WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: I Will Wait 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:05.840 H I get everybody on Dan Hord and thanks for 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:08.520 downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast the. 0:00:09.240 --> 0:00:14.080 I Will We I Will We for you audition. 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:16.960 As we only have to go one more weekend without 0:00:17.000 --> 0:00:20.400 Bengals football. Coming up, I'll talk to the two rookies 0:00:20.400 --> 0:00:23.000 who were probably the biggest long shots to make the 0:00:23.040 --> 0:00:26.360 Bengals fifty three man roster, and my broadcast partner Dave 0:00:26.440 --> 0:00:29.760 Lapham checks in to discuss the latest Bengals news and 0:00:30.280 --> 0:00:34.560 our training camp MVPs. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought 0:00:34.560 --> 0:00:36.640 to you by pay Corp, proud to be the Bengals 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:41.320 official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber, future proof fiber 0:00:41.360 --> 0:00:44.479 Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to 0:00:44.520 --> 0:00:48.040 a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care 0:00:48.320 --> 0:00:51.400 for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official healthcare 0:00:51.440 --> 0:00:54.840 provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick reminder that 0:00:54.880 --> 0:00:57.800 you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered 0:00:57.840 --> 0:01:00.520 right to your phone, tablet or computer by some subscribing 0:01:00.760 --> 0:01:05.920 wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since tailgating. 0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:09.160 I have the greatest job in the world, and thank Heavens, 0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:11.720 I was able to get into sports broadcasting because I 0:01:11.760 --> 0:01:16.000 am incapable of doing anything else. Shoot, I can barely 0:01:16.000 --> 0:01:18.440 fill my gas tank or change a light bulb. But 0:01:18.560 --> 0:01:22.520 having said that, the one downside about my job is 0:01:22.560 --> 0:01:25.959 that I can never take part in pregame tailgating. For 0:01:26.040 --> 0:01:28.320 many of you, it's one of the best parts of 0:01:28.360 --> 0:01:31.840 the football season, getting together with friends and family and 0:01:31.880 --> 0:01:34.800 getting fired up for the game, tossing a football or 0:01:34.840 --> 0:01:39.040 playing cornhole, having a sinsy light and a brat. Just 0:01:39.240 --> 0:01:42.760 know that the next time you're tailgating before a Bengals game, 0:01:43.240 --> 0:01:46.200 the bald guy in the booth wishes he could be 0:01:46.280 --> 0:01:50.520 there with you. Now, let's get to football. The Bengals 0:01:50.560 --> 0:01:53.120 single season sack record is held by a player who 0:01:53.160 --> 0:01:57.160 is not selected in the NFL draft, Coy Bacon. Since 0:01:57.280 --> 0:02:00.720 tackles became an official NFL stat and too thousand and one, 0:02:01.200 --> 0:02:05.000 the only Bengal to lead the league was another undrafted player, 0:02:05.400 --> 0:02:11.200 Bontes Perfect in twenty thirteen. This year, two undrafted rookies 0:02:11.240 --> 0:02:14.920 made the Bengals fifty three man roster, punter Ryan Rico 0:02:15.320 --> 0:02:20.400 and linebacker Muma John Meta. Muma was clearly the biggest 0:02:20.400 --> 0:02:22.960 long shot to make the team This year, and I 0:02:23.040 --> 0:02:28.160 talked to him about the achievement. When your linebackers coach 0:02:28.360 --> 0:02:31.720 James Betcher called you with the good news, you shared 0:02:31.720 --> 0:02:34.560 that you were getting a massage. So what felt better 0:02:34.840 --> 0:02:36.720 the news or the massage? 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:38.160 The news? 0:02:38.600 --> 0:02:41.519 Now the news the news was releading. I was that 0:02:41.560 --> 0:02:45.200 was pretty awesome. It was. I saw the video. 0:02:45.200 --> 0:02:46.760 I was like, bro, I did not know that were recording, 0:02:46.800 --> 0:02:50.160 but this is hilarious, but that it was a wonderful video. 