WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Go Big 0:00:03.560 --> 0:00:06.480 Hi, get everybody on Dan Horden. Thanks for downloading The 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:11.360 Bengals Booth Podcast. The Go Big, Go Big, Go Big, 0:00:11.640 --> 0:00:15.680 Go Big. Addition, as I introduce you to the new 0:00:16.200 --> 0:00:18.760 very large man in the middle of the Bengals defense, 0:00:19.200 --> 0:00:23.240 TJ Slayton. Then it's my final interview from the NFL 0:00:23.280 --> 0:00:27.640 Scouting Combine as we hear from Charles Davis from CBS Sports. 0:00:28.160 --> 0:00:30.880 The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corp, 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:35.000 Proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by 0:00:35.040 --> 0:00:38.560 Allta Fiber, future proof fiber Internet design to elevate your home, 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:42.559 business and community to a new level, and by Kettering 0:00:42.600 --> 0:00:45.560 Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health 0:00:45.640 --> 0:00:49.400 is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's 0:00:49.400 --> 0:00:51.960 a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition 0:00:52.120 --> 0:00:55.440 of this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet or 0:00:55.480 --> 0:00:59.560 computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the 0:00:59.600 --> 0:01:05.720 greatest thing since changing clocks. I did not enjoy losing 0:01:05.720 --> 0:01:08.640 an hour of sleep last weekend for daylight savings, but 0:01:09.400 --> 0:01:13.280 I did enjoy going around the house and changing our clocks. 0:01:13.880 --> 0:01:16.520 It's the one area of my life where I might 0:01:16.640 --> 0:01:20.640 have a slight case of OCD. You see, it's not 0:01:20.800 --> 0:01:23.319 enough to just change the clocks. I have to make 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:27.360 sure they are synced up perfectly twice a year when 0:01:27.400 --> 0:01:30.800 it's time to spring forward or fall back. So in 0:01:30.880 --> 0:01:34.080 our kitchen, for example, I will make sure that the 0:01:34.120 --> 0:01:38.080 clocks on the wall, coffee maker oven, and toaster oven 0:01:38.560 --> 0:01:41.440 are all set within a split second of each other. 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:48.920 Is it a little obsessive? Absolutely? Is it also oddly satisfying? Three? 0:01:49.720 --> 0:01:56.160 Two one? Yes. Now let's get to my first guest. 0:01:56.440 --> 0:01:59.200 So far, in free agency, the Bengals have re signed 0:01:59.240 --> 0:02:03.760 several of their own key players, including Mike Kasiki, B J. Hill, and, 0:02:03.880 --> 0:02:07.880 according to published reports, Joseph Oside. They've brought back a 0:02:08.000 --> 0:02:10.720 valuable player from the Super Bowl fifty six team in 0:02:10.800 --> 0:02:13.919 running back sama J. P Rin, and added a couple 0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:18.359 of players from other teams. Linebacker Orrin Berks, who played 0:02:18.400 --> 0:02:21.400 nearly every snap on defense for Philly in the Eagle 0:02:21.480 --> 0:02:24.320 Super Bowl win over the Chiefs, is expected to put 0:02:24.360 --> 0:02:28.560 pen to paper early next week, and defensive tackle TJ. Slayton, 0:02:28.880 --> 0:02:31.239 who started every game for Green Bay over the last 0:02:31.320 --> 0:02:35.720 couple of years, signed his Bengals contract on Thursday. It's 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:41.079 reportedly a two year, fourteen million dollar deal. Two years ago, 0:02:41.240 --> 0:02:44.120 Pro Football Focus ranked the three hundred and thirty pounds 0:02:44.160 --> 0:02:47.760 Slaton as the number two nose tackle in the NFL 0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:51.560 behind the New York Giants Dexter Lawrence. When the Bengals 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:54.440 hired new defensive coordinator Al gold and I asked him 0:02:54.760 --> 