mandatory minicamp. I’m going to be back Day 1 of training camp, before Day 1 of training camp, 100 percent, ready to grind, ready to roll. And ready to play where the team needs me.”

Williams says he’ll be sure it’s a smooth transition, assuming he beats out Jackson Carman for the job to start the season.

“I’m going to make it one whether it is or isn’t,” Williams said Tuesday. “I’m going to be out there everyday doing sets. I think I’ll have a month before training camp being cleared. I’ll have all of training camp to get acclimated. Whether it’s smooth or not doesn’t matter, because I’m going to do it.”

Let’s be clear. There was never a chance Williams was going to sit out and not collect on his $12.6 million deal in the final year of his five-year rookie deal. He had no leverage. He knew it. The team knew it.

But the question remains, will he be motivated to kick the backside of anyone in front of him this season?

“I’ve played left tackle for six whole seasons and everything there feels so natural to me, because I’ve done it so much,” Williams added. “I just have to re-train everything. This is my job, I’m a dad and I’m going to take sets every single day. That’s my plan. I’ll be ready to go.”

He knows he’s likely entering his final season in Cincinnati, just as was the case for Jessie Bates last year and Tyler Boyd this year, though Boyd didn’t suffer the indignity that Williams just went through.

“It will have a factor in it. I think that this has kind of shown me that I can’t think of all that. It doesn’t bode well for me. I’m just going to focus on playing and being the best tackle I can be and help us win a Super Bowl.”

Zac Taylor has the enviable problem of watching the battle at right tackle play out organically in training camp in late July. Jackson Carman has been taking first team reps with Jonah Williams rehabbing his knee on his own away from the team and La’el Collins working his way back.

All three were on the field together Tuesday, with only Carman taking reps. Williams expects to be ready for camp while Collins is a candidate to start camp on the PUP list.

Jonah Williams, La’el Collins and Chido Awuzie were all in the rehab end zone working on to return from their various knee injuries of 2022. Awuzie was actually in uniform during walk-through before practice but did not take part. Awuzie and Williams both showed quickness and agility on cone drills, showing the ability to cut and change direction quickly. Both appear well on their way to being cleared for camp in late July. La’el Collins was working with a weighted exercise ball.

Allan George got first-team reps at right corner in walk-throughs, taking the place of DJ Turner II, who served that role last week. The other corner was Cam Taylor-Britt as expected. Turner and Jordan Battle were on the second team defense Tuesday.

Ja’Marr Chase showed off his athleticism Tuesday, catching a pair of passes over the middle from Joe Burrow on back-to-back snaps in 7-on-7s. Tyler Boyd and Burrow looked to be in sync Tuesday as the two looked sharp in 7-on-7s.

Burrow made it clear Tuesday that the time is now for the Bengals to seize on their potential and finally reach the top of the mountain.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say motivation, I would say maybe urgency. We’ve been there, done that, now it’s time to take that next step,” Burrow said. “I wouldn’t say that’s extra motivation, because we’re motivated every game, every day, every year. I would say the sense of urgency has risen in that locker room.

“We’re excited about where we’re at. Everyone knows how good (Tyler Boyd) is in the slot. What last year showed and these last couple of weeks showed is that guys can step up into that role as well and make plays. They’re guys that we’re excited about. I feel like we have a lot of depth at a lot of different positions that we haven’t had at years past.”

Burrow made it clear that whether it’s a free agent tight end or a rookie receiver or running back, the expectation is for everyone to be on the same page once camp begins in late July. And based on what he’s seen so far, the new group of weapons will meet that expectation. The Bengals have added rookies Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas to the wide receiver room, rookie Chase Brown to the running back group and tight end Irv Smith Jr. to the tight end group. Burrow believes the offense will be better because of how the veterans will welcome and assimilate the new weapons quickly.

“We’re ahead of where we were last year because all of our guys on offense have been in the system except for two or three guys,” Burrow said. “They’re learning it, but we’re not really slowing down for anybody. Those guys have done a great job getting up to our speed for guys that are brand new. There’s just little things here and there that, when you’ve been in the system for four years now, that you can talk with some guys about that are very unique, minute details that maybe you haven’t been able to talk about in year’s past.”

Joe Burrow isn’t going to negotiate his upcoming contract extension with the Bengals publicly. He spoke at length in May during OTAs about the progress being made. Asked Tuesday if he’d feel comfortable playing without a new deal this season, he said he’s done talking about it until it’s done.

“I think I’ve given you guys all the information that I’m comfortable with sharing about that process,” Burrow said. “As far as questions go about that, probably save that for another time.”

Joe Burrow knows the score for now. He’s 3-1 against Patrick Mahomes. But on the most important scoreboard, Mahomes has two Super Bowl rings and has been to the Super Bowl three times in the last four years, with Burrow’s Bengals the only break in that run. This is why Burrow called the Chiefs quarterback the best in the game on Tuesday.

“I don’t think there is any argument now, it’s Pat,” Burrow said. “Until somebody has a better year than he’s had. He’s the one to knock off.”

The biggest road show in all of music comes to Paycor on June 30-July 1 when Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” comes to Cincinnati. Will Burrow attend?

“I have a lot of respect for what Taylor Swift has done with her career,” Burrow said. “I can’t say that I’m listening to too much Taylor Swift on the speakers in the headphones. I know a lot of people are but that’s just not me. I have heard the tour is a lot of fun, though. Maybe I’ll stop by.”

What does Burrow listen to?

“I’m kind of all over the place,” he said. “I’ll listen to some indy, I’ll listen to some hip hop, some pop. I’ll listen to just about anything but country. I’m not a country guy.”

The promotion of Elly De La Cruz has boosted the Reds into the sports spotlight in Cincinnati for the first time since Aug. 2021 when they were fighting for a wild card spot. This has a much different feel for the team down the street. And with EDLC and Matt McLain turning the city back onto baseball, Burrow has certainly felt the vibe.

“He’s exciting to watch. You kind of see how the city rallies around guys when they are up and coming and have a chance to be great,” Burrow said. “It’s exciting that the city embraces you like that. Those guys over there are starting to feel it because they put together a little run here. That’s something we’ve felt and with FC Cincy, too, the energy in the city right now is exciting.”

Burrow, with the coaching help of Jonathan India, belted four homers during batting practice before the June 7 game with the Dodgers.

“I was. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able hit any home runs,” Burrow said. “I was excited I was able to. I always kind of wondered if I could do that. Now I know.”

The post Bengals Beat: Joe Burrow Employs ‘True Love’ To Smooth Over Hurt Feelings Between Jonah Williams, Front Office appeared first on CLNS Media.

