The Bengals have officially kicked off their 2023 training camp, completing 5 padless practices, with the padded ones set to begin on August 1. Though the first 5 were only padless, they still gave us an early glimpse of how some of the roster battles may take shape as the process progresses.
On day 1, there was no sign of the players just easing into things, as Orlando Brown got into a bit of a scuffle following a play, which seemed to involve Trey Hendrickson. Things cooled back down after it was all broken up, but you can see even in the early stages that each rep is highly competitive.
Early into the 1st day, Burrow found Tee Higgins down the field, both of which were with Sidney Jones in coverage. Jones was then able to make a play of his own, breaking up a pass while covering Andrei Iosivas.
On day 2, there were a couple of nice plays from Burrow to Chase. Unfortunately, Burrow’s day was cut short, as he was carted off with what was later determined to be a strained calf. He is likely to miss the rest of camp and the preseason, in hopes of being ready to return in week 1.
From some of the clips shown, Tanner Hudson has looked alright. In a TE room that lacks depth, it will be interesting to see if he can become a surprise roster candidate as the weeks go on. We saw him get some work as a long snapper in OTA’s, as well. Versatility will help him if he does want to make a case for a spot.
With Burrow out, Jake Browning and Trevor Siemian have been splitting time with the 1’s. Since the injury, both have been inconsistent at times. However, Jake Browning has also been able to make some impressive throws with the top unit. Despite Siemian being the veteran, it looks as though the backup battle will be a legitimate one, and Browning will have a good chance to grab hold of it.
Ja’Marr Chase has been matched up a lot against Cam Taylor-Britt. Unsurprisingly, Chase has done quite well, but the level of competition is also good for Taylor-Britt, as he looks to sharpen his game. CTB, despite being beaten at times, has shown the ability to bounce back, making some plays of his own as well.
In Friday’s practice, some redzone drills were done, and Browning had some success, finding both Tyler Boyd, Trenton Irwin, and Tanner Hudson in the endzone. Boyd showed the ability to climb the ladder, while Irwin was able to get open in the back of the endzone.
Andrei Iosavis has dealt with some drops thus far, but the talent has also been on display through multiple downfield catches. Trevor Siemian made note of his size/speed combination.
Looking to the offensive line, Jonah Williams has eased into things, but has been the starting RT when participating in practice. Cordell Volson, meanwhile, mentioned that he has added about 10 pounds this offseason. He looks forward to taking another step forward this season.
Saturday’s practice was inside Paycor Stadium. Kwamie Lassiter’s one handed catch was one of the highlights, while Tee Higgins, Irv Smith, Charlie Jones, Mike Hilton, and Cam Taylor-Britt reportedly had good days.
At the safety position, it was Daxton Hill and Nick Scott running with the 1’s, and Trycen Anderson with Yusuf Corker as the 2nd unit. Rookie Jordan Battle mixed in with the 2’s here and there. Battle also saw some time as the personal protector with the punt team.
On the defensive side, rookie CB’s DJ Turner and DJ Ivey have both been two of the biggest standouts thus far. Turner’s athleticism and coverage ability have been on full display, in addition to his ability to make plays on the ball. Ivey, meanwhile, has been able to create several turnovers, as he looks to jump into one of the final CB spots.
On the injury front, Joe Burrow will miss time with a calf injury, as was mentioned earlier in the article. Chidobe Awuzie was activated off the PUP list, which is a great sign for him. La’el Collins and Mitchell Wilcox remain on the active/PUP list. Jonah Williams is easing into things as he continues to come back from his injury. Trey Hendrickson, meanwhile, was given some time off after picking up something minor.
Punter Drue Chrisman was also mysteriously absent from some of the early practices. It was later revealed that a medical incident had occurred, in which Chrisman was hospitalized. Thankfully, Chrisman is expected to be back participating soon, and was seen at the facility during Monday’s practice.
The Bengals are back at in on Tuesday, in what will be their first padded practice.