07-28-2022, 10:11 PM
Jay Morrison / Paul Dehner
It sounded weird to hear. When offensive coordinator Brian Callahan pointed out a fact of these first two days of training camp, it took a minute to digest.
“Really, the last two days are the first time we have practiced since the Super Bowl,” he said. “Seriously.”
Now, this wasn’t technically true, of course. The Bengals did run through a truncated offseason program, but it was dialed back significantly in scope to focus on player health, recovery from a long season and mental reps.
But practically, not since the second Friday in February in the bright California sun on UCLA’s campus have the Bengals really practiced.
“In OTAs, it was all walk-through,” Callahan said. “We have not actually done full speed. Right now it is more just picking up the tempo. Being where you are supposed to be. ID’ing the things right. Quarterbacks managing the way they need to manage it. It’s not real scientific.”
It’s also not judgment time on players.
“Hell no,” he said. “Not even close.”
Zac Taylor and his staff opted to frontload their installation of the offense this year and that’s meant what will be about five days of running through plays. So, while Vonn Bell may have had an interception or multiple run plays were stuffed against a front designed to stop them, that means very little in the eyes of Callahan and the staff.
This is still about setting the foundation for when the action really starts. They want to run through plays once in OTAs, once again in training camp, so when the pads come on next week, the comfort level is high to execute at top speed. This week is essentially a bridge between OTAs and the real camp.
“We are going to install the system, we aren’t game-planning our defense,” he said. “Our defense presents looks that we would never run certain things into but we are going to run them anyway. We are not trying to beat each other. We are trying to get our systems installed and words of communication.”
The same holds true on the defensive side of the ball where coordinator Lou Anarumo isn’t looking to start making tallies toward final cuts, but what he has been looking for has been encouraging.
“So far, so good,” Anarumo said. “It’s way too early to make any decisions on anybody, but I’m happy with how they’re approaching meetings and practices.”
Next week at this time, however, the game changes, specifically when it comes to the need to quickly evaluate those up front.
“Now, when the pads come on we are going to find out if guys can move people, if they can use their pads right,” Callahan said. “The judgment part of training camp hasn’t really started.”
Tempers flare
The first dustup of camp came on the final play of the opening session of 11s when right tackle Isaiah Prince went at it with rookie sixth-rounder Jeffrey Gunter. Prince threw a punch at Gunter after taking exception to the rookie blasting him in what was not a full-contact drill.
Director of coaching operations Doug Rosfeld jumped into the fray immediately, yelling “red light, red light” while trying to separate the players.
Bates checks in
Jessie Bates has yet to sign his franchise tag and report to camp, but he’s taking his role as captain seriously. First-round pick Dax Hill said Bates texted him Wednesday after the first practice.
“He said it’s a blessing to be out there the first day of camp when everything’s exciting, and if there’s anything you need, just reach out to me,” Hill said, adding that Bates has reached out to him several other times and the rookie plans on sitting down with him to watch film and pick his brain a little bit to try to get some tips.”
Hill said he appreciates the gesture both on the surface and for what it could mean down the road.
“It could be awkward if we never talked and he walks in and it’s like, ‘Oh, nice to finally meet you,'” Hill laughed. “But he’s been reaching out and making sure I’m good.”
Healthier Huber
Veteran punter Kevin Huber reported for the first true punting competition of his career looking noticeably slimmer.
Listed at 210 pounds last year, Huber said he’s down six pounds and feels good.
“It’s something that was not intentional this summer, but after I lost a few pounds, I just kind of liked the way I felt and liked the way I felt when I was punting, so I stuck with it,” Huber said. “It’s more how I feel post-kicking, recovery. It seems like it’s a lot easier to recover. The aches and pains I had before are not as pronounced, so I feel pretty good.”
The 14-year veteran finds himself in the first true punting competition of his career at age 37 as he tries to fend off Drue Chrisman, the former Ohio State Buckeye who would have given Huber a challenge last year had he not broken his hand prior to the start of camp.
Huber is tied with Ken Riley for the most games played in franchise history with 207, which means if he beats out Chrisman to punt in the season opener, he will have the record to himself.
“Obviously it’s nice going into a season knowing you’re the guy,” Huber said. “So this adds a little twist to it. I’ve just got to focus more, which is good. I think you’re at your best when you’re in a competition.”