0:03:00.600 about trying to acquire somebody like Slayton. Do you feel 0:03:00.600 --> 0:03:04.440 like it's important to add size inside, particularly playing six 0:03:04.480 --> 0:03:05.680 games in the AFC. 0:03:05.360 --> 0:03:09.440 North, no doubt, especially with the running attacks that we'll see. 0:03:09.600 --> 0:03:11.920 I haven't looked at the schedule yet. Overall, that's something 0:03:11.960 --> 0:03:14.360 we'll do in the off season. But obviously if you 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:17.160 can stop the run, and more importantly than that is 0:03:17.200 --> 0:03:19.080 you can't always play an out number box in this 0:03:19.200 --> 0:03:21.440 day and age in the NFL, and so you need 0:03:21.480 --> 0:03:23.600 some guys that can gap in half or get the 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:26.400 ball on the ground without having an out number box. 0:03:26.919 --> 0:03:30.320 And I think that's where the scheme is important. That's 0:03:30.320 --> 0:03:33.919 where having that size and strength, and you know, those 0:03:33.919 --> 0:03:35.960 are the guys that you know, we're hoping to move 0:03:35.960 --> 0:03:37.880 forward with. You know in the future. 0:03:38.840 --> 0:03:42.400 Slayton certainly has size and strength, but he's also an 0:03:42.440 --> 0:03:48.240 athletic freak, and that's where I started our conversation. TJ. 0:03:48.480 --> 0:03:51.760 You are six four three point thirty, but I looked 0:03:51.800 --> 0:03:54.360 up some footage on the internet and saw you doing 0:03:54.400 --> 0:03:58.120 a windmill dunk just a few years ago. Can you 0:03:58.160 --> 0:04:00.560 still dunk at your size? Yeah? 0:04:02.360 --> 0:04:05.280 Yeah, I mean because I'm still working out all the time, 0:04:05.360 --> 0:04:08.400 so the body is still able to do those things. 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:11.720 So you know, I don't think I ever really lost it. 0:04:11.720 --> 0:04:13.920 It's just every now and then you just slow down, 0:04:14.680 --> 0:04:16.080 but you know, you got to pick it back up. 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:18.560 So usually in the offseason I play basketball. 0:04:19.400 --> 0:04:21.919 So what are the some of the freaky athletic things 0:04:21.920 --> 0:04:24.599 that you've done at your size that have made other 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:26.200 people go, come. 0:04:26.080 --> 0:04:29.279 On, no way, I've did a I've done a couple 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:37.840 of things, handstands, bat flips, headstands, spin around on it 0:04:38.000 --> 0:04:39.560 like on the ground on your back. 0:04:40.200 --> 0:04:44.120 It a lot, so backflip every now and then. 0:04:44.240 --> 0:04:46.440 I try to stay away from the bat flips, but 0:04:46.839 --> 0:04:49.000 they could be done. 0:04:48.400 --> 0:04:51.400 All right, I'd like to see it. That's pretty incredible. 0:04:51.920 --> 0:04:54.400 So I think people listening to this know that you 0:04:54.480 --> 0:04:56.760 spent four years with the Green Bay Packers, and for 0:04:56.800 --> 0:04:59.240 the first three of those seasons, Jerry Montgomery was your 0:04:59.240 --> 0:05:02.880 defensive line coach. He's now here with that job in Cincinnati. 0:05:03.000 --> 0:05:05.960 How big of a factor was that connection? 0:05:06.960 --> 0:05:10.159 Uh? It was big. It was pretty big. Uh. I 0:05:10.240 --> 0:05:12.000 was one of the I was one of the guys 0:05:12.000 --> 0:05:15.960 that didn't want to see him go. But now that 0:05:16.040 --> 0:05:18.640 we and we're both in a place where, you know, 0:05:18.680 --> 0:05:22.440 we feel good about one another, So I think it's 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:23.440 gonna be great. 