Bengals Beat: Right Guard Still “Work In Progress”, Trey Hendrickson Drama Continues, Cordell Volson Injured, Shemar Stewart Makes ‘Impact’ on Zac Taylor

CINCINNATI — One of the biggest questions coming into camp for the Bengals was the starting right guard spot. Three weeks and 16 practices in, Zac Taylor acknowledged that there still isn’t a definitive answer to it.

Cody Ford was re-signed in the offseason and brought back at two years for $6 million. Lucas Patrick was signed as a free agent from New Orleans on a one-year, $2.1 million deal.

There’s been little separation as the two have swapped time at the position with the first unit. It’s a somewhat thankless job as the only time it really is talked about is when there’s turmoil or someone gets beat badly on a rush. Both happened this week when Shemar Stewart got to Joe Burrow on Wednesday and a scuffle ensued on the next play. On Friday, Kris Jenkins tossed Patrick with one arm and Stewart blew by Ford, filling in for Mims, and got another “sack” of Burrow, this time not touching him.

The sequences have not given Bengals fans following the warm and fuzzies about the ability of the interior line to protect Burrow in passing situations. But Zac Taylor is not paid to be emotional about it. He is constantly talking to new offensive line coach Scott Peters and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher and there’s no panic – only evaluation.

“We’ll see how it all plays out,” Taylor said Saturday. “We haven’t made all those decisions yet.

I think that’s still a work in progress, to see how it all shakes out, who ends up where. A lot of guys have battled through injuries, so you’re missing guys for a couple of days. You’re missing a guy for a game. So I think we have to continue to work through that and see how it shakes out.”

Adding to the dilemma is an injury to Cordell Volson, the would-be left guard from two years ago who lost his job at the end of last season. He was getting looks at center on back-up units this past week when he suffered a right shoulder injury that will sideline him at least for Monday night.

Taylor said Volson, who took a pay cut this offseason, was working hard to earn a spot on this year’s roster and his attitude has been that of a true pro.

“I thought he was having a good camp,” Taylor said. “He was being consistent for us. He works his tail off, man. He’s one of those guys that you just appreciate, embracing whatever role you put him in. Goes out there and just works and has tremendous attitude. Again, we’ll see how it shakes out with him.”

After all the drama with Shemar Stewart, the hope was that the first-rounder would at least be able to catch up during camp. He’s done more than that, leaving an impression on Taylor and everyone in the organization with his aforementioned performance on the field.

“I think it’s the hope when he got here, so to say I’m surprised, it’s hard to measure how quickly someone is going to get acclimated and make an impact, but these are all the things we saw on the tape in terms of being able to position him in different spots and make an impact immediately and disrupt, so I can’t say I would use the word ‘surprised.’ Everyone just has a different speed on how quickly they can get up to speed, and I think he and Jerry have done a good job together working through it and making sure he can make an immediate impact,” Taylor said.

What has Taylor been most happy to see from him?

“The power, the disruptiveness, there’s a lot of words you can use,” he said. “You feel his impact, and I stand back there and call all the plays so you get an evaluation of people very quickly when you’re trying to have success as an offense and drive the ball down the field in practice. You form opinions and evaluations of guys very quickly, and he’s a guy that’s made an impact on me, I know that.”

Taylor stopped short of declaring him as Sam Hubbard’s replacement as a starter in Cleveland Sept. 7.

“I think we’re a long ways from having to declare any of that stuff, so guys just need to keep working hard, keep improving, especially with rookies, show consistency,” Taylor said. “By no means has anyone arrived after one to four weeks of training camp practice. I now have enough experience to know. We drafted Shemar in the first round, we have high expectations for him, he’s going to be a tremendous player for us. Let’s see all this play out in the season as guys continue to go, but there’s nothing right now showing he’s slowing down. He’s made a good impression on us.”

The defense, overall, has left quite the impression on Taylor, and Friday’s practice was one of those that stood out.

“I thought (Friday) was a good day. I saw a lot of really positive things from our defense,” Taylor said. “I think that’s where the communication is really setting in, a higher level of communication, higher level of learning, higher level of detail in terms of the things we want to be able to do, so overall I think (Friday) was a really good step in that direction with some of the periods we focused on.

“Both sides of the ball have made things difficult on the other side. There have certainly been days when one unit has had a better rhythm and has won the day, per se. Overall there have been really challenging period for both sides and that’s good to see. They really test each other. It’s good to get out there in these preseason games and face someone different. Everybody feels a little different, moves a little different, schemes a little different. It’s good for our guys to have to adjust to that.”

Then there’s the drama of the defensive edge that hasn’t taken the field so far. Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that the Bengals are listening again to trade offers for Trey Hendrickson. In the spring, after the initial impasse, Bengals ownership granted Hendrickson the freedom to see what the trade market was for him, considering the fact that a team would have to presumably trade for him and then extend the All-Pro NFL sack leader from 2024.

That right price is likely to be a first or second-round pick plus a ready-made pass rusher who could step in and take Hendrickson’s place, a steep price for any team. Or is this just another chance for the Bengals to elicit best offers in the off chance a team is willing to pay a premium price?

Hendrickson reported several days into training camp to avoid the $50,000 daily fine and began his “sit-in” with teammates. Hendrickson has been coaching up players like Demetrius Knight on the sideline and on the rehab field. Hendrickson is due only $16 million this season, his final under contract with the Bengals. He is seeking a two-year extension through 2027 after players like Myles Garrett (four years, $160 million) and T.J. Watt (three years, $123 million) signed their deals this offseason.

Bengals Camp Day 16:
* Joe Burrow and the first offense went against the 2s to start 11s, and conversely, First team D went against Jake Browning and 2s on offense.
* Later in practice, it was more conventional as Burrow led an up-tempo 2-minute offense against first-team defense.
* Burrow has been focusing on working Noah Fant into offensive progressions, both in 11s and 7s.
* Fant will play Monday
* DJ Turner “up in the air”
* With Turner on sideline, DJ Ivey getting first team reps with Dax Hill inside and Cam Taylor-Britt on other corner.
* Offense had a better time moving the ball with Amarius Mims returning to right tackle next to Lucas Patrick. Ted Karras, Dylan Fairchild and Orlando Brown Jr. filled out the rest of the line.
* “Similar” playing time plan for starters against Washington Monday to the game in Philly on Aug. 7
* Jermaine Burton returned to practice Saturday and is TBD for Monday after Saturday practice.
* Mike Gesicki will not play. Also out, Cordell Volson, Myles Murphy, Geno Stone.
* Cam Taylor-Britt, Dax Hill expected to play.
* Murphy in the “weekish” range in terms of injury. Nothing “long-term”
* Taylor talked to the team after Wednesday practice after skirmish involving Shemar Stewart and Lucas Patrick.
* Stewart will work in with first-team D on Monday night.
* “There’s nothing right now that shows him slowing down.” ZT on Shemar Stewart.
* Right guard situation is still “a work in progress” between Cody Ford and Lucas Patrick, “see who ends up where” in terms of Ford’s versatility or if he starts at right guard.