CINCINNATI — Zac Taylor is known as a players’ coach.
On Thursday, he spoke after the second practice of 2024 to let everyone know he still has the back of Ja’Marr Chase, and every veteran that is choosing to take their time getting up to speed with the rigors of camp.
Of course, with Chase, there’s a slightly different dynamic at work. He is hoping to work out a massive new contract extension with the Bengals prior to his fourth year in the NFL.
He reported to mandatory minicamp and served as a glorified coach to younger receivers. Now with traditional training camp underway, Chase has reported but has not participated in camp, with the exception of some light drills, primarily at the end of practice.
Taylor on Thursday lumped Chase in with other veterans who choose this time of year to pace themselves and insisted that the communication between player and coaching staff has been outstanding.
“I’m proud of all these guys we got a lot of veterans that go through a lot of different situations and proud of the way that our team and those guys specifically have handled it.”
Zac Taylor diffuses and essentially shuts down Ja’Marr Chase hold out talk saying communication has been excellent and says the reason he’ll be ready for the year is that “he’s a freak.” pic.twitter.com/ehElBnHPP4
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) July 25, 2024
Chase was asked in the locker room if his ongoing contract negotiations had anything to do with his lack of participation in practice. He offered only “no comment.”
To his point, Chase was spotted in the early portion of practice – during individual drills – chatting up receivers coach Troy Walters. On Wednesday, the first day of camp, Chase spend several minutes delivering pointers to rookie Jermaine Burton.
One reason Taylor and the coaching staff doesn’t appear to have a big issue with Chase is that he has been engaged with teammates, taking part in all the meetings and on the field. Another reason is – as Taylor put it – “he’s a freak.”
“He’s healthy. We got a bunch of guys. Like I told you guys (Wednesday) that we’ve got a plan for early in camp,” Taylor said, adding several veterans will be limited over the course of camp as they ramp up. “Tee being that guy, also with Ja’Marr, Trey Hendrickson. Tomorrow, Joe Burrow won’t throw that was pre-planned. I think you guys would agree. He’s looking pretty good out here and healthy. So again, there’s a lot of guys that they and I are on the same page with how we want to handle things and so far so good.”
Taylor was asked directly if Chase sitting “in” is contract related.
“It’s a plan that Ja’Marr and I have,” Taylor said.
As to when Chase could be expected to return?
“I don’t expect anything else other than the plan he and I have in place,” Taylor said, without divulging the details.
Taylor insists Chase has been as straight with him and the coaching staff, making sure lines of communication are always open. And Taylor says that’s all he can ask.
“Unbelievable. I mean really unbelievable communication with Ja’Marr, Tee, Joe, Trey, Sam, BJ, Germaine (Pratt), Logan, Mike (Hilton), Vonn, Orlando, so you get my point,” Taylor told me. “We’ve got great communication here with all these guys and and it’s been good so far at camp.”
I followed up by asking Taylor if he’s comfortable with what’s going on?
“Yes,” Taylor told me, before adding a minor caveat. “I can’t speak for Ja’Marr.”
While Chase hasn’t been participating, Andrei Iosivas and Shed Jackson have. And both have been making quite the impression, granted just two days in. Iosivas has been getting plenty of time with the first unit and Joe Burrow while Jackson, a second-year free agent out of Auburn, has been running perimeter routes sharply and even winning a go-route Thursday, beating Dax Hill down the left sideline.
“I’m comfortable with the plan that I’ve got with all these veterans,” Taylor said. “I’ve got clear communication with all these guys.”
Taylor’s also got a specific plan for getting eyes on rookie Jermaine Burton who is challenging for the No. 3 receiver job behind Chase and Tee Higgins.
“It’s a learning process,” Taylor said. “He’s eager, you know. So again, everybody’s doing the best there. Can those young guys are and they’re going to make errors. We just ask them eliminate the repeat errors from day to day. You got to get in the playbook you guys spend your own time. Troy (Walters) always does a great job spending extra time with those guys like all of our coaches do and so again, I don’t I don’t create a image of what I think of them and week one because I know there’s a lot of learning that goes on and he’s one of those guys.”
Day 2 OBSERVATIONS:
Joe Burrow showing his scrambling ability, finds Chase Brown on this outlet Thursday pic.twitter.com/GwLaeXugJt
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) July 25, 2024
Competitive battle as Andrei Iosivas outduels DJ Turner pic.twitter.com/StfdtRBmfO
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) July 25, 2024
Joe Burrow mentioned Shed Jackson by name during OTA’s, hinting at why he’s been impressed, shows it here beating Dax Hill on a go ball down the left side line pic.twitter.com/xuRDMStbzB
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) July 25, 2024
