1 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: The Bengals Booth Podcast. And the future looks good. Addition, 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: as you'll hear from NFL analyst Key and Fahey about 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: the Bengals potential for building a championship team with Joe 5 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: Burrow at quarterback. I'll also talk to the guy who 6 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,760 Speaker 1: will be right in the middle of what the Bengals 7 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: hope is a much improved offensive line, Trey Hopkins. The 8 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Prime Sport, the official fan, 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: travel and hospitality partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. And here's 10 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition 11 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or 12 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or 13 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: pod Bean. It's the greatest thing since chlorox disinfecting whites. 14 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: They remove germs, bacteria, kitchen grease, and other gunk you 15 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: find lurking in your home, in addition to killing nine 16 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: point nine percent of viruses, a valuable commodity during a pandemic. 17 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: Now if I could only find them in a neighborhoods store. 18 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:12,759 Speaker 1: Let's get to football. One of my favorite writers covering 19 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: the NFL is key and Fahey. He's an irishman who's 20 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: hosted a podcast for ESPN in the past and is 21 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: currently covering pro football for OTB sports dot com. You 22 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: can read all of his articles online for as little 23 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: as two dollars a month on patreon dot com. That's 24 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: pat r eo N dot com. Keyan has written several 25 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: articles about the Bengals in recent months, and I spoke 26 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,559 Speaker 1: to him recently after he published a story about Joe Burrow. 27 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: Keyan earlier today, you posted a story with a following headline, 28 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: Bengals set up well with Joe Burrow. You've been doing 29 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: in depth study of NFL quarterbacks for years. What are 30 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow's best traits? I'd just like to point out 31 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: that headline should be a lot more optimistic than is, 32 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: like a certain limit there after getting those I want 33 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: them to say, Bengals get star reward for awful season 34 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: in Joe Burrow. I think like the first thing we 35 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: have to talk about whenever we talk about any quarterback 36 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: entering this league, and especially one who was so consensuously 37 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: beloved and so hyped up during a season when everyone 38 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: taught to below was going to be the guy Burrow 39 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: took a step ahead of him. Part of that was 40 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 1: the injury, but I think even if Tago Below was healthy, 41 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: he would have been ahead of him. So I think. 42 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 1: But the first thing we have to mention is the 43 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: hype gets a little bit out of control at the 44 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: draft all the time because all the draft writers are 45 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: looking for who's the best guy this year, who's the 46 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:39,519 Speaker 1: guy to talk of? And then when you enter the league, 47 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: it does not matter if you're the best in your class. 48 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: It does not matter how good you are in college, 49 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: because you've got to beat the likes of Patrick Humes 50 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: and Lamar Jackson and all these guys. So I think 51 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: Burrow has such a broad skill set it's very hard 52 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 1: to pick the one thing that makes him really good 53 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: and the one thing that could potentially make him great. 54 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: But I think the most important trait that he has 55 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: is his processing skills. So if you're talking about processing, 56 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: you're talking about how the quarterback executes his own offense 57 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: while diagnosing what the defense is doing. So I'm gonna 58 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 1: use Andy Dalton just because he's someone everyone's going to 59 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: be familiar with from a Bengals point of view, Andy 60 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: Dalton was a great priesttap quarterback. If he figured out 61 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: what you were doing before the ball was snapped, he 62 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: was going to figure out where the open receiver was 63 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 1: and he was going to get the ball to him 64 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: there in time. Joe Borrow is also a great priestlap quarterback. 