0:02:50.280 --> 0:02:50.720 Very touch on. 0:02:51.240 --> 0:02:53.679 Did you have a good feeling that you were going 0:02:53.720 --> 0:02:56.240 to make it or were you on pins and needles? 0:02:56.639 --> 0:02:57.720 No, I mean I think. 0:02:59.160 --> 0:03:01.800 I think it was one of those Okay, I feel 0:03:01.840 --> 0:03:03.840 pretty good about Honestly, it was one of those that, 0:03:03.840 --> 0:03:05.560 you know, no matter what happens, I'm happy with what 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:07.720 I've done. You know, forget the result at this point. 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:09.520 I feel like I put it out there and at 0:03:09.520 --> 0:03:10.840 the end of the day, that's really all you can 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:13.880 ask for. It ended up going working out in you know, 0:03:14.040 --> 0:03:16.760 very positive outcome. You know, I love this city, I 0:03:16.800 --> 0:03:18.919 love this team, and I really wanted to be here. 0:03:19.000 --> 0:03:22.680 So uh, I felt good about what I had done, 0:03:22.720 --> 0:03:24.360 but I so needed to wait for that call. We 0:03:24.400 --> 0:03:26.840 really feel good about it and the call Cave and 0:03:26.840 --> 0:03:28.600 it was it was it was a really good day. 0:03:28.880 --> 0:03:31.600 We're visiting with moment, John Matta. You finished second in 0:03:31.639 --> 0:03:35.400 the NFL in tackles in the preseason. Did you become 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:38.480 aware of that as the preseason was going along and 0:03:38.680 --> 0:03:40.480 did it become a goal to lead? 0:03:41.280 --> 0:03:44.200 No, I mean, honestly, like it's one of those things 0:03:44.200 --> 0:03:46.800 that reporters tell you. I'm like, oh, let's didn't know that, 0:03:48.760 --> 0:03:51.600 and so yeah, I did not. Honestly didn't really know 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:53.560 until the second game. Like someone was like, oh, like. 0:03:53.480 --> 0:03:57.400 You're leading NFL tackles. I was like, that's crazy, you know. 0:03:57.440 --> 0:04:00.480 I think it's just a testimony to my teammates kind 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:02.800 of the scheme that we have and coaches just putting 0:04:02.840 --> 0:04:06.840 us in the right position. Yeah, so it was awesome. 0:04:06.880 --> 0:04:08.440 It was definitely really cool. It's a fun thing. I'm 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:11.520 telling my kids that forever. So something to brag about 0:04:11.640 --> 0:04:12.360 is a dad one day. 0:04:12.840 --> 0:04:14.680 You read All League onners a couple of years ago 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:18.760 again at Wisconsin, and then last year with a coaching change, 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:21.040 maybe it took a while to to fit in the defense. 0:04:21.080 --> 0:04:23.240 I don't know. You tell me what what happened last 0:04:23.279 --> 0:04:24.680 year Wisconsin yeah. 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:27.160 I mean, I think last year was just an unfortunate 0:04:27.160 --> 0:04:30.600 cocktail of events. You know, I broke my hand early on, 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:32.760 made a scheme change, you had a coaching change. 0:04:34.040 --> 0:04:36.520 It was just, you know, I asked me to gain 0:04:36.560 --> 0:04:37.040 a lot of weight. 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:38.760 It was just a lot of things where you know, 0:04:38.800 --> 0:04:42.200 I found myself just not playing my best football. And 0:04:42.240 --> 0:04:46.080 then you know, there were there were times when they 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:47.920 felt like they needed to go with a different person. 0:04:48.839 --> 0:04:50.839 But I felt like when I you know, I wasn't there, 0:04:50.880 --> 0:04:52.719 I did some of my best work. 