W2L4: Joe Burrow, Offense Look For Quick Start, Bengals Position Battles Come Into Focus in 2024 Preseason Opener vs. Bucs

Buccaneers (9-8, 1st NFC South in 2023) at Bengals (9-8, 4th AFC North in 2023) Sat., Aug. 10 at Paycor Stadium (new FieldTurf CORE), 7 p.m. ET, TV: Bengals Preseason Network FOX 19, WXIX-TV (Cincinnati) Mike Watts, Anthony Munoz, Marisa Contipelli. Radio: Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham. WEBN-FM (102.7 FM), ESPN1530

CINCINNATI – Enough of the intrasquad skirmishes and shoving after the whistle. The games are finally here and the competition for roster spots and player roles reaches a new level.

The Bengals have been working out against each other since July 24 and have been hitting each other since July 30.

In that span, the Bengals have held seven practices in full pads and 12 practices overall. Joe Burrow has taken most of the first-team snaps at quarterback and his wrist seems to be responding well to his throwing.

Now we get to see how he holds up to live contact in a game, where the play isn’t scripted. There will be other battles to be on the lookout for, including the corner position opposite Cam Taylor-Britt between Dax Hill and DJ Turner. And then there’s the punting job. Brad Robbins has had a good week but is getting some push from Ryan Rehkow.

Saturday also marks the first game on the new surface inside Paycor Stadium. The new FieldTurf CORE system was completed recently for the upcoming season. This marks a reunion with FieldTurf, which previously served as the stadium’s surface from 2004 to 2011.

With this upgrade, the Bengals become the eighth NFL team to trust FieldTurf, a best-in-class provider, for their home field, following the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, New York Jets, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks.

Without further ado, for the first time in 2024:

Here’s what to look for:

When the Bengals have the ball:

Joe Burrow:
It’s pretty obvious here that what Zac Taylor and the Bengals really want to see here from the starting quarterback is a feel for live game action and the ability to get the offense in a rhythm and execute. This will be Burrow’s first live game snaps since tearing ligaments in his right wrist last Nov. 16 in Baltimore and having a complex surgery soon thereafter. His throws this week have had more zip and he’s been testing the hand by throwing deep more, including on Thursday when DJ Turner picked off a pass on a throw that looked more like a glorified punt toss. If there’s a tight window and a throw needs to be made, how does that look? Joe Burrow has played exactly three snaps in his preseason career. Those came in Week 3 in 2021 in a 29-26 loss to Miami at Paycor.

Receiving corps:
Ja’Marr Chase has been in a “sit-in” and hasn’t practiced yet this camp with “a plan” in place for him to get ready for the season. As for Tee Higgins, he didn’t practice Thursday but is likely to see time Saturday with Burrow on the field. Then there’s the third receiver spot, filling in for the departed Tyler Boyd (Tennessee). Trenton Irwin appears to be the front runner again but keep an eye on Jermaine Burton. He’s had his rookie moments (and drops). But he’s flashed more than enough talent to demonstrate why the Bengals chose him in the third round. Charlie Jones was carted off Thursday with a right knee injury, the severity of which wasn’t immediately known. Andrei Iosivas gets plenty of run with the first team. Interesting to see who fills in for Charlie Jones. Shed Jackson and Kendric Pryor have flashed often.

Running backs: Zack Moss and Chase Brown have been the feature backs and are locks on this roster. The running back situation is as solid as it’s been in the Zac Taylor era. Joe Mixon had a great all-purpose year in 2021 but Brown provides newfound burst and Moss can catch and pass protect. Trayveon Williams is a trusted third back and special teamer. Chris Evans will get time to shine with second unit.

Amarius Mims: The first-rounder out of Georgia will start at right tackle. He has been as advertised so far in camp. Now comes the chance to prove it against another team. Trent Brown isn’t likely to see much action in preseason. Getting him ready for Sept. 8 is the priority. The second unit is what to keep a close eye on here, with Jackson Carman and Devin Cochran battling for time.

Dan Pitcher, Erick All Jr., Tanner Hudson, Mike Gesicki: Like the running backs, the tight end position could elevate this season under new offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher. With Burrow running the offense, how does Pitcher deploy 12 and 21 personnel to complement the traditional 11 personnel that Burrow is accustomed to in his first four seasons? All, the rookie out of Iowa, may or may not be ready for game action but his ascent in camp has been rapid. Even he didn’t think he’d be this far along after ACL surgery last November.

When the Buccaneers have the ball:

Sheldon Rankins, BJ Hill, Myles Murphy: With Sam Hubbard out and Trey Hendrickson only returning to 11s on Thursday, this is the first time for the new-look defensive line to shine. Hill and Rankins are known commodities. Myles Murphy in his second season needs to take that next step in demonstrating a consistent motor that proves he can shed blocks and get to the quarterback or stop the run game. He’s been up against rookie Amarius Mims in camp and that’s been a great test for him, just in athleticism and size alone. It should also make Mims more game-ready.

Kris Jenkins Jr.: Jenkins, the second-rounder out of Michigan, hasn’t flashed too many notable moments yet in camp. He’s been wiped out by the back-ups on the offensive line. Now is a time where he can start to show what his freakish athleticism can translate to on the field. The Bengals desperately need him to step up and be able to show he can hold his own and once in a while be a threat to get to the quarterback. He’s a rookie and he’s going to be given time to find his game but the clock starts Saturday night.

Defensive backs: One of the more hyped battles coming into camp has been DJ Turner vs. Dax Hill for the other starting corner spot opposite Cam Taylor-Britt. Turner has been getting a few more first-team reps and might be slightly ahead in that race but Taylor-Britt started camp a bit behind following tonsillitis. He’s been going up against Tee Higgins and Higgins has been getting the better of him. But that shouldn’t raise too many red flags. Higgins is an elite receiver and Taylor-Britt has already earned a rep as the most competitive defensive back on the roster. No one is concerned yet about Taylor-Britt and his role as the No. 1 corner on the team. The two rookies that provide the most intrigue in this group have been tied at the hip – Josh Newton out of TCU and Daijahn Anthony from Ole Miss. Newton is a corner while Anthony could be a hybrid slot corner and safety.

Punter: Brad Robbins, the sixth rounder out of Michigan, had a good week in camp after an up-and-down rookie season in 2023. Not one but two rookie free agents were brought in to compete in Austin McNamara out of Texas Tech and Ryan Rehkow from BYU. McNamara was waived on Wednesday but Rehkow remains and possesses a booming leg. Can Rehkow carry over that length in games and will he get a chance to hold for Evan McPherson on kicks?

Bottom Line:

New offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said Wednesday that there’s a newfound emphasis on trying to win these preseason games because winning is a habit. The Bengals attitude in camp has been more vocal, especially on defense, and more intense. The sense and smell of urgency is definitely in the air. Priority one is getting Joe Burrow through the first preseason game healthy. Priority two is getting a good – if not extended – look at some of the new faces and how they might look going forward. The biggest thing to the coaching staff is to get a feel for game operations for Dan Pitcher as the new offensive coordinator and Justin Rascati as the new passing game coordinator, both up in the booth. For all the talk of the offense, the defense, Sheldon Rankins and BJ Hill in the middle and the secondary want to put their best foot forward.

Bengals 24, Buccaneers 20