CINCINNATI — The Bengals have been making progress in their first week of camp, both on the field and off.
The defense looks younger, stronger and faster. Jermaine Burton, Chase Brown and now, Noah Fant give Joe Burrow and the offense greater depth and more options than before. Evan McPherson is booming kicks straighter, TJ Slaton and Fig Newton are making the right kind of big impressions.
Shemar Stewart signed his rookie deal. And Trey Hendrickson decided a $50,000 fine/day of not reporting to camp was not worth it and reported to camp to at least be in the building and tutor his younger teammates like Stewart and Demetrius Knight Jr.
No games have been played yet but heading into the first – and only – camp practice inside Paycor Stadium Saturday evening at 5:45, there are definite good vibes flying around Bengal camp.
Recapping Wednesday and Thursday, the defense is playing with lots of swagger, especially rookies Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter, two linebackers that figure to get a lot of play this preseason, with Knight expected to line up next to Logan Wilson come the start of the season.
With Erick All Jr. still in rehab from his ACL tear of last year, the Bengals added another tight end weapon in Noah Fant on Thursday.
Fant is a hybrid tight end capable of blocking and advanced route running and catching. This gives the Bengals three tight ends with different skills, Mike Gesicki a pure pass-catching tight end, Drew Sample a dominant run and pass blocking tight end and Fant, who can do both. Fant adds to a room already with Tanner Hudson, Tanner McLachlan and Cam Grandy. What does a tight end like All or Fant bring the offense?
“He gives you even more flexibility, and you got a player that’s really a plus player in both run and the pass,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “And at the point of attack, backside blocking and protection can help you, but also really explosive as a receiver, great size, great explosiveness, really good hands. A tight end that’s tough to bring down. I think that’s another weapon. Anytime we can add weapons like that, and Eric All did that for us last year as well. And so, again, we really feel good about what our tight ends could be.”
And then there was this interesting insight from Taylor on how he and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher view the tight end position in 11 personnel (one running back and one tight end).
“I think 11 personnel is probably a pretty broad term for us right now because of how we view Gesicki and how defenses view him,” Taylor said. “There’s times we have two tight ends on the field that’s really 11 personnel. Again, we have a lot of different ways we can deploy our tight ends and different combinations that try to generate different defenses and then try to attack however they decide to play us, and with Mike’s skill set, Mike can get a lot of matchups that he can really take advantage of. Whether that’s 11 personnel or that’s 12 personnel, Mike is the ‘F’ target. So again, 11 for us is a much broader term because rolling two tight ends out there doesn’t always mean that we’re gonna get base defense.”
Recapping the Trey Hendrickson issue, the biggest takeaway is that – at least publicly – nothing has changed in negotiations, with Hendrickson looking for guaranteed money stretching into the third year of an extension, with 2027 being that third year.
“Things are exactly the same,” Hendrickson said. “What I’m not going to do is as best as I can avoid being a distraction. I want to help the guys. Guys have helped me along the way like Demario Davis, Cam Jordan and even Sam Hubbard helped me a lot. To me, that right now, that’s what’s most important. This narrative will iron itself out as we continue to progress toward the season.”
What is clear, for now, is that Hendrickson and the team want to extend him on a multi-year deal that voids his current $16 million deal for 2025.
“Not only have I mentioned it multiple times this offseason, but also ownership has as well,” Hendrickson said. “Our plans are not having to play on the current deal. That’s something we a common goal to get to. That’s the plan moving forward. No distractions. I am excited to be here. I think it’s great seeing the brotherhood that’s in here.”
With Hendrickson hanging out at practice, watching rookies Shemar Stewart, Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter, there’s clear opportunity for him to be a positive influence.
“Cam Jordan was so valuable to me when I was maturing in the NFL,” Hendrickson said. “He’s in that state. If I can help him in any way, that’s my goal being here. The plan was be here Day 1, but things transpired. News happened to me and we just kind of make decisions as we go. There’s no timeline on what to do and how to do it.”
Hendrickson can see and hear the different energy in the defense this year and would love to get on the field to be part of it.
“That’s why July (and camp) is great, for potential, for ironing out what will be a concrete identity,” Hendrickson told me. “That is something to be excited about. I think there are a lot of moving pieces. A lot of my friends obviously aren’t here. A lot of people I value and have respect for currently are in the building and the process they go about defense. There is a lot to be excited about with the 2025 Bengals defense.”
Bengals Camp Day 7 Thursday:
* Full pads indoors
* DJ Turner star of practice with three terrific pass breakups, one on Tee Higgins down right sideline, one to Andrei Iosivas and one to Ja’Marr Chase.
* Logan Wilson looks faster following knee cleanup last December, knocked down a Joe Burrow pass for Chase Brown in the flat.
* Demetrius Knight Jr. made a diving pass breakup in 7s of a Joe Burrow pass over the middle for Ja’Marr Chase that Dax Hill picked off and returned.
* Jake Browning had a nice day, including hitting Charlie Jones in stride for a 50-yard TD.
* Evan McPherson was perfect until missing just wide right on a 60-yarder to end practice. Kicks have been straight and true for the most part this camp.
* Amarius Mims had a management day and watched.
* Scary moment late in practice when Demetrius Knight was on the ground with the wind knocked out of him. He got up a minute later and is fine.
* Rookie Jalen Rivers got run at right tackle on first team.
* Team off Friday, return for Saturday night practice inside Paycor Stadium at 5:45 p.m.
Bengals Camp Day 6 Wednesday:
* Another big day for defense, with CTB, Jordan Battle and Daijahn Anthony breaking up passes in the end zone while Fig Newton picked off Joe Burrow. All in red zone 7 work. Battle told Ja’Marr Chase after a PBU, “I don’t care. Catch the ball. Catch the ball!”
* Burrow completed 3 deep over routes to Andrei Iosivas, including one in double coverage on a post. Burrow commended Iosivas for his vast improvement in battling for 50-50 balls.
* Trey Hendrickson attended camp in his golf outfit similar to May 13, the last time he spoke to media. He spoke for about 8 minutes in front of his locker. Believes he and team have an understanding that he won’t be playing under his old deal.
* Hendrickson spent good amount of time chatting with rookie first-rounder Shemar Stewart.
* Rookie LB Demetrius Knight Jr. thumped Chase Brown to the ground and offensive linemen, led by Orlando Brown Jr. took exception. On the next 11 snap, Brown and Joseph Ossai got into a tussle.
* Lucas Patrick returned to practice and took part only in individual drills.
* Devin Cochran got some reps at first team right tackle, spelling Amarius Mims later in 11s.
* Zack Moss released after suffering a neck injury in 2024.
* Seth McLaughlin, a rookie free agent center out of Ohio State, passed his physical and is cleared to practice after Achilles injury last November.