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:56.720 So it was it was one of those things that 0:04:56.760 --> 0:04:59.400 you you learned every lesson, every loss can be a lesson, 0:04:59.440 --> 0:05:03.920 and I think it definitely shaped my mindset coming into 0:05:03.920 --> 0:05:05.680 camp here about like, hey, this is what I want 0:05:05.680 --> 0:05:07.360 to do different. You know, this is a new opportunity 0:05:07.400 --> 0:05:09.080 and I'm gonna just do with it what I can. 0:05:09.240 --> 0:05:12.320 So last year it was just honestly crazy. 0:05:12.360 --> 0:05:14.120 Looking back, you know, your life can really change in 0:05:14.120 --> 0:05:17.039 the year, so it's a blessing to be here. 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:19.560 You did finish strong last year, though. 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:22.360 Yeah, no, I think so. I think it was just. 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.800 You know, I was they benched me in, you know, 0:05:27.839 --> 0:05:30.320 they the coaches wanted to go in a different direction, 0:05:30.400 --> 0:05:32.400 and I'm honestly been a damn the team player. 0:05:32.480 --> 0:05:34.640 So I was captain the defense, and I found a 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:35.279 way to lead from the. 0:05:35.279 --> 0:05:37.159 Bench, and it was just like, hey, coach, you're gonna 0:05:37.160 --> 0:05:38.599 throw me in for three four reps a game, like, 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:41.440 I'll shoot those will be my best three or four reps. 0:05:41.600 --> 0:05:42.080 You'll see it. 0:05:42.200 --> 0:05:45.280 So and honestly just prepared me for coming to the 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:47.000 league where you only get three or four reps as 0:05:47.040 --> 0:05:48.760 a young guy, you know, like you don't and that's 0:05:48.760 --> 0:05:52.359 your resume. So in a crazy silver lightings way like 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:54.880 it actually last year prepared me so much for this year. 0:05:55.560 --> 0:05:57.640 It was actually a blessing kind of the way it 0:05:57.680 --> 0:05:58.599 shaped out last year. 0:05:59.120 --> 0:06:01.760 The Bengals fans great players in their history that weren't 0:06:01.800 --> 0:06:05.920 selected in the NFL Draft, and obviously you weren't. What 0:06:05.960 --> 0:06:10.120 did teams miss Why did thirty two teams that make 0:06:10.200 --> 0:06:13.440 seven rounds of draft picks and somehow miss out on you? 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:16.480 A shrug of the shoulders. 0:06:16.960 --> 0:06:20.640 Hey, well, the story is still being written, so I 0:06:20.680 --> 0:06:24.200 can't really call it quite yet. But you know, things happen. 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:27.040 People say what they say, and that they all love 0:06:27.080 --> 0:06:27.680 about football. 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:29.200 As the tape speaks for itself. 0:06:29.320 --> 0:06:32.920 So that's something I always have with me and something 0:06:32.960 --> 0:06:35.160 I always mean back on. So it's not. 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:37.440 How you get here, it's what you do when you 0:06:37.480 --> 0:06:40.200 get here. You are a spot on the fifty three. Congratulations, 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:43.480 appreciate it, Thank you. A little later in the podcast, 0:06:43.520 --> 0:06:46.320 I'll visit with another long shot who made the club, 0:06:46.360 --> 0:06:49.880 a guy who started his college football career at Division 0:06:49.960 --> 0:06:55.520 two Shepherd University. Seventh round draft pick Dejon Anthony. But 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:59.279 first time to discuss the roster and the latest Bengals 0:06:59.320 --> 0:07:03.640 news that broad cast partner Dave Lapham lafter Bengals fifty 0:07:03.640 --> 0:07:06.680 three man roster and sixteen man factors squad is now 0:07:06.800 --> 0:07:07.839 officially set. 0:07:08.040 --> 0:07:10.680 What if anything, stands out to you. 0:07:11.200 --> 0:07:13.400 One thing that stands out, Dan, is the youth of 0:07:13.440 --> 0:07:17.880 this football team. They're averaging under twenty six years twenty 0:07:17.920 --> 0:07:21.120 five point eight, which is less younger than last year's team, 0:07:21.120 --> 0:07:24.600 which was like, what, third youngest