Day 10 of Cincinnati Bengals coaching camp featured one of many shortest practices but, and it was one heavy on particular groups, with the preseason opener set for Friday towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
Cincinnati Bengals Day 10 Apply Reviews
One of many drills the crew labored on was working the sector aim crew on with a working clock. It’s one thing they’ve executed numerous instances throughout particular groups coordinator Darrin Simmons’ 2+ a long time in Cincinnati, particularly throughout kicker Evan McPherson’s rookie season in 2021.
“It’s not only for the specialist to know the way it works; it’s essential for the entire crew — offensively and defensively,” Simmons mentioned.
“We had a bunch of these performs that got here up within the ’21 season. Actually virtually each one in every of Evans’ game-winning kicks got here right down to some kind of situational issues like that. Regardless that they might appear minor to the fan, it’s actually comforting to know that everyone’s on the identical web page so we will execute these issues flawlessly.”
Within the Divisional Spherical battle at Tennessee, it was Joe Burrow diving into the road to get the ball on the correct hash. Within the AFC Championship victory at Kansas Metropolis, it was kicking the game-winner on third down in case one thing went awry. And within the season opener, it was working the clock down in time beyond regulation and having Burrow spike the ball to depart minimal time in case there was a miss.
“These are all issues we observe,” Simmons mentioned. “It’s simply comforting when these issues occur to not have pandemonium on the sideline.”
There weren’t as many game-winning alternatives for McPherson in 2022, however Simmons labeled his season as strong as McPherson went 24 of 29 on subject targets after making 28 of 33 as a rookie, together with 9 of 11 from 50 yards and past.
“It wasn’t spectacular,” Simmons mentioned of McPherson’s 2022. “It was OK. I need him to proceed to progress up. I view him as one of many prime younger guys within the league. He must do all of the issues that it takes to turn into that prime man, and I feel that’s nonetheless a part of the educational course of for him.”
That’s why though McPherson’s job is safe primarily based on his observe file and the truth that there isn’t one other kicker in camp, Simmons nonetheless sees a variety of worth in getting McPherson some subject aim alternatives within the preseason.
“It’s at all times essential to be compelled to hit these kicks in preseason video games. It’s how he handles it, however it’s additionally confidence for me. Should you’ll bear in mind, we hit a few lengthy ones (final yr) in our first preseason recreation (56 and 58 yards).
“Then within the opener towards Pittsburgh, he hits from 59. So that provides me the arrogance to go forward and pull the set off and do it once I’ve seen it occur in video games. I can see all I need out right here in observe. He wants all of the performs he can get nonetheless.”
Battle Recall
With the joint observe with the Packers up subsequent on the schedule, Bengals gamers have been requested questions on final yr’s classes with the Rams, which devolved right into a helmet-swinging melee that ended the second observe early.
“We had been form of asking for it with the matchup we had final yr, proper?” proper guard Alex Cappa mentioned, referencing the Tremendous Bowl rematch with the Rams. “Most years I’ve had joint practices, it’s often fairly good and at all times good work.”
That battle, with Aaron Donald and La’el Collins being the central figures on the second of two days of joint practices, is the rationale the Bengals and Packers are solely doing one observe this week.
One participant within the Bengals locker room who had a special perspective on final yr’s brawl is security Nick Scott, who performed for the Rams from 2019-2022 earlier than signing with the Bengals in March. Scott mentioned he is aware of joint practices can get bodily, however the helmet swinging was an excessive amount of.
“I used to be an enormous advocate of ending the battle at that time,” Scott mentioned. “It was like, ‘that is about to get actually harmful.’”
Scott’s recollection of the second is restricted to what he’s retained as a result of the observe video out there for the gamers reduce off as quickly because the play that led to the battle had ended.
“It’s not good for the league,” he mentioned. “They didn’t need guys overly enthusiastic about fights. You don’t need clips of it ending up on Twitter or something. I assumed it was a sensible transfer on their half.”
Scott mentioned Rams head coach Sean McVay wasn’t overtly indignant, however he was upset by each what occurred and the truth that it value the crew some helpful reps.
“We got here all this manner, and we didn’t get as a lot work as we needed to as a result of we couldn’t be adults and play soccer,” Scott mentioned.
Rookie Returns
Charlie Jones was again to work Monday after lacking two practices with a left shoulder harm, however it’s unclear how a lot he’ll take part within the joint observe with the Packers or whether or not he’ll play Friday night time.
The rookie fourth-round choose was within the rotation on punt returns, however he solely did extensive receiver work towards air. Nonetheless, he was in good spirits to be again so quickly.
“For me, it was a win to be on the market at present,” Jones mentioned. “Hopefully, I can perform a little bit extra (Wednesday).”
The harm got here one play after Jones’ greatest play of camp, when he received behind the defender on a deep ball up the sideline, hit a late gear to speed up, and caught the cross going to the bottom. It initially appeared it was that contact with the bottom that triggered the labrum harm, however Jones mentioned he didn’t really feel something till the following play when a defender swiped his hand in the course of the route.
“Possibly it began on the play earlier than, however it was the play after that actually did it. However I didn’t really feel something on the lengthy catch.”
Jones mentioned the one harm he had in school was when he tore his proper labrum in spring ball in 2019.
“I haven’t missed a recreation since that, so hopefully, I can preserve that going,” he mentioned.
Odds and Ends
One of many intervals in Monday’s lighter observe featured one-on-one pass-rush drills for the working backs and tight ends. Rookie fifth-round choose Chase Brown received the vast majority of his reps, whereas Joe Mixon additionally carried out properly, scoring wins towards Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt. However Markus Bailey received by Mixon on a rush late within the drill.
Rookie third-round choose Jordan Battle had an interception towards Devin Asiasi in a one-on-one drill.
The one full-team interval was one other unscripted move-the-ball session, with Trevor Siemian taking the primary reps at quarterback. After a cross to Irv Smith Jr. arrange Third-and-1, Siemian threw a fast strike to Ja’Marr Chase, however cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt denied him the primary down.
Jake Browning transformed the primary set of downs for the second crew, hitting Stanley Morgan for a primary down on Third-and-4. On the following play, he hit rookie Andrei Iosivas on a deep cross the place the receiver went up and high-pointed the ball regardless of tight protection from rookie DJ Turner.
Andrei Iosivas with a leaping catch of a Jake Browning deep ball towards DJ Turner on remaining play of 11s.
Wrote earlier at present about why Iosivas shouldn’t sweat making the 53:https://t.co/X85fvYSCb3 pic.twitter.com/PWDUGtK0MD
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) August 7, 2023
Alex Cappa sat out most drills once more Monday after experiencing a pressure that offensive line coach Frank Pollack known as “somewhat pressure” and “no large deal.”
Punter Brad Robbins had an ideal day — save for one shank — drilling lengthy, excessive punts that persistently had been taking the returners proper to the sting of the sideline.
Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie discovered one other strategy to get in some subject work by returning “kickoffs” within the vice-tackling drill.
In a roster transfer, the Bengals positioned undrafted free agent Devonnsha Maxwell on injured reserve with a proper knee harm, ending the defensive deal with’s season.