0:05:23.880 --> 0:05:26.240 He's a young guy. He almost looks like he could 0:05:26.279 --> 0:05:29.920 still play. He played your position, he played tackle. Yeah. 0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:32.920 Uh does that help you connect with him? Uh? 0:05:32.960 --> 0:05:36.640 Most definitely, because then he he understands the ins and outs. Uh, 0:05:36.680 --> 0:05:39.480 he understands, like if something was going wrong in the game, 0:05:39.560 --> 0:05:42.640 he he can get it, cause like, well, we played 0:05:42.680 --> 0:05:44.840 the same position, So I understand what exactly what you're 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:47.479 going through, what you're seeing, so I can I know 0:05:47.560 --> 0:05:50.120 exactly what you need for me to help you get 0:05:50.160 --> 0:05:52.520 better at the position. So that's good. 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:55.279 So your eyes kind of light up as you describe that. 0:05:55.680 --> 0:05:58.320 Yeah, yeah, yeah, Cause it's as I'm saying, as a 0:05:58.320 --> 0:06:00.520 football player, you always want to get better, you know, 0:06:00.600 --> 0:06:02.640 you always want to try and find some knowledge or 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:07.000 find some something in the game that helped you play faster, 0:06:07.720 --> 0:06:10.440 or you knowing the formation or knowing where the running 0:06:10.440 --> 0:06:12.920 back's going to help you play faster so you can 0:06:12.960 --> 0:06:13.680 be successful. 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:17.400 We're visiting the TJ. Slayton. The Bengals have struggled at 0:06:17.400 --> 0:06:20.080 stopping the run the last couple of years. You are 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:22.800 known for your ability to stop the run. Do you 0:06:22.880 --> 0:06:25.560 take run stopper as a compliment? 0:06:27.120 --> 0:06:32.200 I take it as that's what I do because at 0:06:32.240 --> 0:06:34.719 the end of the day, I know I'm not the 0:06:34.800 --> 0:06:37.360 best pass rusher. I'm not saying I can't pass rush, 0:06:37.400 --> 0:06:41.600 but stopping the run is my number one on when 0:06:41.640 --> 0:06:43.240 it comes to the list of things to do in 0:06:43.240 --> 0:06:45.360 the game, I gotta stop the run before I can 0:06:46.040 --> 0:06:49.080 rush the passer or play a screen or whatever. I 0:06:49.120 --> 0:06:50.320 got to stop the run first. 0:06:51.680 --> 0:06:56.279 ESPN graded you as the number one defensive tackle in 0:06:56.520 --> 0:07:00.320 run stopping win rate last year. I assume that you've 0:07:00.320 --> 0:07:03.359 heard that or saw that stat what's a take. What's 0:07:03.400 --> 0:07:05.400 it take to be the guy that does the dirty 0:07:05.400 --> 0:07:06.760 work and stops to run. 0:07:07.880 --> 0:07:11.120 It's all in the technique. Come out your hips, use 0:07:11.160 --> 0:07:13.880 your hands, knock the guy back and shed them off 0:07:13.880 --> 0:07:14.520 and make the play. 0:07:15.160 --> 0:07:16.280 How much of it is want to. 0:07:17.800 --> 0:07:20.120 Every play, every player that you see, you want to make. 0:07:20.200 --> 0:07:21.720 You want to make it. You want you want to 0:07:21.720 --> 0:07:24.600 play to be yours. So at the end of the day, 0:07:24.680 --> 0:07:26.320 like you going as hard as you can to try 0:07:26.360 --> 0:07:29.200 to make that play. So I feel like i'ma be 0:07:29.240 --> 0:07:30.920 able to trans I feel like I'm gonna be able 0:07:30.960 --> 0:07:32.200 to transition pretty well. 0:07:32.240 --> 0:07:35.640 Here. Defense takes all eleven. But how much of a 0:07:35.680 --> 0:07:38.800 difference can one guy make at stopping the run in 0:07:38.840 --> 0:07:40.320 the middle of the defensive. 0:07:39.880 --> 0:07:44.160 Line, Because it's like it's it's like it gets repetitive, 0:07:44.160 --> 0:07:46.800 it gets like frustrating for the running back, like he 0:07:46.880 --> 0:07:48.559 keeps trying to run the ball in the A gaps, 0:07:48.600 --> 0:07:50.200 keep trying to run the ball in the B gaps, 0:07:50.200 --> 0:07:51.240 and it's not working. 0:07:51.320 --> 0:07:52.000 Like what's going on. 