in the league. They've 0:07:24.640 --> 0:07:27.640 only got eight players with seven or more years of 0:07:27.760 --> 0:07:31.000 NFL experience, four defensive lineman, three offensive lineman, and a 0:07:31.080 --> 0:07:36.000 tight end. So I mean they've got fifty four. I mean, yeah, 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:39.400 fifty four of their sixty nine players are less than 0:07:39.400 --> 0:07:42.680 five years five years or less. Thirty eight of their 0:07:42.720 --> 0:07:45.960 fifty three five years are less. I mean, it's the 0:07:46.000 --> 0:07:48.440 depth of the team falls on these second year players, 0:07:48.480 --> 0:07:50.880 in these rookies. You know, it's it is a young 0:07:51.280 --> 0:07:54.920 football team, but I think it's a very talented football 0:07:54.960 --> 0:07:58.160 team in spite of that youth. I think, you know, 0:07:58.240 --> 0:08:01.120 that's what that's what sticks out to me is they've 0:08:01.120 --> 0:08:03.679 only got one guy going into his tentier, Trent Brown 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:06.440 at thirty one years old. Carris is going into his 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:08.640 ninth year. Both those guys are the oldest guys in 0:08:08.680 --> 0:08:11.000 the team, just thirty one years old. I mean, it's 0:08:13.080 --> 0:08:17.720 it's young, yet it has individual and team achievements that 0:08:17.760 --> 0:08:20.920 are extraordinary by by you know, quite a few of 0:08:20.920 --> 0:08:22.800 the players. And I think it's going to be a 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:23.560 pretty good club. 0:08:24.160 --> 0:08:26.720 It's no secret lap when you have a highly paid 0:08:26.800 --> 0:08:31.040 quarterback and the Bengals obviously do you need inexpensive depths. 0:08:31.920 --> 0:08:35.600 The Bengals kept twelve rookies, all ten of their draft picks, 0:08:35.640 --> 0:08:39.080 plus two undrafted guys. But they're not keeping them just 0:08:39.280 --> 0:08:43.880 because they're inexpensive. They really like that young group. 0:08:44.520 --> 0:08:47.840 They do. Dan and all eight rookies that made it 0:08:47.920 --> 0:08:51.520 last year have some sort of role on the sixty 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:53.839 nine n roster this year, you know. So it's like 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:58.280 ten draft choices this year, eight last year. Two college 0:08:58.320 --> 0:09:02.640 free agents make it again this year. The most in 0:09:02.679 --> 0:09:05.480 the National Football League by any team is three college 0:09:05.480 --> 0:09:07.720 free agents that made the team with the Kansas City Chiefs. 0:09:08.160 --> 0:09:11.280 The Bengals are amongst a few that have two. So 0:09:12.200 --> 0:09:14.720 you got to tip your cap to the you know, 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:20.040 Duke Tobin and his personel department and unearthing a lot 0:09:20.080 --> 0:09:22.800 of these young players. And you're right, you know, you've 0:09:22.800 --> 0:09:27.240 got a a very very highly paid and rightfully sole quarterback. 0:09:28.000 --> 0:09:33.480 You have to surround him with cost effective talent, There's 0:09:33.480 --> 0:09:36.280 no question about it. And the last two years what 0:09:36.360 --> 0:09:38.080 they've done a heck of a job of it. 0:09:38.200 --> 0:09:40.560 The position group that is in flux to begin the 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:44.080 season is the defensive line. Miles Murphy and McKinley Jackson 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:46.360 begin the year on I are they will miss at 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:49.800 least four weeks. So the Bengals went to the waiver 0:09:49.880 --> 0:09:52.839 wire and they found kJ Henry, a fifth round draft 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:56.040 pick last year by Washington out of Clemson, started three 0:09:56.080 --> 0:09:58.440 games as a rookie last year for the Commanders and 0:09:58.480 --> 0:10:01.600 He was their highest graded pass rusher in the preseason, 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:04.800 according to p f F. Do you think kJ Henry 0:10:04.880 --> 0:10:06.640 will play a meaningful role. 0:10:07.360 --> 0:10:07.640 I do. 0:10:07.679 --> 0:10:10.960 I think he's gonna, you know, like his surroundings, his 0:10:11.120 --> 0:10:15.480 defensive mind coaches there is, they're both very familiar with 0:10:15.520 --> 0:10:19.640 each other having come from Clemson. He's got teammates from 0:10:19.720 --> 0:10:22.800 that that team at Clemson on the on the football team. 