Until then, the new faces in that group are doing everything they can to make sure they’re more than up for the challenge.

There’s no Jessie Bates or Vonn Bell. Chido Awuzie is moving closer to a return from his ACL rehab. Nick Scott is taking it easy with his right shoulder this offseason. Eli Apple is still a free agent and Tre Flowers is in Atlanta with Bates.

All of this means defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who last September famously said he dreads starting rookies on his defense, will be relying on first and second-year players on the back end.

Consider:

But the Bengals will rightly take it cautiously throughout camp before rushing him back from ACL reconstruction. His readiness for Week 1 is still wait-and-see but the optimism is there. For that reason, the Bengals had rookies DJ Turner II and Jordan Battle lining up with the first team defensive unit this week in 7-on-7 drills at OTAs.

Now some context. Nick Scott has been held out of OTA full practice because the team is letting his right shoulder heal from last season and get back to full strength in time for training camp. Scott said Tuesday that would not be an issue since he likely could’ve been cleared for next week’s mandatory mini-camp but again, like with Awuzie, there’s no reason to rush.

With Awuzie out, Turner was playing right corner, opposite Cam Taylor-Britt. Mike Hilton was in his customary spot as nickel corner while Hill and Battle assumed their spots at safety. Battle was filling in for Scott, who is being “smart” with his right shoulder in the offseason.

“I think we look really well, and that’s a testament to the coaches and the guys who’ve been in this building for a while,” Scott said. “Just kind of instilling that foundation and the new guys and it doesn’t make it hard for us to pick up what we’re trying to put down and start gelling with the guys. So, it’s been a lot of fun so far like I said, I’m itching to start doing those 7-on-7s and just stuff, but I gotta be smart.”

The real bottom line to all of this is that everyone in the defensive back group will be expected to be prepared and ready to fill a role at moment’s notice.

“I mean we really all roll together,” Jordan Battle said after Tuesday’s practice. “That’s the beauty. Just defense and everybody roll together. There’s really no head honcho. We all know they’re all head honchos. You go to anybody on anything, whether it’s a linebacker, whether it’s Logan (Wilson) or GP (Germaine Pratt), whether it’s Mike (Hilton) or Nick (Scott). They all treat you the same way as if you weren’t even a rookie.”

“Communication is the biggest thing that we preach every day in the DB room, try to communicate, how can we all be on the same page so it allows us to make plays. I saw some tip balls (Tuesday), and that came from communication before snap.”

The tip balls come from making the right breaks on the receivers running routes. It’s about timing. And that timing in the secondary has impressed Scott, who came from a ball-hawking Rams defense that beat Tom Brady in Tampa on the way to Super Bowl LVI against the Bengals.

“Guys are getting the opportunity to move fast and actually break off the ball and everything like that,” Scott said. “It’s always exciting. Everybody’s heart rate goes up a little bit more because we’re getting the opportunity to do part of what we love. I’ve been extremely happy and impressed with not only this team, but the young guys, including JB, especially with how fast he’s been able to pick things up and just look fluid.”

For every rookie, there’s a moment in their first OTA or minicamp or training camp practice where the light goes on. For Battle, someone who’s already seen so much in terms of defensive schemes inside Nick Saban’s Alabama program, he anticipates several enlightening moments in the next 2-3 months.

“It’s probably too early in, just Day 2 with helmets on. I’m pretty sure I’ll have many ‘aha’ moments as the days go by and every day has been exciting. Every day has been fun. You get to learn these guys. You get to move around with them. So, I just look forward to the future.”

“I’ve been super impressed with his ability to understand the playbook and pick up concepts and everything like that,” Scott said of Battle. “So, that’s a great sign. Obviously, you see his frame and how physical he can be, and moves well. So, I’m excited about him. I think he’s a guy that will be able to help this team in a lot of different ways whether that be special teams or defensively.

Battle is also learning the expectations of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.

“Oh, yeah, Coach Lou is cool. He stays on us. He wants us to be perfectionists, which is the standard here. Three yards is not good. Two yards is not good. We don’t want anybody to gain any yards. So, that’s been the level of preaching in the meeting rooms, when a guy catches a ball, like two yards, that’s a big play to us. You want to knock the ball off a guy and be in the right position at all times.”

Tyler Boyd, Jonah Williams and DJ Reader were three veterans not spotted at Tuesday’s OTA. Williams has not been seen at any of the offseason program activities, including workouts or optional practices. Boyd returned to practice last week, indicating that he missed being around his teammates. Reader has been a regular participant in workouts this offseason.

Second-year long snapper Cal Adomitis was again spotted with a boot on his left foot on Tuesday, with tight end Tanner Hudson handling long snapping duties. The injury to Adomitis is not considered serious enough to keep him out of training camp, when it starts in late July. Hudson snapped the ball to Drue Chrisman and Brad Robbins, both of whom successfully held for Evan McPherson, who connected on all six of his field goal attempts.

Both Higgins and Smith caught passes over the middle during 7-on-7 work Tuesday. Smith’s was a leaping grab of about 15 yards while Higgins caught his in stride. Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase worked with Trenton Irwin on the first team unit.

First round pick Myles Murphy and Jordan Battle were spotted on the kick return and coverage units on Tuesday. Both are expected to be significant contributors on Darrin Simmons’ units as both are fast, can shed blocks and finish tackles, all important qualities for special team contributors.

The post Bengals Beat: Secondary of Primary Focus As DJ Turner II, Jordan Battle Compete For Starting Jobs appeared first on CLNS Media.

Boyd was all smiles and did what he always has done in his seven seasons with the Bengals – he patiently and gracefully answered all questions about his future and why he chose the day after Memorial Day to return to practice after sitting out the first phase.

“I just feel like wanted to come around and bring camaraderie,” Boyd said. “I miss the guys. And even though I was away, I was just away spending time, my family, quality time with my daughter and I just felt empty not being around my guys and just being there for them.”

Boyd was back with his posse that features Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and also includes Stanley Morgan, Trenton Irwin, Trent Taylor and Kwamie Lassiter II. Of course there were rookies Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas who were part of the workout with coach Troy Walters and watching Boyd closely.

There’s good reason for that.

Chase and Higgins are the undeniable stars but Boyd has been the glue. And that’s not going to change this season, which could be his last in Cincinnati, as his contract expires after this season.

That’s why – after the smiles and laughter in the locker room – there was a sense of urgency in Boyd’s thoughts about what’s ahead for the Bengals this offseason as they prepare for 2023.

“This is my home for now. I’m not going to worry about the unexpected,” Boyd said. “I’m here to finish this year out and whatever happens happens. But I know we have a very, very high chance of making the Super Bowl and even winning, and this is where I want to be. Whether I come up with a new deal or not. I got to just go out there and I’m gonna be me.

