The largest coaching camp battles to observe for the Cincinnati Bengals

Coaching camp has begun!

What are the important thing competitions to have a look at because the roster and depth chart shake out over the following few weeks?

Listed below are the place battles to observe for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Proper Guard – Lucas Patrick vs. Cody Ford

It’s all the time one thing, isn’t it? We will’t simply have one 12 months the place we really feel actually good about your complete offensive line?

The Bengal are trying good at sort out with Orlando Brown and Amarius Mims. They’re trying good at middle with Ted Karras. They’re even trying probably good at left guard with rookie Dylan Fairchild, however proper guard is uninspiring to say the least.

Cody Ford acquired the primary workforce reps to begin camp, with Lucas Patrick taking backup middle reps instead of the injured Matt Lee. If Patrick was getting an actual look, you’d assume they’d give him some rep there even in an unpadded observe, proper? Even when they didn’t have anybody else who may snap, he may run with each teams.

Patrick was their solely free agent addition to the place. Though he lacks a stellar resume, he’s supposedly a reasonably good go blocker. It looks as if one thing that might work out.

Matt Lee has gained some mass and will afford to point out some versatility, however he doesn’t appear to be within the dialog simply but. Cordell Volson is seemingly simply working left guard behind Fairchild, which appears relatively unusual. Maybe as soon as new offensive line coach Scott Peters will get his palms on him, he may work his method into that dialog as nicely.

I additionally wouldn’t rule out rookies Jalen Rivers and Seth McLaughlin.

Beginning Cornerbacks – Dax Hill vs. Cam Taylor-Britt vs. DJ Turner

It is a enjoyable one as a result of I truly assume all three of those guys are excellent.

After being jerked round for his first two years in Cincinnati, Dax Hill appeared to lastly discover a residence at outdoors cornerback final 12 months, however alas, the harm bug struck and his 2024 was reduce brief.

Cam Taylor-Britt was a fan favourite, however final 12 months, he appeared to assume he needed to make a decide on each play. He’s reportedly rather more comfy within the (Al) Golden age of the protection.

Then there’s DJ Turner, who’s the quickest and most technically sound of the bunch. Turner had an excellent 2024, however like Hill, ended his season prematurely attributable to harm. Turner shines in man protection, not not like Taylor-Britt, making him a wonderful match for Al Golden’s protection.

I see all three enjoying giant roles in 2025, however will probably be enjoyable to see how the depth chart falls and what Golden’s plan is for this triumvirate.

fifth LB – Maema Njongmeta vs. Shaka Hayward vs. Joe Giles-Harris

The expectation is that rookie Demetrius Knight will begin alongside Logan Wilson with fellow rookie Barrett Carter and newcomer Oren Burks probably enjoying a passing-down function.

So what does that imply for Shaka Hayward and newcomer Joe Giles-Harris? What does that imply for final 12 months’s high UDFA and fan favourite Maema Njongmeta?

Njongmeta confirmed quite a lot of promise in his first season and performed a big function on particular groups. With the Bengals buying 4 new linebackers, three of whom are shoe-ins to make the workforce, Njongmeta should hold proving himself worthy each single day.

RB2 – Samaje Perine vs. Tahj Brooks

With Zack Moss’ harm a 12 months in the past, Chase Brown was pressured to hold the load. Brown did a unbelievable job, however he did get injured late within the season. Even when he doesn’t get harm, they want another person to take among the burden off of him, they usually attacked this drawback in a really clever method.

First, they introduced again the ever-dependable Samaje Perine. Then they drafted versatile Tahj Brooks.

They’ve raved about what Brooks can do, however they could lean on Perine till they belief Brooks. Brooks should show himself to be able to take Perine’s spot.

Jermaine Burton vs. Jermaine Burton

I don’t assume a lot clarification is required right here.

Burton is a stud on the sphere, however he must get out of his personal method. He must be knowledgeable and hold himself out of the headlines outdoors of the sphere.

Do that, and he might be an enormous issue within the Bengals offense, even with all of their different weapons.

Lengthy Snapper – Cal Adomitis vs. William Wagner

There was a lot debate final 12 months about why kicker Evan McPherson had such a poor season.

One of many explanations urged was that the method between snapper, holder, and kicker was off.

It’s fairly telling that McPherson is the one kicker in camp whereas they introduced in William Wagner to compete with Cal Adomitis for the lengthy snapper spot.

I hope you’ve gotten all come to understand how good we had it for 14 seasons with Clark Harris.

Tight Finish 3 and 4 – Cam Grandy vs. Tanner McLachlin vs. Tanner Hudson vs. Noah Fant(?)

Mike Gesicki and Drew Pattern might be this workforce’s main tight ends this season, however the pair has fully completely different talent units.

With the roster as it’s, you are feeling like it’s important to hold Tanner Hudson to be Gesicki’s backup, however neither is far of a blocker.

So if you happen to hold Hudson, you actually need to maintain 4 tight ends (at the least).

Final season, Cam Grandy stepped up and was a reasonably good blocker. Tanner McLachlin appears to have the potential to be an inline tight finish who can block and catch, however he couldn’t even sniff the energetic checklist, a lot much less the sphere final season. Until he has a significant breakthrough, he might be out of a job.

Noah Fant could have left Cincinnati with out a proposal, however he would make sense. He isn’t a fantastic blocker, however he does have extra expertise as an inline tight finish than Hudson and Gesicki. He may also rack up yards after the catch like no person’s enterprise.

Cedric Johnson vs Maintain Outs

Shemar Stewart has lastly signed, however Trey Hendrickson has but to report.

Johnson is one one who advantages from each rep Stewart and Hendrickson miss.

With Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai, Cam Pattern, in addition to Stewart and Hendrickson being positive issues to make the ultimate reduce, Johnson might be the odd man out.

Nonetheless, if Stewart and/or Hendrickson aren’t able to contribute by Week 1, they could must hold Johnson round. He may even get some critical enjoying time.