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:23.480 Uh. 0:10:23.640 --> 0:10:28.320 He's said to be a gregarious sort and uh makes 0:10:28.400 --> 0:10:32.360 relationships strong relationships with his teammates right away. I do. 0:10:32.440 --> 0:10:34.439 I mean, I think that he's got a he's got 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:37.000 a potential to uh, you know, to make to have 0:10:37.040 --> 0:10:40.800 an impact on on the football team. He's uh, he's 0:10:40.840 --> 0:10:46.040 obviously got physical talent and they that's You're right, that 0:10:46.160 --> 0:10:50.439 position group in general, UH is probably as big a 0:10:50.559 --> 0:10:52.960 question mark assan team. I mean, he makes the fifth 0:10:53.000 --> 0:10:56.680 defensive end. They have five defensive tackles that they've settled 0:10:56.679 --> 0:10:59.760 in on, and you know, he he becomes the fifth 0:10:59.840 --> 0:11:03.439 edge guy, and like you said, grated out well as 0:11:03.559 --> 0:11:08.200 that as that edge guy. He's basically here. A big 0:11:08.240 --> 0:11:10.280 reason part of a reason why he's here is Miles 0:11:10.400 --> 0:11:13.720 Murphy's injury. You know, I mean if that didn't take place, 0:11:14.120 --> 0:11:19.800 it would be a much different dynamic. And also, I 0:11:19.840 --> 0:11:25.160 think Cedric Johnson basically has an opportunity to assume a 0:11:25.200 --> 0:11:28.360 pretty significant role, you know. I mean, now, all of 0:11:28.400 --> 0:11:30.680 a sudden, you got a young guy that I think 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:34.360 showed that he could play in training camp, and he's 0:11:34.400 --> 0:11:38.480 going to be leaned upon to take some significant snaps, 0:11:38.520 --> 0:11:41.120 potentially in a significant role for the football team. 0:11:41.600 --> 0:11:44.000 They also picked up a couple of defensive linemen from 0:11:44.040 --> 0:11:46.440 other teams for the practice squad, three hundred and thirty 0:11:46.440 --> 0:11:48.800 five pound Justin Rodgers, who was a seventh round pick 0:11:48.840 --> 0:11:51.920 by the Cowboys this year, and defensive end Isaiah Thomas, 0:11:51.960 --> 0:11:53.640 who was a seventh round pick by the Browns a 0:11:53.679 --> 0:11:56.559 couple of years ago. Is that just a matter of 0:11:57.120 --> 0:12:00.520 these guys are a little bit better than the guys 0:12:00.520 --> 0:12:03.480 that we already had in camp or does it indicate 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:07.480 that the Bengals are really churning through all of these 0:12:07.559 --> 0:12:10.560 rosters to try and find as much defensive line depth 0:12:10.559 --> 0:12:11.120 as they can. 0:12:11.840 --> 0:12:14.720 Yeah, I mean I think that honestly, their approach is 0:12:15.040 --> 0:12:18.680 best fifty three guys that they can or actually sixty 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:21.920 nine guys with these practice squad auditions. I think they're 0:12:21.960 --> 0:12:23.920 trying to put together the best football team that they 0:12:23.960 --> 0:12:27.320 possibly can. And Isaiah Thomas was a seventh round pick 0:12:27.320 --> 0:12:30.520 out of Oklahoma and Cleveland in twenty two and he 0:12:30.640 --> 0:12:34.720 played ten years, you know, ten games, I should say 0:12:34.760 --> 0:12:42.720 as a rookie, but justin Rodgers also, you know, defensive 0:12:42.760 --> 0:12:47.120 tackle inside from Auburn. Dallas Cowboys draft him sixty three, 0:12:47.320 --> 0:12:51.080 three hundred and thirty five pound guy. Again, pretty good 0:12:51.080 --> 0:12:55.440 football team at Dallas. You know, players, coaches, you become 0:12:55.480 --> 0:12:57.600 a sponge. You try to absorb as much knowledge as 0:12:57.600 --> 0:13:01.640 you possibly can with the environment circumstances that you're presented with, 0:13:01.679 --> 0:13:03.800 and you try to try to make yourself a better 0:13:03.800 --> 0:13:04.560 football player. 