“I am very appreciative of them still wanting me to be around and knowing that they don’t want to trade me and things like that. But at the end of the day I just gotta help guys get better. I mean, we ain’t gonna be playing ball forever. I might not be here forever. But I mean I’ve always loved this franchise and I’m always going to be a Bengal.”

Those words are much more than lip service. Those words from the most senior Bengal indicate a level of dedication to the ultimate prize he has sought since playing his first snap in 2016.

On the field Tuesday, Boyd – true to his word – looked very much in shape and in tune with Joe Burrow, running his slot routes to perfection, smoothly and without hesitation. He brought a different energy that his teammates could immediately sense.

“I think guys are just excited for me to be around because I bring a lot of juice to this team, and just having my presence felt just amps guys up, just gets guys ready and vice versa,” Boyd said. “This is probably the biggest family that I have. I really don’t have as many friends as I have in this locker room. Just coming around and talking to everybody and just having quality time and just talking football and just having fun doing that.

“It felt great. I’ve been working on conditioning, I feel good out there. I usually come in feeling like maybe I ain’t ready, but I was more than ready in that respect. But it’s still day one. I got my legs under me and just happy to be around the guys again.”

Boyd is precisely the type of player Zac Taylor wanted to build his program around when he came to Cincinnati in 2019. He had seen the rough days but hadn’t quit. He had seen the losses pile up but hadn’t given up hope of the ship charting smoother waters.

“I’ve been through thick and thin, the ups and downs, the terribles, the greats, but just the person I am, I just stay the course,” Boyd told me. “I never look down on myself or my team. However things go, we just want to keep the ball going and just to stay in one lane and just keep getting better and keep fighting and just keep getting to this stage and knowing that I’m on a suitable caliber team.”

Boyd, who’ll turn 30 on Nov. 15, was rewarded for his perseverance in 2019, signing a four-year, $43 million extension in 2019.

“It just just shows how much work and dedication I put into this organization and just trying to build guys and (be) contagious, bring the camaraderie even when we know we ain’t in contention to play or we down or even up,” Boyd added. “I try to keep it baseline so guys could just stay in a great mood when they come into work.”

Of course, Boyd and Taylor fully expect the Bengals to be in contention for the biggest prize that has eluded the franchise in its first 55 seasons. Boyd and Taylor have an understanding of each other. And with other leaders like Sam Hubbard, Ted Karras and DJ Reader around, it’s only smart business to pace the workload in the offseason, stressing equal parts playbook, on-field execution and chemistry.

“Zac takes good care of us. He kind of let’s us come in a little later in OTAs,” Boyd said. “But in previous years, I will come in and would try to get the (workout) I wanted by coming in so early. A few years ago, I’ll feel like I’m not ready yet but that’s what OTAs is for, to get your legs back right, get fundamentally sound, just sort of critique your little things. Just get your body prepared and just get the feeling of playing football again.”

The feeling is mutual with Taylor toward Boyd.

“He’s been about what we want to be about, every step of the way. When this staff came in here in 2019 he’s one of those guys that through thick and thin is always, ‘Whatever you need from me coach.’ He’s always been a great leader in the locker room. He’s always been someone I’ve been able to go to and know that I’m going to get a truthful response back on how things are going. One thing we preach to all of our guys, especially our new guys, is we want guys that are consistent every day they walk into the building. We know what we’re going to expect. TB fits that to a T. He’s the same guy every single day.

“He always has a great attitude and I think that’s a key to building the culture the way we wanted it. The way we want this team is guys like that type of personality. We sent him and Jessie Bates out for the coin toss at Buffalo last year, because I felt like those were two guys that really fit that description aside from Sam Hubard, who was a captain and a number of other guys who had been here for a numer years. Those guys personify what we want to be about.”

Boyd is not concerned about competition from Charlie Jones for snaps in the slot receiver position.

“I just know that TB is very unselfish and he has no ego,” Taylor said. “There’s no one on this team he wouldn’t help and put his arm around and make sure they understand the way that we do things. Even if takes a rep away from him. He’s just the type of guy that just wants the best for this team; just wants to help us win championships, division titles. He’s very unselfish. I think he’s a great mentor to a lot of these young players that we have.”

Boyd is rightfully secure in his spot as the go-to slot receiver for Joe Burrow. And one need only look back to the AFC Championship in Kansas City to know what kind of impact his absence had when he went out after taking a knee to the thigh.

Higgins and Chase were doubled on the outside and it was harder for Burrow to find open targets downfield. Part of the reason for drafting Charlie Jones was to have a playmaker behind Boyd. Trenton Irwin and Trent Taylor certainly filled in admirably throughout the season but the offense was hurt when the Chiefs were able to not really be that concerned about the slot and pay more attention to Higgins and Chase.

“Still, to this day, I feel like if I had played the whole game, I was the key factor,” said Boyd, who caught two passes for 40 yards before leaving with the injury in the first half. With Boyd out, Higgins and Chase were targeted 19 times with just 12 completions, a rate that surely would’ve been higher with Boyd on the field.

Boyd isn’t thinking about 2024 and whether Jones takes his place on the roster. He’s thinking about 2023 and how to help Jones adapt quickly to the Bengals offense, just like he did with Higgins in 2020 and Chase in 2021.

“I’m still leading. I want you to come in and feel like you can continue to do what you’ve been doing in college, you’re gonna be fine. Guys might come in just underestimating themselves, not knowing if they can play or if they are good enough.

“I’m just trying to get them up, just make sure (they know), ‘y’all here for a reason. Y’all might not start but you’re gonna be on this team and players and the coaches you’ve got around you are gonna get you better, 10 times better than what you were.’ And so I think the most important part for them right now is just to take all the criticism and just learn.”

This is what makes Boyd so incredibly important to the makeup of this Bengals team. He understands the urgency of the situation.

“I think the biggest step I think that we talked (about) on offense was just score more points, outscoring (teams),” Boyd said. “We know we have a great defense that even if we don’t get off to a fast start (in games) that we’ve got a defense that can balance that out for us. But I think we want to work on just starting fast every game, jumping out on teams, putting the pressure on them, because we still believe that we have the best offense, the most explosive offense. But it’s easier said than done. We’ve got to go out there and show it. But that’s our main goal, going out there and score 30, 35, 40 a game.”

• Siemian Makes Strides:

Back-up quarterback Trevor Siemian continues to pick up the Bengals offense as the new back-up to Joe Burrow, replacing Brandon Allen, now in San Francisco. The 31-year-old quarterback with experience in Chicago, New Orleans and Denver, was out on the field again on Tuesday with Burrow and Jake Browning, working through the Bengals offense.

