Colbie Young keeps making noise in Bengals camp, and he backed it up again in preseason game two against the Bears.
The fourth-round pick was the driving force for Cincinnati on offense, finishing with three catches for 48 yards and the Bengals’ first touchdown of the night. After a strong camp and a productive first preseason outing, Young is still forcing his way into the conversation for playing time.
What’s stood out most is how complete his game has looked so far. He’s been winning contested balls, running routes smoothly, and using the kind of size-speed combination that jumps off the field for an outside receiver. Listed at 6’5”, he still looks like the faster player in plenty of these matchups, especially when he gets off the line cleanly.
That was on display again on his touchdown. Young beat his defender at the snap with speed, then finished the play in the end zone. It’s become a theme: he consistently gets separation early and keeps showing the burst you don’t always expect from a receiver with his frame.
Andrei Iosivas did not play Saturday, which leaves him penciled in as the starting slot receiver to open the season. Even so, Young’s early work has made it easy to imagine him pressing for snaps as the year goes on.
There were questions around Young when he was drafted, including off-field concerns, but his former Georgia teammate Dylan Fairchild quickly spoke up for his character after Cincinnati made him the last pick of the fourth round. Since then, Young has done the only thing that really matters in camp and preseason: keep standing out on the field.
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