Both Huber and Chrisman punted Thursday with eight attempts each. Chrisman unloaded one for 70 yards into the end zone, but of course, distance isn’t the only thing they’re being judged on by special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons. There’s hang time, directional pinning to the sideline and other factors at play. But overall it looked pretty even.
“We’ve got a lot more camp to go,” Huber said.
Carman gives himself a chance
The message to Jackson Carman was sent following last season. Come back next year with lessons learned and applied from a rocky rookie year. Figure out how to handle business like a professional in the weight room, meeting room and with priorities and the opportunity will be in place to claim the left guard job.
In the eyes of Callahan, he’s done just that.
“He had a really good spring and carried that over through summer into now being a pro,” Callahan said. “He’s grown up some, which is necessary. I think he has put himself in position to do well. Now, again, we will find out. You still got to play but all the signs for him, as of now everything is pointed arrow up.”
Carman has taken all the starting reps at left guard through two days. Fourth-round pick Cordell Volson took first-team reps at right guard with Alex Cappa (core muscle) still held out of contact. Volson will eventually work into the battle with Carman and the Bengals plan to focus him on the left side.
ut, for now, Carman’s in the front spot and in the good graces of his coaches.
“His approach, his study habits, all the things you’d hope to see when you talk about a Year 2 jump that is what I’m talking about,” Callahan said. “All the other things people don’t see are improving. Whether that leads to improved play, we will find out, but if you don’t have that, you got no shot. If you have that, you might actually have a player that can do something and help you. We are going to find out in a few days.”
Running back returns
The Bengals placed running back Elijah Holyfield on season-ending injured reserve Thursday, one day after he went down on a running play during an 11-on-11 session.
The Bengals signed running back Jacques Patrick to fill the spot. The 6-foot-2, 239-pound Patrick was an early star in training camp in 2020 and spent the season on the team’s practice squad.
Patrick played in two games for the 49ers last year and starred for the Tampa Bay Vipers as one of the XFL’s top rushers before the league shut down midway through the season.
Roll call
Tight end Mitchell Wilcox did not participate but was present and spent an early portion of practice on the stationary bike, while right tackle La’el Collins, who is on the non-football injury list with a back issue, also did not participate.
Three players on the physically unable to perform list — safety Brandon Wilson, defensive end Khalid Kareem and linebacker Joe Bachie — all did work on the side with director of rehab Nick Cosgray.
Quick hitters
• Safety Vonn Bell intercepted Brandon Allen’s first pass in 11s, a short out intended for Hayden Hurst, and returned it for what would have been a touchdown.
• Allen hit Ja’Marr Chase for a 60-yard touchdown. After catching the ball, Chase looked back at Eli Apple and did a Deion Sanders-esque high step into the end zone.
• Allen nearly threw another pick on a simple checkdown to Joe Mixon. Mike Hilton saw it coming and probably wouldn’t have intercepted it in a game situation, but his far bigger concern on this play was to avoid contact with Mixon at all costs.
• Undrafted rookie receiver Kwamie Lassiter II beat Chidobe Awuzie for a mid-range pass down the sideline, only to have the cornerback punch it free. But Lassiter beat the other defenders in the area to recover his own fumble.
• Hurst had the circus catch of the day. After having an Allen pass go off his hands, he bobbled the ball several times and eventually went to the ground with it cradled between his legs.
• D’Ante Smith played right tackle and Volson was at right guard for the first reps in 11s, along with center Ted Karras, left guard Jackson Carman and left tackle Jonah Williams.
• On the first play of the first team’s second set of reps in 11s, Trey Hendrickson blew past Williams and Sam Hubbard beat Smith for what would have been a sack.
• Devin Cochran, an undrafted rookie tackle out of Georgie Tech, limped off after colliding with undrafted rookie running back Shermari Jones on a checkdown pass.
• Cincinnati native Drew Plitt, signed Wednesday in wake of the Joe Burrow surgery, got his first reps in a base downs drill late in practice, completing all four of his passes, three of which were rollout screens. The other was a 10-yard completion to Pooka Williams in which the receiver made a great adjustment while going to the ground for a ball thrown behind him.
It sounded weird to hear. When offensive coordinator Brian Callahan pointed out a fact of these first two days of training camp, it took a minute to digest.