65 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: If you give him a look, he's gonna know what 66 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: to expect from that look, and he's going to know 67 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: how to adjust off of that look. So the last 68 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: part of that sentence is the difference there. Andy Dalton 69 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: struggles to adjust when the look changed at the snap 70 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: or when the defense shifted its coverage. So if you've 71 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: got through Borrow's tape, there are so many of those 72 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: big plays. The defense comes out showing cover two with 73 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: two safeties deep. They want you to think it's own 74 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: and they're going to rotate at the last second, bring 75 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: unsafety down. Now it's covered one and it's man, and 76 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,119 Speaker 1: Joe Barrow knows where to look when he gets the ball, 77 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: where to adjust too, to go afterwards, so the ball 78 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: come out in time. I think it was against Clemson 79 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: against j Terrell. I think when Jamar Chase bet him 80 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: for a touchdown down the right side literally lined up 81 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: in the slot. It changed the man. I think that 82 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: play was a shift that might have been a different 83 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: one from that game. It's been a lot of tape. 84 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: I get these plays confused sometimes, but what happened there 85 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: was he instantly or his eyes were in the middle 86 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: of the field, he saw the safety rotation and instantly 87 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: new to adjust and go to Jamarc Chase on the 88 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: outside because he had won on one coverage. And that's 89 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: such an important trait because when you have a quarterback 90 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: who drops back in the pocket and his confused and 91 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 1: doesn't know where to go, he winds up like Baker Mayfield. 92 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: He needs the offense used play action all the time. 93 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: He needs screens, he needs very specific grow combinations to 94 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 1: work because he can't do everything. He can't open the 95 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: full field and that will let Zach Taylor do whatever 96 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: he wants as a coach. We're chatting with Keyan Fayhey 97 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:50,039 Speaker 1: a great Twitter follow at Keyan c I a NAF 98 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: like American Football. What are Joe Burrow's biggest weaknesses? This 99 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: is the thing about Joe Burrow that makes them fascinating 100 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: in a sense, like there isn't a specific thing like 101 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 1: if you bring I'm trying to think of a recent example. 102 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: But if you bring a quarterback out of college and 103 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: he's got a huge arm, He's got a monstrous arm. 104 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: He's unbelievable talent, can make any troll. But he's never 105 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: played in shotgun, he's never made full field reads. Then 106 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: your biggest weakness is right there. He's only ever done 107 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: very specific things. You don't know if he can do 108 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: all the other stuff. There's not a single thing that 109 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow did in college where you thought, oh, he 110 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: has to get better at that to be a better 111 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: NFL player. So my big concern with Joe Burrow is 112 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,559 Speaker 1: the LSU offensive line. The interior of that offensive line. 113 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,119 Speaker 1: It's just stonewalled everyone like they were giving him tom 114 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: giving him space. So when he did get pressured, it 115 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: came from the edge. So when a pressure comes from 116 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: the edge, you can adjust with it if you've got 117 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 1: space in front you, because you can step up, you 118 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: can step back, you can evade a little bit. If 119 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: it comes from the middle. And this is why Aaron 120 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: Donald is so valuable, You've nowhere to go, you're trapped. 121 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: So Burrow very rarely saw those types of plays. But 122 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: even if I talk about that like obviously the Bengals 123 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: offensive line won't dominate NFL defenders. With that offensive line 124 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: dominant college defenders. It's just a different standard that doesn't 125 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: happen anywhere. It's very rare, like the Eagles when Nick 126 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: Foles won the Super Bowl. That's probably the most recent 127 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: recollection of that happening. Maybe the Cowboys during Dak's rookie year. 128 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,679 Speaker 1: But normally quarterbacks are inevitbly going to face some pressure. 129 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: But even if you look at that and say, oh, 130 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: Borrow got very clean pockets, and as well, he had 131 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: great receivers. Even if you say that, there's a positive 132 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: to that too, because like Tony or almost the quarterback. 133 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 1: I always go back to Tony almost the most patient 134 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: quarterback ever. People used to talk about how good the 135 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: offensive line was, but they didn't recognize was when the 136 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 1: offensive line gave him great time and space in the pocket, 137 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: he rarely ever wasted it. And that's what Joe Burrow 138 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: has got. He's got patience to stay in the pocket. 