“It’s good for him,” Zac Taylor said. “He’s heard these types of play calls. He’s run these routes before. It’s just putting it all together with how we say it and with the personnel that we have, I think, is really the adjustment. I think he’s fit in really well and is doing a good job of getting in there and getting reps. It comes to him very quickly. Again, it’s just more of a terminology aspect and getting used to the personnel that we have.”

• Myles Murphy getting his reps:

The first-round edge out of Clemson continues to impress in drills with Marion Hobby and the rest of the defense.

“I don’t think it hurts to have enough guys that can play up front,” Taylor said. “They can play together as well. You can get to third-down situations and find packages where they’re all (playing). It’s not giving guys a break, necessarily. It’s getting as many on the field as you can. So I think it’s good to have as many guys that can affect the quarterback and play up front as possible.”

• Chido Awuzie progressing:

Chido Awuzie was not spotted at practice on Tuesday. But head coach Zac Taylor said the corner continues to be “right on pace” in his rehab from right ACL surgery last November. The No. 1 corner in the Bengals defense has been around the team this offseason, working out and making progress from the injury sustained last Halloween in Cleveland.

• Irv Smith Jr. picking up and “all in”:

The third starting tight end in as many seasons for the Bengals was taking first-team reps Tuesday, catching passes and running routes “on air” as is required in Phase 2 of offseason workouts and practice. Taylor said Smith is very much picking up the Bengals offense and feeling comfortable with his responsibilities as a starting tight end.

“Very aware. He has an understanding of what we want to do and how we want to use him,” Taylor said. “He’s been all in since he walked in the door here. As we’re getting to know Irv, I think it’s been good to get him on the field. He’s got a good understanding of how we’re planning to utilize him. The next step is just training camp, getting in there and getting to compete against the defense.”

• La’el Collins moving ahead:

Tackle La’el Collins was spotted again on the side, working through his rehab drills with assistant trainer and rehab coordinator Roberto Cardona, using bands and working through agility to work on his left knee and get it back up to full strength. The hope is that Collins could be ready sometime during training camp, as he battles the still absent Jonah Williams and Jackson Carman for the right tackle job. Carman was taking first-team reps as right tackle with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. in drills with offensive line coach Frank Pollack on Tuesday.

“I think that’s what’s great about the rehab process with all of our guys,” Taylor said. “We have a lot of faith in our department that handles that. Those guys are making the progress that’s needed. I do want to give a shoutout to Roberto. He’s doing just fine. He’s in the trending video on Twitter against LC, one of our trainers. Roberto is doing just great. He’s in great spirits about it and he’s fully healthy right now.”

The post Bengals Beat: In Reporting, Tyler Boyd Underscores Championship Urgency Of These Bengals ‘I’ve Always Loved This Franchise’ appeared first on CLNS Media.

“I’m digging it, I’m digging it. It’s different, I asked him (Monday), so you are growing your hair out? He’s like yeah, and I like the headband with it and he does to,” Tee Higgins said. “Whatever makes him feel good.”

Burrow chose to wear the headband for Tuesday’s practice in front of cameras but no in the press conference in the media room.

“When I’m working out I definitely wear it. Hair is getting too long to not,” Burrow said, before detailing his new hair style. “I needed something new. I had that same haircut for awhile. Decided to change it up and we’ll see how it goes.”

With new hair, Burrow was direct – though brief – about his contract extension talks with and demands of the team. He was genuine and articulate about paying for mental health assistance his foundation is offering 20 local families who are being serviced by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

And he sounded focused on getting back to his offseason work with teammates this week in an effort to get back and finally win a Super Bowl in Las Vegas next February.

On Tuesday, his first public media session of the offseason, the Bengals franchise quarterback let his teammates – and the rest of the NFL know – he’s ready to do whatever it takes to get back to the Super Bowl. And he expects the same from everyone in Stripes.

“Yeah, we know what it takes to get there. We’ve been there, done that, haven’t quite gotten over that last hump yet and so that’s where we’re headed,” Burrow said. “Whatever we got to do to make that happen, whether it’s, you never know what day in offseason or what thing you worked on is going to end up helping your guys make that last play in that last game to get you over that hump. And so you got to stay disciplined and maintain your work ethic through the entire offseason because like I said, you never know what opportunity you’re going to be put in to make that play.”

This may seem insignificant and procedural on the surface but when your franchise quarterback comes out and essentially says it’s Super Bowl or bust, it’s a clear tone-setter for everyone else that steps foot in the building.

Why does Joe Burrow take off-season so seriously? Because every detail matters when you’re trying to get back to the Super Bowl and win it. pic.twitter.com/5R8JyWEfLo

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 16, 2023

Said another way, turning points don’t just happen in the regular season. One adjustment during an offseason rep can change the way a play is called. A sight-adjustment at the line of scrimmage between Burrow and Tee Higgins (who didn’t have to show up Tuesday with no extension worked out) could wind up being the difference in an incomplete pass or interception and a game-changing downfield play.

“Yeah. You rep these routes and these things in individual whether it’s certain offseason schedules or a play or a throw or an arm slot or a pocket movement that you’ve got,” Burrow said. “Like I said, you never know when it’s going to come up in a game and when defensive lineman win in certain ways and your body is in a different way, every play is unique.

“So, you really have to have your imagination and training in the offseason to prepare yourselves for those moments because in a three-step drop you have to throw the out route every time. But that’s not the reality in the NFL. You’re gonna have to have some imagination in the offseason by yourself with your guys on air to make those reps count.”

Yes, Burrow was asked about the contract extension coming down the pike. This was the sum total of his update, including whether he had spoken with good friend Josh Allen about his $258 million extension in Buffalo back in 2021.

“No, haven’t really talked to him about it,” Burrow said. “I’m pretty clear on what I want in the contract and what I think is best for myself and the team. We’re on the road to making that happen.”

“We’re on the road to making that happen.” Joe Burrow on his contract that will be good for both him and Bengals offense as a whole. pic.twitter.com/rQXhIKrYmg

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 16, 2023

What Burrow wants just as much as financial security becoming of an NFL franchise quarterback in this day and age is the ability to compete for multiple Super Bowls, something you don’t get if too much of your cap is tied up in one player.

“You’ve got to have good players,” Burrow continued. “It doesn’t matter how good your quarterback is. If you don’t have good players around him, you’re not going to be a very good team.”

Burrow isn’t signing a long-term extension to quarterback a team that’s not very good. And by Burrow’s standards, not very good is not competing for a Super Bowl every season.