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:54.520 It's gonna it's kind of demoralizing for offense that they 0:07:54.560 --> 0:07:57.080 can't run the ball. So it's like, that's that's good 0:07:57.120 --> 0:07:59.640 for my confidence, and I'm pretty sure that's gonna be 0:07:59.680 --> 0:08:01.880 good for it nobody else confidence around me. It's like, 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:04.000 we're doing our job, so that's something we should, you know, 0:08:04.040 --> 0:08:05.440 we should feel good about. 0:08:05.640 --> 0:08:08.880 We're chatting with TJ. Slayton, one of your most impressive 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:11.280 traits in your four NFL seasons is that you've never 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:14.640 missed a game regular season or postseason, and the Packers 0:08:14.680 --> 0:08:17.440 went to the playoffs three times in your four years. 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:21.000 You had to play through a lot. I mean, nobody 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:25.560 stays completely healthy through seventeen eighteen nineteen games, whatever it 0:08:25.600 --> 0:08:27.160 was in a season. What were some of the thought 0:08:27.400 --> 0:08:28.600 some of the things you gutted through. 0:08:28.960 --> 0:08:34.840 I've had my knicks, uh, thumbs, fingers, turf toe, ankle 0:08:35.320 --> 0:08:39.960 ten and night is shoulders. It's not easy, you know, 0:08:40.440 --> 0:08:43.079 but I love the game and I don't want to 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:45.679 miss a game, so I always try to. I don't know, 0:08:45.760 --> 0:08:48.120 I fight through a lot of stuff and that that's 0:08:48.240 --> 0:08:50.360 good and a bad thing, but I don't view it 0:08:50.400 --> 0:08:54.359 as a bad thing because I want to be out there. Uh. 0:08:54.840 --> 0:08:57.040 I probably mostly one hundred percent of the time, I'm 0:08:57.040 --> 0:08:59.200 will tell the Chrainers however, I feel I'm still going 0:08:59.240 --> 0:08:59.560 to play. 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:00.560 Uh. 0:09:01.960 --> 0:09:04.400 But it's just like I think, I honestly believe, like 0:09:04.480 --> 0:09:07.400 it's me not growing up with like brothers. So I 0:09:07.440 --> 0:09:09.120 always want to, you know, be out there playing with 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:12.160 my brothers, and I always wanted to. I don't want 0:09:12.160 --> 0:09:14.040 to miss a game because I know how they feel 0:09:14.080 --> 0:09:16.280 when they miss a game, So I don't want that feeling. 0:09:17.040 --> 0:09:19.200 But at the end of the day, like, that's how 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:20.319 that's how I see it. 0:09:21.080 --> 0:09:23.199 That means a lot to the people in the room. 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:25.600 How much respect do you think you've gained for your 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:28.400 teammates in Green Bay from never missing a game in 0:09:28.440 --> 0:09:29.160 four years. 0:09:30.040 --> 0:09:31.960 I'm pretty sure they can look back on it and 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:35.440 be like, he's solid, he ain't gonna miss a game. 0:09:35.440 --> 0:09:37.719 He always gonna play through whatever he got going on, 0:09:38.320 --> 0:09:42.000 or at least he's gonna try. I think one thing 0:09:42.040 --> 0:09:44.080 they can probably say, it could say is about me, 0:09:44.280 --> 0:09:46.640 is like I play I played hard when I was 0:09:46.679 --> 0:09:47.120 out there. 0:09:48.559 --> 0:09:52.240 You were a high school All American as an offensive lineman. 0:09:52.400 --> 0:09:55.040 I know you played both, but you're graded as the 0:09:55.160 --> 0:09:59.120 number three guard in your high school class. How did 0:09:59.160 --> 0:10:02.200 you become a defensive lineman full time at Florida? 0:10:02.480 --> 0:10:06.040 Uh? I just switched, just switched over. I asks the coaches, like, 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:07.360 you know, could I play defense? 