The Cincinnati Bengals spent Aug. 9 working on red zone defense after a 34-27 loss to Philadelphia in the preseason opener.
The Cincinnati Bengals took the field on Aug. 9, 48 hours removed from their 34-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first preseason game of the year.
It was an exceptionally hot afternoon downtown as the team focused on red-zone play calling.
Two key position battles are starting to emerge now that the depth chart is taking shape.
Here are The Enquirer's observations from Day 12 of training camp.
Secondary continues to be fluid after first preseason game
The Bengals defensive backs unit has been making headlines in the preseason for varying reasons.
In the first preseason game, safety Geno Stone went out with a hamstring injury that head coach Zac Taylor is calling "week to week".
On Saturday, defensive backs Cam Taylor-Britt, Marco Wilson and Dax Hill, who had all been working their way back from injury, were in pads.
Stone's absence gives Tycen Anderson and Daijahn Anthony a chance to contribute to the first team. Coming off a lackluster performance against the Eagles, look for both players to show a real desire to improve.
"I just want to keep showing up every day. I'm a playmaker, so when those plays come, I've got to make them and trust my gut when I see something," Anthony said.
He also said that his favorite thing about the secondary is their brotherhood. On the flip side, he acknowledged that the defensive skill players have to improve at winning their one-on-one assignments.
"If we win at one-on-ones, we're gonna beat anybody. We've got the athletes to do it, we've got the dogs to do it," Anthony said.
Another player who could emerge in Stone's absence is P.J. Jules. In "red zone lockdown," the second-to-last portion of practice, Jules stepped in at safety and intercepted a deep ball on the right sideline intended for Mitchell Tinsley. He was immediately surrounded by the rest of the defense to celebrate his play, then took the field with the first team on the next rep.
"I put in a lot of work, day in and day out, so it means everything to me," Jules said.
Jules, who played nickel linebacker at Southern Illinois, said he wants to contribute to the defense in any way he can. Since signing as a free agent, he has spent most of his time in Cincinnati to continue getting better.
Cody Ford, Jalen Rivers take reps at right guard, right tackle
One of the more interseting training camp position battles is shaping up on the right side of the offensive line.
It appears that Dylan Fairchild, a rookie out of Georgia, is the favorite to start at left guard. With Lucas Patrick slotting in at right guard, Cody Ford, who has extensive experience on the left side, and Jaylen Rivers, a rookie out of Miami whom the Bengals selected for his versatility, join Amarius Mims in the battle at right tackle.
"I've been in one spot one day and been in a different spot the next. It's nothing I'm not going to be able to handle and it's nothing I'm not new to," Ford said.
On Aug. 9, Ford and Rivers took reps with the second team on the right side of the line. Mims and Patrick spent the majority of practice with the first team.
Having this much depth this early in the season is more of a good problem to have. Now, they have multiple options in the trenches should an injury like Orlando Brown Jr.'s take place.
"Wherever they want me, I'll do it no questions asked," Ford said. "We all trust each other. We trust the unit we're out there with as a whole. We trust the techniques and languages we're getting from Scott (Peters, offensive line coach)."
Taylor said before practice that the coaching staff will look at different scenarios this week and leading up to the second preseason game before ultimately making a decision.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals training camp observations, Aug. 9
Category: Football