139 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 1: So even while I'm talking about he didn't face enough 140 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: pressure up the middle for me to really understand there, 141 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: he's showing you that, oh I'll sit here and wait 142 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: for my receiver to come up because I know I've 143 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: got time, which is a talent in itself. And the 144 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: other part of that is he always recognized when it 145 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: was a tree man rush, when it was a four 146 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: man rush, when they were having tree down lineman and 147 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 1: blitzing from the back end, when they had a five 148 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: man rush coming, when they had an Alli blitz. So 149 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: his timing and his process to adjust based on what 150 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: the defense was doing, even while the coming for the 151 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: fact he was in clean pockets, was still very, very impressive. 152 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: So you've asked me for a negative, and my negative 153 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: is that he's pretty good at staying in the pockets. 154 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: So I mean, I just blamed people for hyping up 155 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: draft prospects, and look what I'm after doing. We're talking 156 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: to Keyan Fayhey, who writes about the NFL for Off 157 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: the Ball Sports dot Com OTB sports dot Com. Last month, 158 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: you power ranked all thirty two projected NFL starting quarterbacks. 159 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: At that point, Cam Newton hadn't signed yet with New England. 160 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: You had Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes at the top. Naturally, 161 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: you had rookies to a Tungo Filoa and Justin Herbert 162 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: at the bottom. I was surprised where you had Baker Mayfield. 163 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: You referenced him earlier, but number twenty eight. That was 164 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 1: kind of a shocker to me. Well, it's relevant to 165 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: what we're talking about. I like, so Baker Mayfield's hype, 166 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: Baker Mayfield's excitement is based on the touchdown record from 167 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: his rookie season. Far as I can tell. His college 168 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: shape was pretty good too, So there is talent there. 169 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: There's definitely a physical talent there. That arm is incredible, 170 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: But he has like I've never seen like a quarterback 171 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: go from being uncomfortable in the pocket, running out of 172 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: clean pockets, panicking when his first read isn't there, and 173 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: changing around and fixing that as a problem and becoming 174 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: a quarterback who can manage a pocket and stay in 175 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: the pocket and stand there. And if you watch the 176 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: Bengals enough, you've known that was one of Andy Dalton's issues. 177 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: It wasn't a major issue for Andy the way it 178 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: is for Baker Mayfield, but during his prime, he wasn't 179 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: going to stand in there. Alex Smith is another guy 180 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: like that, where he's got a clean pocket, but his 181 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: first read isn't there, so he's going to bail and 182 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: run to his flat. And what actually started to happen 183 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: with Mayfield was, even if the play was designed perfectly 184 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: and working perfectly, he would still bail and drift backwards 185 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: and run to the flat. So Freddie Kitchens, while he 186 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: wasn't a great play designer last year, wasn't a great 187 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: play caller last year, he wasn't as bad as he's 188 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: getting blamed to be either. Like when he called up 189 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: good plays, when he designed nice plays, Mayfield was still 190 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: kind of messing up by running himself out of the pocket. 191 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: So that's where you've got Kevin Stefancy men here, and 192 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: they're going to do to Mayfield what the Vikings did 193 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: the Kirk Cousins last year, which has put him in 194 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,719 Speaker 1: a play action heavy under center offense where you run 195 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: all the time on first down, you run second down. 196 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: It's a lot of bootleg. It's a lot of not 197 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: asking him to do straight dropbacks, not asking him to 198 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: make multiple reads down the field while dropping back in 199 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,439 Speaker 1: the pocket, while mitigating pressure with a specific movement. So 200 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: I think the new offense will help there, but I 201 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: don't think you'll fundamentally change who Mayfield is as a quarterback. 