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:07.760 Uh? 0:10:07.960 --> 0:10:09.880 They was like, and they said they needed some help. 0:10:11.440 --> 0:10:14.440 They agreed to it, and that's how we ended up 0:10:14.480 --> 0:10:15.920 on the defensive side of the ball. 0:10:16.559 --> 0:10:19.079 Do you like that side of the ball more? Having 0:10:19.080 --> 0:10:19.600 played both? 0:10:20.040 --> 0:10:20.800 I like defense? 0:10:20.840 --> 0:10:21.120 Better. 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:24.320 I like defense better. Offense was fun in high school, 0:10:24.360 --> 0:10:27.600 you know, blocking for Tony Mitchell and Isaiah McKinsey and 0:10:27.640 --> 0:10:30.280 all that. That was fun, but it was like when 0:10:30.920 --> 0:10:34.800 I was chasing back then, I was chasing like individual success. 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:38.319 So once I got to college, that kind of defense 0:10:38.520 --> 0:10:41.480 showed me, you know, what it all was about. And 0:10:41.559 --> 0:10:43.600 on defensive side of the ball, it takes all the living. 0:10:44.200 --> 0:10:47.880 So and once I got behind that, and once I 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:51.360 started believing in that, everything just started falling into place 0:10:51.559 --> 0:10:53.200 and everything really started taking off. 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:58.040 Jerry Montgomery is not your only connection at Cincinnati. Your 0:10:58.160 --> 0:11:01.440 former high school and college team. Marco Wilson is here, 0:11:01.880 --> 0:11:05.679 Money mac Evan McPherson is here. Does that add to 0:11:05.720 --> 0:11:07.839 your comfort level knowing that you'll walk into a locker 0:11:07.920 --> 0:11:09.400 room with some guys that you've already played with. 0:11:09.559 --> 0:11:14.240 Yeah, you know, I trained with I trained with cam Uh, 0:11:14.920 --> 0:11:17.840 So that was fun. You know, it's always, you know, 0:11:17.920 --> 0:11:20.920 fun to be around people that you've known before, So 0:11:20.960 --> 0:11:23.800 it brings you some comfort, so you don't feel like 0:11:23.880 --> 0:11:27.040 you're all alone in a new place. So that's good. 0:11:27.120 --> 0:11:32.360 That's that's actually great for me because I mean I 0:11:32.360 --> 0:11:35.400 wouldn't say it like it gets to me. But it's good, 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:36.960 you know, to have people around that. 0:11:37.040 --> 0:11:40.800 You know Cam Sample when you said you trained with Cam, Yeah, 0:11:41.080 --> 0:11:43.079 because there's Cam Taylor Britt as well, so just. 0:11:43.080 --> 0:11:47.520 Check it is Sample the Detagler. 0:11:48.640 --> 0:11:52.240 So you had it good in Green Bay. The team 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:55.000 was good, you had individual success. I know you weren't 0:11:55.040 --> 0:11:59.160 necessarily looking to leave, but football is a business. Did 0:11:59.160 --> 0:12:01.640 this underscore or that aspect of the career? 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:05.280 Oh, I wouldn't say underscore. It was just like, you know, 0:12:05.360 --> 0:12:10.800 I got drafted there, four year deal. You know, it 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:15.080 came to it and you thought you did enough, you know, 0:12:15.240 --> 0:12:19.120 to stay, or you did enough to deserve to stay, 0:12:19.280 --> 0:12:22.160 but you know that just wasn't the case. So no 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:25.920 hard feelings, you know, it's just it's just time to 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:26.240 move on. 