The Bengals are already thinking carefully about how to get the most out of Jonathan Allen, and Allen sounds fully on board with that plan.
Allen said he knows he can’t be asked to handle a massive workload and has to manage his snaps if he wants to stay fresh. He described that arrangement as something he and the coaching staff have worked out together.
“ Looking at it from the big picture, it’s obvious it’s better not to play that many snaps, ” Allen said, via the team’s website. “ So me and the trainers, me and the coaches, we just have a great understanding.
Sometimes, I get emotional in the heat of the moment and I don’t want to come out. But at the end of the day, I get paid to do a job and they trust me and I trust them.
It has to be a give and take relationship. ”
He also gave a pretty clear range for what he thinks would keep him effective over the long haul.
“ I would say anywhere between 50 to 80 percent, ” Allen said. “ I know that’s kind of a wide range.
But sometimes a defense can’t play a whole bunch in the first half and then they play more late in the game. But 800 snaps are too much.
”
On the offensive side, Joe Burrow laid out how the Bengals have moved through different versions of their attack and why getting back under center could help the running game again. Burrow pointed to the team’s 2020 and 2021 approach, then explained how the offense evolved as the passing game became more explosive, shifted again into more of a gun look, and later turned into a unit that was so efficient underneath that it started seeing more of the defensive looks it had seen earlier. His point was that the Bengals now need to force defenses to adjust again so they can create the kind of cycle that opens up more explosive plays and gives the run game a better chance to take advantage.
In Baltimore, Malaki Starks had plenty to say about the early impact of Jesse Minter, and the rookie’s praise was strong. Starks called Minter “Super intelligent,” and said the coach’s approach is built around winning at every turn.
“ The way that he thinks is all about winning. In practices and in meetings, everything is about winning and you can see it throughout the organization, how meetings are run, how walk-throughs are run, how practices are run, how people talk to you in the building.
Everything impacts winning and that’s one of the really big things that sticks out to me. His leadership has been one of the best that I’ve ever seen.
”
Starks also said he studied the Chargers’ defense from Minter’s time there because of how that unit used its safeties.
“ The Chargers really were a dominant defense and they really liked their safeties, ” Starks explained. “ They wanted them to go make plays on the ball, so there was a lot of watching them and seeing how they play certain things and how they do certain things.
Now that he’s here and running a similar defense, I’m really excited. ”
The vibe around the team, Starks said, feels different under Minter.
“ Without a doubt, ” Minter responded when asked if there was a different vibe in the building. “ You could sense it the first day everybody got back.
No knock to coach (John) Harbaugh at all, but there’s just an excitement and a readiness to be here under Coach Minter. There’s just a new way to do things.
”
In Other News...
Bengals Linebacker Problem Could Finally Meet A Rival-Created Opening
The Bengals spent the offseason leaving their linebacker room untouched, even with questions lingering about the groups depth. That decision has kept the spotlight on a position that could still use help, especially if a younger, cost-controlled option becomes available after roster churn around the league.
Nathaniel Watson is one name worth watching because of the kind of profile Cincinnati has been willing to consider in the past. A sixth-round pick in 2024, he missed the entire 2025 season with a torn biceps, but his college rsum showed real production and enough versatility to make him more than a flier if the Browns decide to move on. [Read more 🡒]
These Bengals Camp Battles Could Reshape The Roster Fast
The Bengals head into camp with more competition than certainty in a few spots, and that is exactly how a roster can change quickly in late July. Defensive tackle looks especially crowded after the offseason added Jonathan Allen to a group that already has multiple young players trying to carve out a place, while the secondary and tight end room also feature enough bodies to make every practice rep matter.
What makes this camp worth watching is how many of those battles could spill directly into roster decisions. Dax Hill is still part of a fluid mix in the defensive backfield, and the tight end group has several players jockeying for the roles that matter most in heavier packages. On the defensive line, the numbers game is just as real, which means a strong camp from one player could come at the expense of another before the preseason even settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Tahj Brooks Has A Real Chance To Change The Bengals Backfield
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Brooks still has to turn that background into NFL production, and the path wont be simple. Perines familiarity with the offense and Browns strong play have kept the pecking order intact so far, but training camp in 2026 could give Brooks a chance to push for the backup job and make the Bengals think differently about their depth chart. For a team that may soon need answers in the backfield, his development is one of the quieter storylines worth watching. [Read more 🡒]