202 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: And like one of one of my pet peeves in 203 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: the NFL is last year Mayfield was losing weight or sorry, 204 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: he was bulking up last year to get better because 205 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: that was his problem entering his second year. And this 206 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: year he's going to be better because he's losing weight 207 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: because he was too big last year. Or you get 208 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: entering a surge year. So there in yourself like there's 209 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: something broken there in the process. You don't understand what's 210 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:50,559 Speaker 1: wrong or what you need to work on if you're 211 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 1: doing the exact opposite of what you thought you needed 212 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: to do last year. And I just don't see the 213 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,719 Speaker 1: potential for development or for turning around. And look, what 214 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 1: I say about young quarterbacks in particular is not pressed 215 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: it it's what I see at the time. It's what 216 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: I see from him recently, like he could turn around 217 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: and be a great quarterback. I just I just don't 218 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: see it happening. I would doubt it very much. A 219 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: guy like Patrick Mahomes I saw coming out of college 220 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: and I thought, yeah, I don't think he's ever going 221 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: to be a great quarterback because at that time his 222 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: footwork was a mess and he was just really a 223 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 1: massive arm He took a year out with Andy Reid, 224 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: refined his footwork, fix him up a little bit, and 225 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: then his brain came out and you realize, whoa, this 226 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,719 Speaker 1: is one of the smartest quarterbacks you'll ever see. So 227 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: like it's everything's a protection moving forward. But based on 228 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: last year, based on his rookie year, that's about where 229 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: I would put Mayfield right now. We like strong opinion. 230 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:40,199 Speaker 1: Sometimes you get it wrong, that's all right, you're back well, 231 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: you're back it up with data and that's what's fun 232 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 1: to read. Let's talk about Ben Roethlisberger. You had him 233 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 1: ranked number twenty three, not just due to his injury 234 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: from last year, partially due to his injury because of 235 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: his age. Like you, if you're thirty eighth, you're a 236 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: quarterback who's notoriously never in great shape, like I think 237 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: he'll admit to that him self. Over the years. He's 238 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 1: never been someone who's got a chisels midsection or someone 239 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: who's doing as much running as possible. He's the guy 240 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: who turns up and throws the ball and plays backyard football, 241 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: as he likes to say, and that's hard to do 242 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: at thirty nine or thirty eight coming off an elbow 243 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: injury coming off a career like Rossberger used to get 244 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: sacked fifty times a year. He used to get beaten 245 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: up by the Bengals a lot of the time, but 246 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: by the Ravens, by the Patriots. In his prime of 247 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: his career, he was playing behind an offensive line that 248 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: got him hit a lot. So I don't think as 249 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: he's aged that he's gotten better. I think the numbers 250 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: have don't really reflect it properly. With him. He's putting 251 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: up big numbers, but he's also made a lot of 252 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: critical errors, and his problem as being on the road, 253 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: He's gotten worse and worse over the years. He will 254 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: have two or three massive games at home, like the 255 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: Panthers game from two years ago. I think it was 256 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:48,559 Speaker 1: that stands out re true five touchdowns, was incredible, it 257 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: was unplayable. But then he turns around the next week 258 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: and puts up a complete stinker. And I just feel 259 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: like that's the way he is as a quarterback, right 260 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: but at that age, and you're not really a timing quarterback. 261 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: Actually come back to Borrow again. Borrow we talked about 262 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 1: very specific cross in apocablist. Every time he sees sees 263 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: what the defense is doing When the defense tries to 264 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,319 Speaker 1: bate him into a mistake, he'll just see that and 265 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: change and hasten up his hasting up his throwing motion 266 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 1: if he needs it to get the ball out. Rothlisberger 267 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: struggles more with that because he's never been that structured guy. 268 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,319 Speaker 1: When Todd Haley was there, he became that structured guy 269 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 1: because that's what Todd Haley wanted. But they ran Todd 270 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: Haley out of towne then because that's not what Rothlisberger wanted. 271 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:25,839 Speaker 1: So ill you think there's a lot of factors there 272 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: that are going to lead to average negative play. And 273 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: the thing about them is Rothlisberger wants to be throwing 274 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:32,959 Speaker 1: the ball a lot. He does not want to be 275 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: a compliment in a run heavy offense. And then you 276 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:37,439 Speaker 1: look at the talents there. Levian Belle is gone and 277 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 1: Tonio Browne is gone. It's been years since they've had 278 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: Heat Miller, who was our last really good tight end. 279 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: I think overall the quality from that offense is dropping, 280 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 1: and it's just going to hurt them because they're gonna 281 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 1: ask Rothlisberger to play like he did ten years ago 282 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: and at thirty eight, I just don't see that happening. 