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:29.560 Your rookie year, the Bengals went to the Super Bowl. 0:12:30.040 --> 0:12:32.600 The next year, they went to the AFC Championship Game. 0:12:32.760 --> 0:12:35.319 Obviously the last couple of years haven't gone quite as well. 0:12:35.360 --> 0:12:38.480 But since you've been in this league, the Bengals have 0:12:38.559 --> 0:12:41.800 been considered to be a contender. Yeah, what's that mean 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:43.360 to you? Joining the team now. 0:12:44.400 --> 0:12:46.400 That means they have the guys, That mean they have 0:12:46.480 --> 0:12:49.240 the vision and they have the mindset to go out 0:12:49.280 --> 0:12:53.920 there and execute and get to the dance. So like 0:12:54.800 --> 0:13:01.520 realizing that, how can you not say though, you got 0:13:01.520 --> 0:13:05.320 people around here, even people upstairs, who understand what it 0:13:05.360 --> 0:13:09.120 takes to get to the most important game that we 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:13.000 all dream of playing in. So it's just like, no 0:13:13.120 --> 0:13:16.080 disrespect to the guys at Green Bay. I'm not saying 0:13:16.120 --> 0:13:18.440 they didn't know what I'm saying, but this organization has 0:13:18.480 --> 0:13:23.000 been there and then has been close the next year, 0:13:23.320 --> 0:13:26.280 so they know exactly what it takes to get over 0:13:26.320 --> 0:13:28.800 the hunt of those first two games that you need 0:13:28.840 --> 0:13:33.000 to get over in the playoffs. So it's like, Okay, 0:13:33.160 --> 0:13:36.880 I got that, plus I got a coach, and plus 0:13:36.920 --> 0:13:38.720 I got a team, so it's like, all right, cool, 0:13:38.760 --> 0:13:39.520 I can work for that. 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:42.800 I think if you ask a lot of people around 0:13:42.800 --> 0:13:44.560 the league about the Bengals, they would say, as long 0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:46.800 as you got a quarterback like Joe Burrow, you got 0:13:46.800 --> 0:13:48.040 a chance to win the whole thing. 0:13:48.280 --> 0:13:52.160 He got pieces. I think the offense is great, especially 0:13:52.200 --> 0:13:55.160 with the receivers him the running back all the way 0:13:55.200 --> 0:13:59.000 down to Olamas. So I know from watching them from TV, 0:13:59.760 --> 0:14:02.680 I know that he got it under control, you know, 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:06.320 And I know from the TV that, like, you know, 0:14:06.400 --> 0:14:09.080 you could tell from his eyes that you know, he 0:14:09.160 --> 0:14:11.760 want to play, He want to win the championship. He 0:14:11.840 --> 0:14:14.960 wanted to continue to be a you know, a great quarterback. 0:14:16.400 --> 0:14:19.080 Obviously you could tell he doesn't want like the little 0:14:19.120 --> 0:14:23.080 things to happen, interceptions, the close losses, like nobody wants that. 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:26.560 But I can get behind Joe. 0:14:27.480 --> 0:14:30.360 You're an established bro, You're not a fan boy. But 0:14:30.480 --> 0:14:32.680 is there anybody here that you're kind of excited to meet, 0:14:32.680 --> 0:14:35.200 whether it's Joe or Jamar or anybody else on the steam? 0:14:36.040 --> 0:14:40.440 Uh, I think, I think, I think I have fun, 0:14:40.480 --> 0:14:43.200 you know, chopping up with bj like for the first time. 0:14:43.280 --> 0:14:46.160 I mean, I've watched highlights and I've seen him, but 0:14:46.160 --> 0:14:47.920 I ain't really get to see him. I ain't really 0:14:47.920 --> 0:14:50.480 get to speak to him or like understand like you know, 0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:53.920 where his football game comes from or whatever whatnot, so 0:14:54.680 --> 0:14:55.680 that it's gonna be interested. 0:14:55.760 --> 0:14:59.400 Yeah, you guys will hit it off famously, I'm sure. Uh, 0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:04.560 you are exactly what this defense needs, a big immovable 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:07.720 object in the middle of the defensive line. We're happier here. 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:09.960 I appreciate your time. Look forward to seeing you play 0:15:09.960 --> 0:15:10.320 this year. 0:15:10.480 --> 0:15:10.800 Thank you. 