0:13:05.600 --> 0:13:08.559 They kept five tight ends, which is a little bit unusual. 0:13:08.600 --> 0:13:11.480 You've got the three veterans Mike Kasicki through Sample and 0:13:11.520 --> 0:13:13.960 Tanner Hudson and the two rookies there were draft picks 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:18.200 this year, Eric Ball and Tanner McLaughlin. I'm guessing you 0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:21.720 won't have five active on game day. Was this a 0:13:21.760 --> 0:13:23.920 matter of not wanting to lose any of them? 0:13:24.320 --> 0:13:26.280 Yeah, I think I think you're probably right, Dan. I 0:13:26.280 --> 0:13:28.720 mean I think that you know they're they're looking at 0:13:28.760 --> 0:13:33.640 the fact that they all have some potential, some traits 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:36.120 that you'd like to have that at the tight end position, 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:39.880 and they can deactivate one of them on a on 0:13:39.920 --> 0:13:43.440 a weekly basis. And the other thing is with the 0:13:43.600 --> 0:13:46.680 new kickoff rule, the body types that these tight ends 0:13:46.679 --> 0:13:49.920 are are very, very valuable to Darren Simmons in terms 0:13:49.960 --> 0:13:51.840 of getting down the football field with a good sized 0:13:51.840 --> 0:13:56.640 body and separating from blocks from return teams and sustaining 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:59.800 blocks on your return team. So, you know, I think 0:13:59.800 --> 0:14:03.719 that a position group that as the kickoff rule kind 0:14:03.720 --> 0:14:05.960 of evolves, you know, you want to make sure that 0:14:06.040 --> 0:14:09.079 you've got good sized linebackers that can run, good sized 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:11.720 tight ends that can run. So I think all of 0:14:11.720 --> 0:14:15.360 those guys you know, fit that bill, and some will 0:14:15.400 --> 0:14:18.000 be better than others in that regard. Obviously, for for 0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:20.600 Darren Simmons, I don't think we'll see Hudson Usiki doing 0:14:20.880 --> 0:14:23.240 doing that that type of thing, but the others are 0:14:23.320 --> 0:14:26.200 all capable of doing it, and if one of them 0:14:26.200 --> 0:14:28.080 gets nipped up, you get another one on the practice 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:29.080 squad ready to roll. 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:32.600 There's a delicate dance for an NFL head coach during 0:14:32.680 --> 0:14:36.040 training camp between trying to make sure that your players 0:14:36.080 --> 0:14:39.120 are worked hard and ready, but also trying as much 0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:42.960 as possible to avoid injuries. All of the Bengals projected 0:14:43.040 --> 0:14:46.160 starters before training camp should be good to go for 0:14:46.240 --> 0:14:49.640 the season opener next week against New England. Are they 0:14:49.920 --> 0:14:53.240 more battle tested as well from this year's training camp? 0:14:53.960 --> 0:14:56.760 I think so, Dan, I really do. I mean I 0:14:56.800 --> 0:15:02.120 think that you know, having joint practices with with two 0:15:02.120 --> 0:15:04.360 teams back to back, one on the road, went at home, 0:15:04.840 --> 0:15:08.960 it kind of stimulated, uh, you know, to travel and 0:15:09.240 --> 0:15:12.760 getting ready to exert as much physical activity as you 0:15:12.800 --> 0:15:16.080 can uh shortly thereafter, you know, and and uh, and 0:15:16.120 --> 0:15:19.360 then having them do the same thing when they come 0:15:19.400 --> 0:15:22.320 to your place. I think all of that is important. 0:15:22.320 --> 0:15:25.240 I think all of that gets you into into like 0:15:25.280 --> 0:15:28.680 a rhythm, you know, both physically and mentally, into a rhythm. 