The Bengals’ defense made plenty of noise in Thursday’s joint practice with the Bears, and the day ended with Cincinnati stacking impact plays all over the field.
Reports from the practice field painted a session that went back and forth, with the Bengals getting steady pressure and the defense closing strong as the work moved into two-minute drills. Since no video was allowed, the updates came from beat reporters relaying what they saw in real time.
Joe Burrow opened sharp, hitting three straight completions as Cincinnati continued working its under-center offense, something the team has leaned on throughout camp. For a preseason setting, it sounds like this was the most extensive work Burrow will get against another team, so that fast start stood out.
The pass rush kept showing up from there. T.J.
Slaton reportedly had a strong day, and that matters in a defensive tackle room that looks deep enough to create real cutdown-day decisions. Myles Murphy also kept making life difficult for Chicago, and Cashius Howell was part of that pressure, too.
Howell’s day included a big moment in the secondary. He knocked the ball up, Dexter Lawrence II came down with the interception, and Lawrence later got into the backfield for a would-be sack. The reports made it clear he was a problem throughout the practice.
Barrett Carter also turned in a nice play during 7-on-7 work, another encouraging note for a Bengals defense that seemed active at every level. Josh Newton, who has reportedly been “in the doghouse” this camp, got more run with Dax Hill sidelined and appears to be taking advantage of the extra chances.
There were a few scuffles along the way, including one involving Burrow after a Bears defender held his jersey. Burrow shoved him, a small skirmish broke out, and then he answered with a strike to Ja’Marr Chase.
Special teams also got some attention. There may be a battle brewing for the kick return job, with Ke’Shawn Williams already flashing in preseason Week 1 and Dohnte Meyers making a splash Thursday. That could be a path to a roster spot for the former CFL product.
The Bears, for their part, were said to have gotten more pressure on Burrow than anyone in Cincinnati would have wanted. But the Bengals finished the session on the right note: after Murphy’s back-to-back sacks, Jalen Davis closed the day with an interception.
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