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:14.320 Appreciate it. With Slayton in the middle of their defense, 0:15:14.400 --> 0:15:17.440 the Packers finished third in the NFL in rushing yards 0:15:17.480 --> 0:15:21.120 allowed per attempt and seventh and rushing alloweds per game. 0:15:21.240 --> 0:15:25.800 Last year. The Bengals were sixteenth and nineteenth in those 0:15:25.840 --> 0:15:29.040 two categories. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you 0:15:29.080 --> 0:15:31.840 by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:36.080 software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed 0:15:36.080 --> 0:15:39.040 to elevate your home, business and community to a new level, 0:15:39.440 --> 0:15:42.920 and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans. 0:15:43.000 --> 0:15:46.640 Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. 0:15:47.320 --> 0:15:51.520 Up next Charles Davis, who calls NFL games for CBS 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:55.080 and covers the draft for the NFL Network. I caught 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:58.280 up with him recently at the NFL Scouting Combine, a 0:15:58.360 --> 0:16:01.560 few days after Duke toe and called the Bengals a 0:16:01.680 --> 0:16:05.480 championship caliber team. 0:16:05.680 --> 0:16:08.160 I agree with Duke that they are championship caliber team. 0:16:08.200 --> 0:16:10.200 I think what we've got to look at, though, is 0:16:10.840 --> 0:16:13.280 they didn't make it two years ago, and that was 0:16:13.280 --> 0:16:15.080 an easy reason why Joe. 0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:17.040 Burrow was hurt last year. 0:16:17.160 --> 0:16:21.000 Not making a little more problematic so I think, based 0:16:21.000 --> 0:16:22.960 off of what I'm seeing, what Duke's saying is, we 0:16:23.040 --> 0:16:26.240 have pieces, we have players. What he's expecting is players 0:16:26.280 --> 0:16:29.880 to play better and new staff, especially on the defensive 0:16:29.880 --> 0:16:32.160 side of the ball, that they will be better that way. 0:16:32.200 --> 0:16:34.120 And if so, they're right back in the mixing, back 0:16:34.160 --> 0:16:34.680 in the fight. 0:16:35.800 --> 0:16:37.720 I think that he is saying that to make sure 0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:41.480 everybody knows this organization doesn't plan to go anywhere, and 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:43.360 behind the scenes, I think he must to make a 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:43.960 few moves. 0:16:44.680 --> 0:16:47.600 He also expressed confidence that they can extend the contracts 0:16:47.640 --> 0:16:51.280 of Jamar Chase t Higgins and Trey Hendrickson. It's obviously 0:16:51.320 --> 0:16:54.280 a lot of money. Do you buy it? Do you 0:16:54.280 --> 0:16:56.360 find yourself skeptical? Where do you stand on that? 0:16:56.760 --> 0:16:57.400 I buy it? 0:16:57.840 --> 0:17:01.480 And the reason I buy it is that quarterback. You know, 0:17:02.040 --> 0:17:05.200 when you have him, you gotta figure it out. Okay, 0:17:05.280 --> 0:17:08.040 I realize he said the windows always open if I'm here. 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:12.360 That's great confidence, and in most cases he's probably right. 0:17:12.400 --> 0:17:13.600 But he can't do it by himself. 0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:16.280 He's got to have that help and you have to 0:17:16.280 --> 0:17:20.639 have your core. And Dan, we've seen wherever the best 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:23.960 teams are, their core kind of stays intact. And you 0:17:24.040 --> 0:17:26.400 have to build into pieces around them because of free 0:17:26.400 --> 0:17:29.879 agency and how people move, but that core goes with you. 0:17:30.320 --> 0:17:33.560 That's a pretty good core right there. Best pass you know, number. 0:17:33.359 --> 0:17:36.040 One sat guy last year, number one receiver with the 0:17:36.040 --> 0:17:39.280 triple crowd quarterback dead in any other year was an MVP. 0:17:40.240 --> 0:17:41.399 You better take care of everyone. 0:17:41.400 --> 0:17:47.160 Oh, by the way, T Higgins, Reggie Wayne, and Marvin Harrison. 