Competing for Super Bowls doesn’t just mean keeping your proven stars, it means successfully drafting new ones. Receiver Charlie Jones could be someone who might make an immediate impact out of Purdue. Receiver Andrei Iosivas could make the roster out of Princeton. Chase Brown was drafted out of Illinois as a threat in the run and pass blocking game.

“All the guys we (drafted) on offense that are rookies have looked really good so far,” Burrow said. “There haven’t really been any major busts as far as running the wrong route or anything like that. That’s the first step on offense. As they start to do that, they start to play faster and more sure of themselves. They’ve looked very smooth so far touching the ball, running the ball, and have a good feel for it.”

Then there’s Irv Smith Jr., the tight end who will get first dibs on replacing Hayden Hurst in the pass game.

“First of all, Irv is upstairs all day every day learning the offense, watching tape with James (Casey), so that’s exciting to hear,” Burrow said. “He’s looking smooth, big strong, athletic, smooth hands so we’re excited to have that guy.”

Ultimately, this is about playing to potential and expectations. And Burrow, with no pandemic, no offseason knee surgery and no appendicitis to worry about, feels pretty, pretty good heading into Year 4.

“Yeah. I’m feeling really comfortable,” Burrow admitted. “But when you do have a lot of new faces, you do have to kind of find what your culture is going to be like as a locker room. You have a lot of new faces in there, a lot of new rookies, a lot of new faces on defense. So you have to build that culture from the ground up and that’s what this time, right now, is all about. Just getting around the guys. Getting to know them. Getting to know who they are as people, who they are as players and finding their place on the team and building that culture.

Burrow knows business is business. He knew it with good friend Jessie Bates last year when Bates didn’t show up until the second week of the preseason. He knows a similar story could unfold with Jonah Williams, the tackle displaced to right tackle with the signing of Orlando Brown Jr. Williams has yet to report to voluntary workouts or Phase 2 of off-season workouts that began this week.

“Yeah we love Jonah,” Burrow said. “Jonah’s been a big part of our success for the last couple of years so hopefully we have him back. But business is business and whatever Jonah thinks is best for his career, what he’s gonna do, we’ll support him in whatever he decides.”

Fresh from an offseason training program at the Austin Collective in Texas, Ja’Marr Chase said Tuesday that he could see moving around in the Bengals offense, lining up at different receiver spots on the outside and perhaps even in the backfield. Such diversity could benefit him, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon.

“I feel like that would be big for the offense,” Chase said. “That might help Tee get the ball more. I might get the ball more. TB might get the ball more. Mixon. So it moves a lot of people around in the offense. Tee gotta move, too, if I move. It just keeps everybody versatile. I want to see Tee in the slot. He doesn’t like the slot as much, but we can always get routes for him in the slot, just to open his game up more, as well as mine. I can’t wait until we start tryin’it. I’ve been tryin’ to get Tee to move without the play even being called ‘move,’ so I’ve just been trying to get his mind flowing in different spots just to get it going.”

Chase is still thinking about that AFC Championship game in Kansas City, where the Bengals came close to their second straight Super Bowl appearance. When Hayden Hurst caught a pass for a first down on Cincinnati’s final drive, Chase allowed himself to dream a bit.

“That’s how I felt. After Hayden caught that pass, I was like ‘Shit, we’re about to actually score and go to the Super Bowl again.’ I caught that pass (35 yards early fourth quarter) and it was like ‘Ah, shit. We’re really here. Let’s just get it done.’ That’s what I said in the huddle, actually, I said ‘Let’s just finish it and get the F outta here.’ It was close to endin’, but it happens to the best.”

Tee Higgins, sporting his brand new No. 5 on the practice field and catching bombs from Joe Burrow, chose to come to Cincinnati for Phase 2 and get his work in with his quarterback and teammates. He is currently waiting on his agent David Mulugheta of Athletes First to try and work out an extension with the Bengals. That may or may not come before the beginning of the season. But Higgins made it clear, working out and trying to be ready for another Super Bowl run is priority No. 1.

“To be honest with you I’m here to get work in,” Higgins said. “At the end of the day I love the game. Whatever happens with my contract happens. I’m not worried that right now. Hopefully we can get something done soon. Right now I’m just here to work.”

Working 9-5 ?

(we've been waiting to say this)

Offseason Workouts | @KetteringHealth pic.twitter.com/q7d1i2Atqv

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 16, 2023

Higgins is clearly inspired by a quarterback who is willing to make some sacrifices in his own deal to help keep him and Chase as weapons on the offense.

“It just tells everybody he wants to keep his weapons around,” Higgins added. “Hopefully, we can do that and keep building from here. Obviously, we (Higgins, Chase and Burrow) talk about staying together for the long run. Hopefully we can do that and get something negotiated to where they can keep all three of us.

“I keep my head clear and try not to worry about contract stuff. I’m just trying to better my game…because at the end of day I’m here to play football. Obviously I want to make money, but at the end of the day I’m here to play the game I love. We’re like this now (crosses fingers). I can’t ask for a better connection than all of us got with Joe, me, Tyler and Chase. You can’t ask for nothing better.”

The post Bengals Beat: Joe Burrow Sends Super Message To Teammates ‘Whatever We Got To Do To Make That Happen’ appeared first on CLNS Media.

“Just come out and be who you want to. Be you. Be comfortable. Yes, you’re a rookie but you’re not,” third-round safety pick Jordan Battle related to me of the message from Hilton. “You come into a situation where you’ve been there before. You played at Alabama. Just be comfortable with yourself. Be you and bring out that personality and lead however you can.”

Hilton’s message might have been directed at Battle but it’s a message for every first-year player that will step into the Bengals locker room. The expectation and goal is a Super Bowl and to get there, players can never allow the moment to be too big.

The Bengals are bringing in four defensive players in their draft class, the first three of which are expected to contribute at various levels throughout the season.

With leaders like Hilton, Chido Awuzie, Sam Hubbard, DJ Reader and Logan Wilson, there will be plenty of resources for the rookies to draw upon in the next several weeks of spring practice, OTAs and June minicamp.

Battle was working with safeties coach Robert Livingston, DJ Turner II and DJ Ivey were working with Charles Burks and of course, defensive line coach Marion Hobby was hands on with first-rounder Myles Murphy during Friday’s one-hour rookie mini-camp drill session inside the IEL structure.

“First of all, it’s great coming into winning organization,” Battle said. “Joining the Cincinnati Bengals, coming from Alabama. So I’m a guy who knows how to win, stepping on the field. Just like thinking like it’s dreams come true. Usually guys don’t make it this far. And just being the guy who did make it this far and then taking it all in and giving my all.”

