The Bengals’ defense kept setting the tone on Day 6 of training camp, and the second day in full pads brought more of the same: pressure up front, tight coverage on the back end, and an offense that had to fight for every inch.
That’s been the story all camp long. The secondary looks far ahead of where it was a year ago, and the defensive line has been forcing the issue snap after snap. On Day 6, that edge showed up again in the clips and reactions that followed.
Joe Burrow had one sequence that stood out, and it checked a lot of boxes even with the result. The play came together almost perfectly, with T.J.
Slaton bursting through the offensive line to get heat on Burrow and Dylan Fairchild trying to hold him off, practically wrapping his arm around him. Burrow may have had to hurry the throw and put a little too much on it to Chase, but the overall shape of the play still looked encouraging as camp keeps rolling.
Burrow also drew praise for what he said to CBS’ Evan Washburn. Everything he said there came off as encouraging, especially when he talked about the sense of urgency from the players.
That kind of confidence is exactly what you want heading into a crucial season. It’s the same kind of confidence Burrow showed in 2021 and 2022, and everybody knows how those years turned out.
There was another Burrow throw that looked like pure vintage No. 9.
He stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure, created just enough separation, and fired a perfect spiral, line-drive dart to Tee Higgins. Myles Murphy supplied the pressure, while Drew Sample was blocking on the right side of the line.
The throw was described as an absolute rocket, and it fits the reminder that Burrow got stronger and showed better arm strength while rehabbing his left knee before 2021.
The defense keeps collecting moments like that, and the big takeaway is simple: this group finally has playmakers again. Bryan Cook’s impact and leadership are already being felt, and DJ Turner has been outstanding in camp so far.
There were positives on the receiver side too. Andrei Iosivas turned in an encouraging rep against DJ Ivey, locating the ball and keeping his body in bounds on a difficult catch. Iosivas has had a really good camp, and the hope is that it carries into the regular season this time.
The battle behind him is worth watching as well. Young has pushed himself into the mix for WR3 and has had a really good camp of his own. The fourth-round pick from Georgia appears to have his mind in the right place, and the competition is real.
Ivey, meanwhile, remains one of those players who can get buried in the shuffle at cornerback, but plays like the one he made here matter. If he keeps stacking those moments, the Bengals’ secondary could end up deep with reliable playmakers and game-changers, which would also help keep everyone fresh.
Dylan Fairchild also earned attention, and for good reason. The rookie has already stood out going into his second season, and that matters for a Bengals offensive line that needs stability. He may be the least talked about among the starting five up front, but that can be a good thing.
Charlie Jones was another name that came up strongly. He’s been making plays at wide receiver throughout camp, and that opens the door for him to be used on routes where he can work over the middle or take a shot downfield. Jones has already established himself as a strong kick and punt returner through his first three years, and he’ll try to keep that going in his fourth season.
In Other News...
Chase Brown Just Became A Much Tougher Bengals Decision
Bijan Robinsons new deal with Atlanta just reset the market for running backs in a big way, and that kind of ripple effect is hard for Cincinnati to ignore. The Bengals have already done some cap work by restructuring Joe Burrows contract, but even with that breathing room, the franchise is still staring at a familiar kind of roster math: which core pieces get paid, and which positions have to wait.
For Chase Brown, the timing makes his future more complicated than it was a week ago. He is still on a smaller contract and has not landed a long-term extension, but the price tag on elite running backs keeps climbing while Cincinnati sorts through a limited amount of flexibility and a growing list of priorities. Browns case is still open, and the way the Bengals answer it could say plenty about how they plan to build around Burrow moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Have A Chance To Silence One Brutal Zac Taylor Debate
The Bengals head into Week 1 with a chance to start changing the conversation around Zac Taylor, and the setup is unusually favorable. Tampa Bay is dealing with its own distractions, including Vita Veas trade demands and Baker Mayfields contract situation, while Cincinnati arrives with a roster that still looks built to make noise on both sides of the ball.
There is plenty of confidence in the Bengals receiving tandem of JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins, and the addition of Dexter Lawrence only adds to the sense that this team has real upside. Even with the betting line holding steady through all of the chatter, the opener offers a clean stage for Cincinnati to answer a debate that has lingered around Taylor for a long time, even if the final verdict still has to wait. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Camp Battles That Could Decide More Than Final Roster Spots
Training camp has opened in Cincinnati, and the early days are already carrying the feel of a roster audit. The Bengals are sorting through a handful of jobs that may not draw the same attention as the headline starters, but could end up shaping the depth and special teams backbone of the team once the 53-man roster is set.
The fourth cornerback spot, backup guard, backup tight end, and the fourth safety job are all in play, and those competitions tend to tell a lot about how a team wants to build itself for September. For the Bengals, this is the kind of camp business that can quietly decide who stays prepared for injuries, who helps on special teams, and who gets squeezed out when the cuts start coming. [Read more 🡒]