0:17:47.560 --> 0:17:51.480 Harrison was the one, Wayne was the two. Harrison retires, 0:17:51.560 --> 0:17:54.960 Wayne became the one seamlessly. This is one of the 0:17:54.960 --> 0:17:57.239 few places where you could envision that as well. If 0:17:57.280 --> 0:18:00.240 Jamar Chase isn't there, you have a one and is. 0:18:00.240 --> 0:18:03.760 T Higgins and no issue with spending that much money 0:18:03.800 --> 0:18:04.720 on one position. 0:18:04.840 --> 0:18:08.200 Group is always an issue, but you've got to figure 0:18:08.200 --> 0:18:10.760 it out because that's how you score points, that's where 0:18:10.760 --> 0:18:13.960 your identity is, that's where your team is. So if 0:18:13.960 --> 0:18:16.200 you're going to put the money in there, you may 0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:17.880 not be able to put the same money in your defense. 0:18:18.080 --> 0:18:20.719 But your defense has to play to a minimum level. 0:18:21.200 --> 0:18:24.080 Last year they didn't for whatever reason. They did not 0:18:24.720 --> 0:18:27.520 surprise me as much as problem with anyone else out there. 0:18:28.240 --> 0:18:30.760 But if they just play to a minimum level with 0:18:30.880 --> 0:18:32.080 that offense, you. 0:18:32.160 --> 0:18:32.960 Like your chances. 0:18:33.320 --> 0:18:36.320 Have you been at all surprised by how public Joe 0:18:36.320 --> 0:18:39.480 Burrow has been, beginning with about a month ago in 0:18:39.520 --> 0:18:41.920 the season, for what he would like to see the 0:18:41.960 --> 0:18:43.000 Bengals front office do. 0:18:43.480 --> 0:18:44.760 With most people, I'd say yes. 0:18:44.800 --> 0:18:47.800 With Joe Burrow, I say no, because that's to me, 0:18:47.960 --> 0:18:48.920 that's the core of who. 0:18:48.920 --> 0:18:51.320 Joe Burrow is not going to talk a heck of 0:18:51.359 --> 0:18:54.320 a lot. You know that better than anyone. He's not. 0:18:54.560 --> 0:18:57.040 You know, like when we do our production meetings with him, he. 0:18:57.000 --> 0:18:59.080 Comes in, he shakes hands, he sits down, he looks 0:18:59.119 --> 0:19:01.480 at the comp does't he like, time's yours? 0:19:01.480 --> 0:19:03.760 What do you want? And I think that we're very 0:19:03.760 --> 0:19:04.800 good with at our crew. 0:19:04.840 --> 0:19:06.720 We believe that we are, and we hope that Joe 0:19:06.720 --> 0:19:10.120 would agree with us, ask our questions. Don't linger. We're 0:19:10.119 --> 0:19:12.399 not trying to play hail fellow. Well met He doesn't 0:19:12.400 --> 0:19:15.399 care about that. He's not rude, but that's not what 0:19:15.480 --> 0:19:18.520 his business is. His business winning football games. That's why 0:19:18.520 --> 0:19:21.320 I'm not surprised he said something. He knows he's the franchise, 0:19:21.440 --> 0:19:24.000 he knows he's the guy, and he knows what he 0:19:24.160 --> 0:19:26.920 wants out of his team and his offense, and there's 0:19:26.920 --> 0:19:28.560 a loyalty in that statement as well. 0:19:28.680 --> 0:19:31.120 These guys are produced for me. I want them taking care. 0:19:30.960 --> 0:19:34.560 Of Charles Davis is our guest. I've heard from several 0:19:34.720 --> 0:19:38.640 NFL draft gurus that if you are looking for defensive linemen, 0:19:39.080 --> 0:19:41.840 this is a good year to need them. Do you agree? 0:19:41.960 --> 0:19:42.920 I agree totally. 0:19:43.040 --> 0:19:46.960 And you know my colleague Daniel Jeremiah, who is the 0:19:47.000 --> 0:19:49.840 best in this business of this draft stuff from our. 0:19:49.680 --> 0:19:53.959 TV side, He's called a meat and potatoes draft, so 0:19:54.080 --> 0:19:55.919 I don't see any reason to try and term it 0:19:55.960 --> 0:19:56.720 anything else. 0:19:56.800 --> 0:19:59.200 I think that he is right about that. They're defensive 0:19:59.200 --> 0:20:04.720 lineman all the way through. Big guys inside edge Rusher's 0:20:04.760 --> 0:20:07.960 not quite the same, but still guys who can make 0:20:08.000 --> 0:20:11.000 plays like Landon Jackson is this big monster guy from 0:20:11.040 --> 0:20:13.840