“Of course is worth the wait. Just getting drafted was a goal of mine and getting drafted to a great team, which is what happened, and to a team that can compete for a Super Bowl, a team that was in the Super Bowl before and just trying to get that Super Bowl ring.”

From Bama to the Bengals Jordan Battle ready to make an impact pic.twitter.com/wxMziMWp2I

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 12, 2023

Not only are the expectations of competing for a championship every year the same for Battle, so too is the complexity of going from a Nick Saban defense to one directed by Lou Anarumo.

“Yeah, of course, coming from Bama and a complex defense, guys who play there know you have to be smart to get on the field. You have to be smart, be comfortable in the playbook. In any situation in a game or practice. Just being comfortable and be able to play with your mind free and be able to play fast.”

Spend five minutes talking to Battle and you instantly see why he thoroughly impressed the Bengals in the pre-draft interview process. Battle wanted to show the Bengals he had the mind and dedication for being able to play the back middle of a defense. The Bengals were duly convinced.

“That was kind of the goal of going into every single interview. How can I make these guys like me? How can I make them want to draft me you know? Just just showing off how smart I am,” Battle said. “I kind of shy away from trying to say that but just I got to realize that it’s a gift to be smart on the field. And just take that on and (be) a guy who can learn quickly, and a guy who can take that to the field and translate it. I’m a guy who tried to be in my studies a lot, just doing that and trying to play early as possible.”

Battle learned early on from head coach Nick Saban at Alabama that if you work hard on your studies and prepare yourself to be ready to play, you’ll get your chance. Battle got his first chance to start in the secondary against Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and LSU in 2019. History certainly could repeat itself with the Bengals in 2023.

“That comes with understanding the playbook, understanding what the team has given you that helps you play fast and play with instinct,” Battle told me. “When you know what the offense is trying to do and you know the offense is trying to attack, it makes you makes you look at it and read and then play faster.”

Though Brad Robbins, the rookie punter drafted out of Michigan, is fighting for a punting job on the 2023 Bengals, he used a baseball metaphor from his younger days to answer how he plans to handle pressure situations late in games. His good friend and competition for an NFL job, Drue Chrisman, has received criticism for his late-game punt down the middle of the field in the AFC Championship that allowed a 29-yard return that set up the Chiefs for the field goal that sent them to Super Bowl LVII. How does Robbins think he’ll be able to approach late-game situations?

“I’m kind of dating back so you ate baseball, right? Every good story starts with something like that. So I was a closing pitcher, like my whole life,” Robbins told me. “I pitched. I played middle infield all that kind of stuff. I thought I was going to be a baseball player. So my mentality, which I feel like is a strong suit of mine, is just that closing pitcher mentality.

“I’m used to having the team depending on me, I have very few reps, right? Maybe one or two innings. Teams depending on me late in the game, right? The ability to kind of close the door and put the foot down and understand like I need to execute this and I only have limited opportunity. It’s been ingrained in me since I was an 8-year-old. I feel like that mentality has helped me a lot. Also picked up golf. So a lot of books you read about golf, they just talk about the process over outcome type stuff. So, that’s something I had to learn in college and I’m still continuing to learn. Definitely process oriented thinking versus outcome. So rather than thinking about, ‘Alright, I need to do this in this situation,’ it’s like, well, I’ve hit this punt 10,000 times before. Really all I think about is like my process like, ‘Hey, short steps, eyes down,’ all that kind of stuff, rather than I need to do this. I need to hit this ball.”

Bengals fans are going to embrace Brad Robbins and his approach to punting. Asked him about handing pressure situations pic.twitter.com/Je1PwQng6v

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 12, 2023

Then there are the intricate – and not so intricate – conversations he’ll have with special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons, who took Robbins out of the practice structure Friday morning at rookie minicamp and talking punting.

“I’m sure there’s many more conversations to come about that,” Robbins said. “We definitely talked about picking our lines. And I picked his brain about hey, what do you think about sort of picking a target you know, kind of lining something up in the stands with like a target and then like putting, picking something on the ground about three feet in front of you that you want to walk to, instead of like, trying to think about walk into like a high up object, right. And that’s kind of a similarity you can bring from like golf and punting and like, ‘I never thought about that.’ It’s actually a really good thought process. I like the way he views the game, and I think we’ll have a lot more in depth conversations about that kind of stuff.”

As for his friendship with Chrisman, it actually goes back to a time before Robbins went to the school up north.

“Yeah, he’s one of my good buddies, actually,” Robbins related. “I’m from Columbus. He went to Ohio State and he was a year above me and was on scholarship, and was getting ready to play. Their special teams coordinator at the time told me ‘Hey, Drue’s on scholarship, you can come walk on here if you want,’ and I probably still wouldn’t see the field until he left. Well, he actually called me on my way up to Ann Arbor and I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m actually heading up to Ann Arbor and got a scholarship offer up this way.’ So the conversation shifts and all that kind of stuff, but me and Drue have known each other for a long time and he’s one of my favorite people.

“He’s the nicest guy in the world. And yeah, just excited to be around him and learn from him, too. He’s one of my good buddies. So I’ve looked up to him, in a way, and I feel like that’s pretty cool. And I’m really excited to just get to work with him, and all the other guys, too.”

The post Bengals Beat: Mike Hilton Doesn’t Expect Rookies Like Jordan Battle To Feel Like Rookies ‘Just Be Comfortable With Yourself’ appeared first on CLNS Media.

The Bengals will host two primetime games at Paycor Stadium, beginning with a rematch of Super Bowl LVI against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 25 on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. on ESPN). Cincinnati then will welcome the Buffalo Bills for a Nov. 5 Sunday Night Football contest (8:20 p.m. on NBC).

The Bengals also will play two primetime games on the road — Thursday Night Football on Nov. 16 at Baltimore (8:15 p.m. on Prime Video) and Monday Night Football on Dec. 4 at Jacksonville (8:15 p.m. on ESPN). It will mark the ninth time in team history the Bengals are featured on Monday Night Football multiple times in a single season.

“That comes with the territory,” Zac Taylor said Friday morning at rookie minicamp. “We take great pride in being a team that people want to watch. And so we’ve got expectations to them up to play that way. We’ve got to put our best foot forward but we expected to be in some good situations there where we enjoy playing in those types of games. You never know where they’re gonna fall in the schedule that kind of all over.

“But it’s exciting for us and for our fan base. I think any competitor whether you’re in college or pros, you like those primetime games and be the only standalone game on TV. And our guys take a lot of pride in that and I think that they’ve performed well over the years in those situations.”

