The Bengals got a useful piece of news as training camp opened: rookie center Connor Lew wasn’t placed on any list, even after he tore his ACL last season at Auburn.
That matters because Lew, a fourth-round pick, now appears to have a real shot to start working behind Ted Karras at center throughout camp and the preseason. If he stays on the field, the Bengals can begin sorting out whether he’s ready to become Karras’ eventual successor and take over as the anchor of the offensive line.
Cincinnati did make a roster move involving a starter, placing defensive lineman BJ Hill on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list. But the bigger development for the offensive line is Lew’s clean start to camp.
Lew’s availability also shifts attention to how the Bengals handle the backup center reps. During rookie minicamp, Brian Parker was the one filling in at the position.
Parker, a sixth-round pick, has the kind of flexibility teams love up front. He came into the league as a tackle in college, then moved to center during the draft process, and he’s already talked about how important those early reps are.
“For me taking those reps, being able to go out there, make the right call, get everybody on the same page is huge so that when I come back for fall camp, we can just really get into playing football and I don't have to think about what I have to do pre-snap”
That sets up a camp battle worth watching. Lew has the inside track to earn the backup center job and build trust with the coaching staff, while Parker will try to push for a role and get on the field early in his career. Lew being available right away only strengthens his position as the Bengals move through camp.
In Other News...
This Bengals Rookie Could Change More Than Fans Realize At Camp
Colbie Young has barely gotten his footing in Bengals camp, but the rookie wideout is already part of a conversation Cincinnati has been trying to sort out behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The fourth-round pick arrived with a different kind of build and skill set than the receivers around him, and that alone has made him worth watching as the team starts to map out how its passing game might look once the top two options are accounted for.
The bigger question is how much room there really is for another pass catcher to carve out a real role. Andrei Iosivas has held the inside track in recent seasons, while Mike Gesicki has often functioned like a third wide receiver in the offense, giving Joe Burrow another steady target in the middle of the field. Young's camp performance will determine whether he can force his way into that mix and change the way Cincinnati distributes its snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Suddenly Linked To A Surprising Next Step Fans Will Debate
The Bengals long playoff drought has already become a talking point inside the locker room, with Joe Burrow and JaMarr Chase both making clear they want the organization to move in a different direction. That frustration has only sharpened the scrutiny around Zac Taylor, whose future is starting to come up whenever Cincinnatis next step is discussed.
Nick Wright took that conversation in a far more unexpected direction on FS1s First Things First, tying the Bengals outlook to a coaching change that would send the fan base into a debate of its own. His scenario depends on Cincinnati missing the postseason again, and it reflects just how much pressure is building around a team that still has enough talent to expect more, but not enough recent results to quiet the questions. [Read more 🡒]