0:15:28.800 --> 0:15:32.400 And I do think that the practices, in my mind 0:15:32.440 --> 0:15:35.960 were pretty darn and tense in terms of it was football, 0:15:36.280 --> 0:15:39.400 you know, it was it was more it was fewer 0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:43.600 individual drills, shorts and T shirts, you know, running around 0:15:43.720 --> 0:15:45.800 looking good and all that. It was. It was more 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:51.800 team oriented, situational football and then unscripted offense against defense. 0:15:51.880 --> 0:15:54.200 You know, if you stop us, okay, we have to 0:15:54.240 --> 0:15:57.440 start over again. If if we generate a first nown, 0:15:57.480 --> 0:15:59.920 we're going to continue to sustain the drive and see 0:16:00.000 --> 0:16:01.920 if we can score. I mean, it was football, and 0:16:01.960 --> 0:16:04.760 there was a lot of it, and I think a 0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:07.440 lot of veteran players took a lot of snaps that 0:16:07.520 --> 0:16:12.000 I thought, from a practice standpoint, were probably as as 0:16:12.080 --> 0:16:14.600 intense as maybe anybody's or close to anybody's in the 0:16:14.680 --> 0:16:18.160 National Football League. Then you throw in those you know, 0:16:18.160 --> 0:16:21.040 those joint practices. I thought that was really good intensity, 0:16:21.160 --> 0:16:23.280 particularly in the in the trenches. I thought it was. 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:26.040 And then you know, the number ones get on a 0:16:26.080 --> 0:16:29.240 twelve play seventy three yard drive to start the preseason off, 0:16:29.840 --> 0:16:33.560 and you know that was it. But that twelve play 0:16:33.680 --> 0:16:37.320 drive challenge your football party vascular a little bit. And 0:16:37.800 --> 0:16:39.840 I think I think they are. I think they're I 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:41.640 think they're ready to put their best foot forward and 0:16:41.680 --> 0:16:43.760 get off to a good start, which is obviously the goal. 0:16:44.200 --> 0:16:46.080 Training camp is essentially in the books. 0:16:46.080 --> 0:16:49.000 Now the Bengals are preparing for Week one against the Patriots. 0:16:49.080 --> 0:16:51.960 Do you have a training camp, MVP? 0:16:53.080 --> 0:16:56.920 Yeah, this one's interesting. You know, I've got I guess 0:16:56.920 --> 0:16:59.960 a few guys that jump out at me for very 0:17:00.160 --> 0:17:04.600 since sundry reasons. But Joe Burrow and Von Bell I 0:17:04.600 --> 0:17:07.200 think had a huge impact on the offensive and defensive 0:17:07.200 --> 0:17:11.400 football team. The common denominator is they're both unbelievably quick 0:17:11.440 --> 0:17:15.439 processors and phenomenal communicators. You know, before the before the 0:17:15.480 --> 0:17:19.359 ball even snapped, they're making big impacts on their football team. 0:17:19.880 --> 0:17:21.720 And the coaches will tell you that. You know that 0:17:21.720 --> 0:17:25.600 that you know, Zach will say the feedback that they 0:17:25.600 --> 0:17:27.879 get meetings from Joe Burrow as important as anything that 0:17:27.920 --> 0:17:32.200 the coaches talk about, and and lou Anoumo just things 0:17:32.200 --> 0:17:34.920 the praises of Von Bell's ability to communicate and he's 0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:36.520 like a coach on the field. So all of that 0:17:37.119 --> 0:17:39.199 is even before the snap of the football. So I 0:17:39.200 --> 0:17:42.040 think the the two two of the Killer Bees, Burrow 0:17:42.080 --> 0:17:45.480 and Bell had had great camps. And I mean, Joe, 0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:50.159 I can remember Dan my my rookie year. I'm thinking, man, 0:17:50.880 --> 0:17:53.800 once the last time Kenny Anderson threw an incompletion, when 0:17:53.840 --> 0:17:56.080 when did the ball actually go on ground? You know 0:17:56.200 --> 0:17:58.040 that nobody came up with it. I mean it was 0:17:58.080 --> 0:18:01.320 like like three days. And that's what Joe Burrow is 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:03.119 capable of doing. That's what he has done, you know, 0:18:03.160 --> 0:18:09.280 I mean he he completes passes, man, I mean, he's accurate. 