The Bengals opened with Pittsburgh at home in 2022 and lost that game in heartbreaking fashion in overtime. They then lost to the Cowboys on the road before beating the Jets on the road and Miami at home.

They didn’t play their second AFC North game until Week 5 in Baltimore. It’ll be different this year with the Bengals getting the Browns and the Ravens back-to-back to open the season.

“You find out real quick (if) you’re putting yourself in a great position to start the season, putting yourself in a hole to start the season or putting yourself in a medium level start the season,” Taylor told me Friday. “But our focus is really just gonna be on Cleveland Week 1 and putting our best foot forward.”

"We take great pride in a team people want to watch" Zac Taylor on 4 primetime games for Bengals in 2023. pic.twitter.com/tuN9ub5wfQ

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 12, 2023

The biggest takeaways:

Last year, they opened 0-3 in the AFC North before rebounding to win their final three games in the division as part of their 8-0 run to end the regular season. Losing three in a row this year could be a lot harder to overcome. In 2019, the Bengals opened with losses to the Seahawks and 49ers in the first two weeks. In 2020, the Bengals lost to the Chargers at home and the Browns on a short week to open the season. In 2021, the beat the Vikings at home before losing in Chicago in Week 2.

Starting with the Oct. 29 game in San Francisco, the Bengals will play a string of games that will likely define their season and determine whether they’re playing for a No. 1 seed, an AFC North title or just fighting for a wild card. After the 49ers on the road, they return home to face the Bills and – after playing the Texans at home – hit the road to play the Ravens in Baltimore on a short week. The second half of the season also includes games at Jacksonville on Monday night, Dec. 4, home against Minnesota in Week 15 (possibly Saturday) and the much-anticipated rematch against the Chiefs in KC on New Year’s Eve.

The Bengals return home the next Sunday to play the Bills in the rematch of the AFC Divisional game and what could be an emotionally charged game. It will be the first between the two in Cincinnati since the Damar Hamlin episode at Paycor last Jan. 2.

Watch Weeks 3 and 4. This has been the stretch over the last two years where the Bengals played a Thursday night game in Week 4 and then enjoyed a mini-bye. That won’t be the case this year. They play the Rams at home on a Monday night on Sept. 25 and then travel to Nashville to take on Mike Vrabel’s Titans, a team that may or may not be in a mini-rebuild.

The Week 17 game against the Chiefs could be monumental in table-setting for the AFC playoffs or it could be window dressing if one team knows its likely playoff seeding. But if the season goes according to most expectations, this could be a late-season dress rehearsal for a possibly trilogy in the AFC playoffs and an absolute ratings bonanza on New Year’s Eve, which is precisely what the NFL is looking for.

In addition to the four primetime games set for kickoff between 8:15 and 8:20 pm ET, Cincinnati will play two games in the 4:25 p.m. time slot on CBS — Oct. 29 at San Francisco and Dec. 31 at Kansas City. The Week 17 contest against the Chiefs will mark the fourth time in team history the Bengals play on New Year’s Eve. The Bengals also will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers on Dec. 23 (4:30 p.m. on NBC) in a standalone national window.

Two “Battle of Ohio” matchups against the Cleveland Browns will bookend the Bengals’ schedule, beginning with the regular season opener at Cleveland on Sept. 10. It will be the first time since 2019 the Bengals open the season on the road, and the ninth time in team history they face their in-state divisional rival in their season opener. Cincinnati then will meet the Browns in the regular-season finale at Paycor Stadium.

Preseason opponents have also been finalized. Cincinnati will open the preseason at home against Green Bay, then hit the road for games at Atlanta and at Washington. Dates and times for the preseason games will be announced soon.

The game against the Packers will mark the first game of any kind for Green Bay without quarterback Aaron Rodgers, traded to the Jets before the draft. The Jets will play the Browns on Thursday Aug. 3 in Canton in the annual Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Stadium.

CINCINNATI BENGALS 2023 SCHEDULE
(All times are Eastern. Home games are in CAPS. An asterisk [*] denotes a game subject to possible flexible scheduling.)

PRESEASON (day, date, opponent, time, TV network)
(day and date TBD), GREEN BAY, (time TBD), Bengals Preseason TV Network
(day and date TBD), at Atlanta, (time TBD), Bengals Preseason TV Network
(day and date TBD), at Washington, (time TBD), Bengals Preseason TV Network

REGULAR SEASON (day, date, opponent, time, TV network)
Sun., Sept. 10, at Cleveland, 1 p.m., CBS
Sun., Sept. 17, BALTIMORE, 1 p.m., CBS
Mon., Sept. 25, L.A. RAMS, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
Sun., Oct. 1, at Tennessee, 1 p.m., FOX
Sun., Oct. 8, at Arizona*, 4:05 p.m., FOX
Sun., Oct. 15, SEATTLE*, 1 p.m. CBS
Sun., Oct. 22, — BYE —
Sun., Oct. 29, at San Francisco*, 4:25 p.m., CBS
Sun., Nov. 5, BUFFALO*, 8:20 p.m., NBC
Sun., Nov. 12, HOUSTON*, 1 p.m., CBS
Thurs., Nov. 16, at Baltimore, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video
Sun., Nov. 26, PITTSBURGH*, 1 p.m., CBS
Mon., Dec. 4, at Jacksonville*, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
Sun., Dec. 10, INDIANAPOLIS*, 1 p.m., CBS
(day and date TBD), MINNESOTA*, (time TBD), (TV network TBD)
Sat., Dec. 23, at Pittsburgh, 4:30 p.m., NBC
Sun., Dec. 31, at Kansas City*, 4:25 p.m., CBS
(day and date TBD), CLEVELAND*, (time TBD), (TV network TBD)

The post Bengals Beat: ‘We Take Pride In Being Team People Want to Watch’ – Biggest Takeaways From Another Slate Of Bright Lights, Big Games appeared first on CLNS Media.

Part of that is Joe Burrow, of course. Part of that is winning back-to-back AFC North titles, making one Super Bowl and coming within a few bad breaks in the closing seconds of the AFC Championship of a second straight appearance in the big game.

But a bigger part of it is actually the culture the Bengals have built inside the locker room. Head coach Zac Taylor and his coaches have played a huge part of building it. But so too have the players who have committed themselves to the program over the last several years.

Drew Sample was the second pick of the Zac Taylor era after Jonah Williams in 2019. He’s seen the personal and collective highs and lows, and everything in between. The first two seasons, there was the painful and painstaking foundation building, bringing in the right people and players who could withstand the losing.

Sample, the tight end out of the University of Washington, is coming off knee surgery last fall and is committed to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel this season. He definitely believes “Bengal Culture” is a real thing, and that amassing players who “love ball” is paying off big.

