The Bengals kept grinding through Thursday’s practice with the Jaguars looming Sunday, and the injury picture didn’t get much cleaner for Cincinnati.
Dalton Risner was among the biggest names still sitting out. He missed practice again with a knee issue, putting him on track to miss Sunday’s game unless he gets on the field Friday.
B.J. Hill also remained out, while Kyle Dugger and Colbie Young were listed as did not practice as well.
A new concern surfaced in DJ Turner, who was limited with a hamstring issue. That’s the same problem he dealt with in Week 1, though he still played in that game. The rest of the limited group included Bryan Cook, who is dealing with an ankle injury, Jordan Battle with a hamstring issue, and Swayze Bozeman.
Did Not Practice: Kyle Dugger (Quad), Colbie Young (knee), Risner (knee), B.J. Hill (Achilles)
Limited: Bryan Cook (ankle), Jordan Battle (hamstring), Turner (hamstring), Swayze Bozeman
Joe Burrow sounded ready to turn the page after Cincinnati’s first loss of the season to Pittsburgh. Even with a career-best 95.4 ESPN QBR, the Bengals couldn’t cash it in because of special teams problems and one of Burrow’s own miscues.
"There are a lot of different factors that go into playing football," Burrow said about the loss as they turn the page to the Jaguars. "One week certainly doesn't affect the next week.
So, when you have a loss like that, obviously it sucks, but it sucks for a day, and then you move on. That's life ...
I love playing football, especially after Sunday. You just want to get back out there and play.
So, I'm excited for Sunday. Got to get through these next couple of days of practice, get through our work."
Cincinnati may need to shuffle a good chunk of the back end if Cook, Dugger, or Battle can’t go. Taylor said Wednesday he trusts the work done in the offseason to prepare other players for exactly this kind of situation.
"Well, I think that's what makes guys valuable," Taylor said on Wednesday. "As you're looking for them, where they can cover you at two spots or have starting experience, inside-out flex as a corner, that's always ideal. You can find as many guys, especially those who are depth pieces, that can cover you in a lot of different ways."
The Bengals and Jaguars kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Joe Burrow Clutch Debate Just Took A Turn Bengals Fans Needed
Joe Burrows latest showing against Pittsburgh fit the familiar Bengals frustration chart: plenty of production, a strong statistical line, and still a loss after a late fumble swung the finish. In the aftermath, one of the numbers making the rounds was especially harsh, painting Burrow as 1-34 when trailing in the final eight minutes, a stat that quickly took on a life of its own among fans looking for answers about how he closes games.
Ryan Fitzpatrick pushed back on that framing, breaking down Burrows late-game drives and finding a very different picture. His review showed Burrow successfully tied or took the lead in 18 of 27 such chances, a reminder that the biggest clutch debate around Cincinnatis quarterback may be more complicated than a single ugly record suggests, even if the result in Pittsburgh left the conversation hanging. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Be Leaving Offensive Upside On The Table
Erick All Jr. has become one of the more intriguing pieces in the Bengals offense, even if the snap counts have not fully reflected it yet. Cincinnati has leaned on Drew Sample as the steadier, more familiar tight end option, but All brings a different kind of threat as a more athletic and versatile player, the sort who can change how defenses have to line up and react.
That matters because the Bengals have been searching for more efficiency in the parts of the offense where deception should matter most, especially in play-action. The question hanging over the position is whether Cincinnati is leaving some upside on the table by not getting All more involved, and whether a bigger role for him could help unlock a passing game that still feels like it has more room to grow. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Receiver Injuries Just Put Burrow In A Familiar Spot
The Bengals had to make another quick adjustment at wide receiver after injuries thinned the room around Joe Burrow, prompting the club to sign Mitchell Tinsley to the active roster. Andrei Iosivas is on injured reserve, Colbie Young has been ruled out for the upcoming game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the timing leaves Cincinnati again leaning on depth at a spot that has already been tested this season.
Burrow, who has spent plenty of time working through shifting targets and shuffled personnel, offered support for Tinsleys return and pointed to what the receiver has already brought to the team. For a Bengals offense trying to stay on schedule, the move is less about adding a headline name than about keeping enough reliable pieces in place to keep the passing game moving into a game week with some uncertainty still hanging over it. [Read more 🡒]