“Really, the last two days are the first time we have practiced since the Super Bowl,” he said. “Seriously.”
Now, this wasn’t technically true, of course. The Bengals did run through a truncated offseason program, but it was dialed back significantly in scope to focus on player health, recovery from a long season and mental reps.
But practically, not since the second Friday in February in the bright California sun on UCLA’s campus have the Bengals really practiced.
“In OTAs, it was all walk-through,” Callahan said. “We have not actually done full speed. Right now it is more just picking up the tempo. Being where you are supposed to be. ID’ing the things right. Quarterbacks managing the way they need to manage it. It’s not real scientific.”
It’s also not judgment time on players.
“Hell no,” he said. “Not even close.”
Zac Taylor and his staff opted to frontload their installation of the offense this year and that’s meant what will be about five days of running through plays. So, while Vonn Bell may have had an interception or multiple run plays were stuffed against a front designed to stop them, that means very little in the eyes of Callahan and the staff.
This is still about setting the foundation for when the action really starts. They want to run through plays once in OTAs, once again in training camp, so when the pads come on next week, the comfort level is high to execute at top speed. This week is essentially a bridge between OTAs and the real camp.
“We are going to install the system, we aren’t game-planning our defense,” he said. “Our defense presents looks that we would never run certain things into but we are going to run them anyway. We are not trying to beat each other. We are trying to get our systems installed and words of communication.”
The same holds true on the defensive side of the ball where coordinator Lou Anarumo isn’t looking to start making tallies toward final cuts, but what he has been looking for has been encouraging.
“So far, so good,” Anarumo said. “It’s way too early to make any decisions on anybody, but I’m happy with how they’re approaching meetings and practices.”
Next week at this time, however, the game changes, specifically when it comes to the need to quickly evaluate those up front.
“Now, when the pads come on we are going to find out if guys can move people, if they can use their pads right,” Callahan said. “The judgment part of training camp hasn’t really started.”
Tempers flare
The first dustup of camp came on the final play of the opening session of 11s when right tackle Isaiah Prince went at it with rookie sixth-rounder Jeffrey Gunter. Prince threw a punch at Gunter after taking exception to the rookie blasting him in what was not a full-contact drill.
Director of coaching operations Doug Rosfeld jumped into the fray immediately, yelling “red light, red light” while trying to separate the players.
Bates checks in
Jessie Bates has yet to sign his franchise tag and report to camp, but he’s taking his role as captain seriously. First-round pick Dax Hill said Bates texted him Wednesday after the first practice.
“He said it’s a blessing to be out there the first day of camp when everything’s exciting, and if there’s anything you need, just reach out to me,” Hill said, adding that Bates has reached out to him several other times and the rookie plans on sitting down with him to watch film and pick his brain a little bit to try to get some tips.”
Hill said he appreciates the gesture both on the surface and for what it could mean down the road.
“It could be awkward if we never talked and he walks in and it’s like, ‘Oh, nice to finally meet you,'” Hill laughed. “But he’s been reaching out and making sure I’m good.”
Healthier Huber
Veteran punter Kevin Huber reported for the first true punting competition of his career looking noticeably slimmer.
Listed at 210 pounds last year, Huber said he’s down six pounds and feels good.
“It’s something that was not intentional this summer, but after I lost a few pounds, I just kind of liked the way I felt and liked the way I felt when I was punting, so I stuck with it,” Huber said. “It’s more how I feel post-kicking, recovery. It seems like it’s a lot easier to recover. The aches and pains I had before are not as pronounced, so I feel pretty good.”
The 14-year veteran finds himself in the first true punting competition of his career at age 37 as he tries to fend off Drue Chrisman, the former Ohio State Buckeye who would have given Huber a challenge last year had he not broken his hand prior to the start of camp.
Huber is tied with Ken Riley for the most games played in franchise history with 207, which means if he beats out Chrisman to punt in the season opener, he will have the record to himself.
“Obviously it’s nice going into a season knowing you’re the guy,” Huber said. “So this adds a little twist to it. I’ve just got to focus more, which is good. I think you’re at your best when you’re in a competition.”
Both Huber and Chrisman punted Thursday with eight attempts each. Chrisman unloaded one for 70 yards into the end zone, but of course, distance isn’t the only thing they’re being judged on by special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons. There’s hang time, directional pinning to the sideline and other factors at play. But overall it looked pretty even.