0:18:09.320 --> 0:18:11.560 He puts it where he wants to put it. He 0:18:11.560 --> 0:18:13.719 puts it in a good spot where his receivers can 0:18:13.760 --> 0:18:16.760 make a play on it. And man to see some 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:19.600 of those practices and how many throws he made that 0:18:19.720 --> 0:18:21.639 never hit the ground then during the course of the 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:25.880 preseason completed like what eighty three percent. I mean, that's 0:18:25.880 --> 0:18:28.680 that's a pretty darn strong camp and that's an obvious MVP. 0:18:29.160 --> 0:18:32.080 I think Bell is an obvious MVP. And then you 0:18:32.160 --> 0:18:35.880 factor in expectations and impact on the team. You expect 0:18:36.000 --> 0:18:38.480 his high expectations for both those guys. But I thought 0:18:38.560 --> 0:18:43.320 Yosi in the slot was consistently effective on a day 0:18:43.400 --> 0:18:47.600 to day basis. I thought Yosi Vosh made a statement said, 0:18:47.600 --> 0:18:50.000 you know what, I know this slot position is available, 0:18:50.720 --> 0:18:53.959 and you know, Tyler Boyd moved on and I'm going 0:18:53.960 --> 0:18:56.240 to put the flag on the ground for this particular position. 0:18:56.320 --> 0:18:59.520 I thought he really, he really went after it. I 0:18:59.560 --> 0:19:02.560 thought we talked about Cedric Johnson. I thought, Cedric Johnson, 0:19:03.000 --> 0:19:06.800 you know, he's going to play more than expected, probably 0:19:06.880 --> 0:19:10.240 at a very important position. And so Cedric Johnson, you know, 0:19:10.400 --> 0:19:14.639 I think stepped up and showed that he belonged. I 0:19:14.640 --> 0:19:18.080 think Eric al Amon strong and he could have a 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:21.560 real impact on the football team. I thought his training 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:25.000 camp was effective. And then Mumah obviously is a great story. 0:19:25.160 --> 0:19:27.720 You know, you get a kid coming out of nowhere, 0:19:27.760 --> 0:19:30.600 I'm making tackles all over the football field, and he 0:19:30.640 --> 0:19:33.239 earned a role. Now that role might not have as 0:19:33.280 --> 0:19:36.560 big an impact on the football team initially the role 0:19:36.600 --> 0:19:39.600 that he's carved out, but you know, god forbid injuries 0:19:39.640 --> 0:19:42.240 or whatever else. You never know how roles might expand. 0:19:42.280 --> 0:19:45.080 But I think it's a sign that they had a 0:19:45.160 --> 0:19:47.840 very good camp and they have a pretty good football 0:19:47.840 --> 0:19:51.000 team that all these guys you can talk about man 0:19:51.440 --> 0:19:54.400 maybe having a bigger impact on the football team in 0:19:54.400 --> 0:19:58.000 some cases than you anticipated, and you know, meeting the 0:19:58.080 --> 0:20:00.440 level of expectation the impact on the foot faul team 0:20:00.440 --> 0:20:03.359 that you were hopeful of. So I think that's pretty 0:20:03.359 --> 0:20:05.240 good indicator that they might be pretty decent. 0:20:05.960 --> 0:20:07.920 All right, you mentioned a bunch of guys that had 0:20:07.960 --> 0:20:12.760 great camps, all worthy of consideration for MVP of training camp, 0:20:12.800 --> 0:20:15.520 but you did not mention mine. So this works out well. 0:20:16.280 --> 0:20:20.080 My training camp MVP is a guy who only took 0:20:20.200 --> 0:20:24.000 part in the first half of training camp in one 0:20:24.080 --> 0:20:27.600 preseason game, and that is a Marius Mims. 0:20:27.880 --> 0:20:29.119 Yeah, and here's why. 0:20:29.200 --> 0:20:31.720 If we go back to the twenty twenty one draft, 0:20:32.280 --> 0:20:35.840 we all remember the debate was going on in Cincinnati. 0:20:36.160 --> 0:20:40.800 Should you take Jamar Chase or should you take Pine Sewel. 0:20:41.800 --> 0:20:45.320 I think the Bengals now have both. If a Marius 0:20:45.440 --> 0:20:50.000 Mims is able to stay healthy, he can be Pane sewell. 0:20:50.560 --> 0:20:53.520 So it took a few years to get both, but 0:20:53.640 --> 0:20:56.399 I think based on what we saw in that first 0:20:56.400 --> 0:20:59.440 half of training camp, a Marius Mims can be that 0:21:00.119 --> 0:21:03.160 type of player had right tackle for the next decade 0:21:03.200 --> 0:21:05.000