“I think so. I mean, it was here,” Sample told me. “I’ve been here since 2019 and every year you kind of feel that change. And even when we weren’t winning games, we felt like we had a really strong culture. And then that started translating to winning games. And it’s on the field and off the field, and I think that’s a reason a lot of guys want to come here and want to be a part of this because of that.”

Drew Sample is back and looking to contribute a "winning" Bengals culture. pic.twitter.com/tqrPNLT9Ic

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 8, 2023

That building for 2023 take a big step this week when eight drafted rookies and undrafted college free agents turn out for the annual rookie minicamp outside Paycor Stadium.

The Bengals are expected to officially announce their group of UDFAs this week after they sign and pass their physicals.

When the group of first-year players arrive in Cincinnati, they will be the latest to experience the culture that has been put in place by Taylor, his staff and the veteran players who are already on site taking part in offseason workouts.

This week will mark the unofficial start to phase two of the offseason program, when teams can start having on-field practices and applying what their learning in the classroom and applying it on the field. It’s a big time for communication to be be installed and for rookies and those new to the system to start learning how to communicate with each other on the field.

Off the field, that communication has already begun between veterans who have been in the organization for a while and those veterans who signed in free agency.

The Bengals added Orlando Brown Jr. as their new starting left tackle along with backup lineman Cody Ford in free agency. They signed safety Nick Scott, corner Sidney Jones IV, tight end Irv Smith Jr. and edge Tarell Basham.

“I think the draft for current players is always a little bit weird,” starting center Ted Karras said on Monday. “This is a performance business, with thousands of guys every trying to take your job every single year. It was a fantastic draft for the O-line, for current guys. I was really happy for the unit that we didn’t bring in any early (round) guys but obviously we added some new talent already this year.”

Ted Karras on Alex Cappa and that winning vibe in Bengals locker room. pic.twitter.com/Y3nyoWJHgp

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 8, 2023

Karras, a product of the Illinois Fighting Illini program, will also be blocking for a new running back this year, also out of the Land of Lincoln.

“Really excited for Chase Brown, Illinois alum, probably the best part of Illinois football for the last couple of years,” Karras said. “Really happy to have him on the team.”

Winning and successful leadership go hand-in-hand. Karras already established himself as a foundation in his first year last season.

Nickel corner Mike Hilton is another. Hilton has been a leader in the locker room ever since joining the Bengals in 2021. He came in with Chido Awuzie and Trey Hendrickson. Before that season began, the Bengals also acquired B.J. Hill. In 2020, it was Vonn Bell and DJ Reader. And of course last year it was Karras, Alex Cappa, La’el Collins and Hayden Hurst.

“It’s grown over these last couple of years,” Hilton told me. “From my first year here, obviously where we started, to where we are now. The mentality has changed, the confidence has changed. Guys really love playing for each other.”

Mike Hilton says "everyone" wants to see Chiefs Bengals NFL opening night in KC when schedule is released. pic.twitter.com/lAiCpkzh54

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 8, 2023

Added Sample, “I just think we’ve got a lot of good guys in here that really make it easy for new guys to come in. I’ve been here, shoot one of the longest now it feels like. So it’s cool for me having just been in the city a long time (to help) whether it’s Trevor (Siemian) or other guys coming in. Whatever they need, I’m here. I have a house here. I’ve lived here. I know some areas and like a lot of other guys do, too.

“But I just think our mentality is like, ‘Hey, we bring guys in and we know the staff thinks they can help us win. So let’s get them going. Let’s get him up to speed and let’s roll.’ So I think that’s just been something that’s been great for me when I came in. There was a lot of vets here and so now I’m kind of on the other end of that, and so for me, I always want to help guys and I think that makes it easier when everyone feels that way.”

Trevor Siemian is looking forward to his chance to compete with Jake Browning for the backup to Joe Burrow this season on the Bengals roster. The job will no longer belong to Brandon Allen, who signed recently with the San Francisco 49ers. Siemian has good knowledge of what to expect from offensive coordinator and vice versa since the two worked together with Peyton Manning on the 2015 Denver Broncos.

On Sept. 25, 2016, Siemian had the best day of his career to date, completing 23-of-35 passes for 312 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 29-17 Denver win over the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Now Siemian, who has also played for Minnesota, the New York Jets, New Orleans and Chicago, gets a chance to play behind Joe Burrow.

“It’s huge,” Siemian said of the opportunity to backup another great quarterback. “I think as a player in this league, you find out you want to be around good players and good teams and good coaches.”

Will he try to teach Burrow a thing or two?

“I don’t know about teach,” Siemian said. “I think Dan (Pitcher), Brian (Callahan) and Zac, they can handle that. I just have some different experiences that maybe some of these guys don’t have and hopefully I can help them out in that way.

“Just be the best teammate I can be. It’s pretty simple for me. That’s kind of how I operate. It’s how can I add value, how can I be the best player I can be and how can I help guys out as best I can. So it will be no different in the quarterback room.”

Bengals fans aren’t the only ones dying to find out what their 2023 schedule will look like. The players and coaches will tune in Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET to discover their travel plans for the season when the NFL releases its full slate of games for the upcoming season.

The biggest games figure to be the Chiefs in an AFC Championship rematch of the last two seasons, the 49ers in a matchup of the two championship game runner ups from 2022, the Bills in a rematch of the AFC Divisional game in the snow of Buffalo last January and the Jaguars in the second-ever meeting between Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence. That game will be in Jacksonville.

The players had some thoughts. Ted Karras would like to see the Bengals play the Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the annual NFL opener on Thursday, Sept. 7 that features the defending NFL champion on their home turf. The Bengals have never played in the official NFL season opener on a Thursday.

“It really doesn’t matter to me. I think that’d be a fun way to start the season and kind of establish ourselves in the conference early,” Karras said. “I think Week 1 in Arrowhead would be pretty fun.

“But I’m also interested to see if we go international. I know we have a lot of (similar) opponents that are have international games. So, make sure our passports are are up to date. But really excited to see the slate. The NFL has made it an annual show, which is really cool, with different landmarks, the draft, now we get the schedule release. Kind of the summer dead zone coming up, but really excited to see who we play and when.”

“Obviously, Kansas City and Buffalo are big games but the San Fran game is one I’m really looking forward to, just knowing how good they are, watching them on defense,” Hilton said.

Would Hilton like to see Kansas City on opening night?

“Absolutely,” Hilton said. “I’m pretty sure that’s the game everybody wants to see opening night.”

The post Bengals Beat: Bengal Culture Is Real And ‘A Reason A Lot of Guys Want to Come Here’ appeared first on CLNS Media.