“We’ve got a lot more camp to go,” Huber said.
Carman gives himself a chance
The message to Jackson Carman was sent following last season. Come back next year with lessons learned and applied from a rocky rookie year. Figure out how to handle business like a professional in the weight room, meeting room and with priorities and the opportunity will be in place to claim the left guard job.
In the eyes of Callahan, he’s done just that.
“He had a really good spring and carried that over through summer into now being a pro,” Callahan said. “He’s grown up some, which is necessary. I think he has put himself in position to do well. Now, again, we will find out. You still got to play but all the signs for him, as of now everything is pointed arrow up.”
Carman has taken all the starting reps at left guard through two days. Fourth-round pick Cordell Volson took first-team reps at right guard with Alex Cappa (core muscle) still held out of contact. Volson will eventually work into the battle with Carman and the Bengals plan to focus him on the left side.
ut, for now, Carman’s in the front spot and in the good graces of his coaches.
“His approach, his study habits, all the things you’d hope to see when you talk about a Year 2 jump that is what I’m talking about,” Callahan said. “All the other things people don’t see are improving. Whether that leads to improved play, we will find out, but if you don’t have that, you got no shot. If you have that, you might actually have a player that can do something and help you. We are going to find out in a few days.”
Running back returns
The Bengals placed running back Elijah Holyfield on season-ending injured reserve Thursday, one day after he went down on a running play during an 11-on-11 session.
The Bengals signed running back Jacques Patrick to fill the spot. The 6-foot-2, 239-pound Patrick was an early star in training camp in 2020 and spent the season on the team’s practice squad.
Patrick played in two games for the 49ers last year and starred for the Tampa Bay Vipers as one of the XFL’s top rushers before the league shut down midway through the season.
Roll call
Tight end Mitchell Wilcox did not participate but was present and spent an early portion of practice on the stationary bike, while right tackle La’el Collins, who is on the non-football injury list with a back issue, also did not participate.
Three players on the physically unable to perform list — safety Brandon Wilson, defensive end Khalid Kareem and linebacker Joe Bachie — all did work on the side with director of rehab Nick Cosgray.
Quick hitters
• Safety Vonn Bell intercepted Brandon Allen’s first pass in 11s, a short out intended for Hayden Hurst, and returned it for what would have been a touchdown.
• Allen hit Ja’Marr Chase for a 60-yard touchdown. After catching the ball, Chase looked back at Eli Apple and did a Deion Sanders-esque high step into the end zone.
• Allen nearly threw another pick on a simple checkdown to Joe Mixon. Mike Hilton saw it coming and probably wouldn’t have intercepted it in a game situation, but his far bigger concern on this play was to avoid contact with Mixon at all costs.
• Undrafted rookie receiver Kwamie Lassiter II beat Chidobe Awuzie for a mid-range pass down the sideline, only to have the cornerback punch it free. But Lassiter beat the other defenders in the area to recover his own fumble.
• Hurst had the circus catch of the day. After having an Allen pass go off his hands, he bobbled the ball several times and eventually went to the ground with it cradled between his legs.
• D’Ante Smith played right tackle and Volson was at right guard for the first reps in 11s, along with center Ted Karras, left guard Jackson Carman and left tackle Jonah Williams.
• On the first play of the first team’s second set of reps in 11s, Trey Hendrickson blew past Williams and Sam Hubbard beat Smith for what would have been a sack.
• Devin Cochran, an undrafted rookie tackle out of Georgie Tech, limped off after colliding with undrafted rookie running back Shermari Jones on a checkdown pass.
• Cincinnati native Drew Plitt, signed Wednesday in wake of the Joe Burrow surgery, got his first reps in a base downs drill late in practice, completing all four of his passes, three of which were rollout screens. The other was a 10-yard completion to Pooka Williams in which the receiver made a great adjustment while going to the ground for a ball thrown behind him.
Romo “ so impressed with Zac ...1 of the best in the NFL… they are just fundamentally sound. Taylor the best winning % in the Playoffs of current coaches. Joe Burrow” Zac is the best head coach in the NFL & that gives me a lot of confidence." Taylor led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990, ending the longest active drought in the four major North American sports, en and appeared in Super Bowl LVI, the first since 1988.
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