283 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: We're talking to Key and Fayehea, for my money, one 284 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 1: of the best writers out there when it comes to 285 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: watching the tape and communicating it in an interesting way. 286 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,559 Speaker 1: Let's move off the orderbacks for a moment. You did 287 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: an in depth study of Jonah Williams prior to last 288 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: year's draft. How good of an NFL offensive line prospect 289 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: is Jonah Williams. I think the interesting way there just 290 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 1: means the accents, doesn't it. That's generally gone well for 291 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 1: me Williams. This is gonna sound like the laziest analysis 292 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 1: you'll ever come across. But Jonah Williams did remind me 293 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: a lot of Andrew Whitwork, And like the Bengals fans, 294 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: that's great news. Andrew Whitwork one of the best offensive 295 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: tackles has been in the league in the last twenty years. 296 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: The key for me is with word was probably stronger, 297 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: probably more powerful at the point of attack, and that 298 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 1: that's something Williams could develop with. So like when when 299 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: a player goes away for a year, when he can't 300 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: play football for a year, it's still like you can 301 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: get in the weight room, depending on what your injury is. 302 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: Once you finish your rehab, start working on your physical limitations, 303 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 1: so he could come back and be much stronger than 304 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,079 Speaker 1: he was previously. What let's say he's the same guy 305 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: we saw at Alabama. What are you gonna get. You're 306 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: gonna get someone who's very comfortable moving latter league, someone 307 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: is very comfortable in his zone runs, which suits the 308 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: off want to run someone who you can trust in 309 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: past protection one on one. So what I really loved 310 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: about Williams is he doesn't He's not going to dominate 311 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: you in Malu. He's not Tyron Smith. He's not one 312 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: of these freak athletes. But he will move his seat 313 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: constantly to recreate leverage at all times. He will keep 314 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: the angle in his favor. When he's protecting his quarterback. 315 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: He'll keep his rear end directed to his quarterback just 316 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: to make sure he can all stop you from going 317 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: past either of his shoulders hit. He places his hands 318 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: very well, and because pos his feet very well. With 319 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: your hands and feet moving in concert, that generally leads 320 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: you to playing with great technique, and that means you're 321 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: concentrating your power and concerning your athleticism. But I think 322 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: he's very much a very like I think Jake Matthews 323 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: isn't the great comparison like with word is the guy 324 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 1: turned too. But you have to acknowledge he's not going 325 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 1: to be with from the start. I think he's going 326 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: to be a huge value in the running game and 327 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: a huge value in pass protection. My concerns with the 328 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: with the Bengals pass protection is going to be the 329 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: rest of the offensive line. Hopefully you can put Joonah 330 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 1: Williams there, leave him there for ten or fifteen years, 331 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: and then you have this beautiful scenario, a beautiful situation 332 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 1: where you lost game after game after game last year 333 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 1: and this is your reward where you get a potential 334 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: franchise left tackle and the potential franchise quarterback starting together 335 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 1: for the first time at the same time. And notice 336 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: respect to what they've had their previously. But I don't 337 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 1: like in the last ten years, there hasn't been a 338 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: point where I've said, right, the Bengals really scare me. 339 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: This year. They are definitely one of the best teams. 340 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 1: They're going to be a Super Bowl and part of 341 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: the reason has been the play at the quarterback. Part 342 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: of the reason has been just the structure of the defense. 343 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: And that's another thing we can kind of talk about 344 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: a little bit, but I think with Borrow and with 345 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: Jonah Williams, your ceiling just takes that extra step up. 346 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: You become like as long as you get the right 347 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: pieces around those guys, you can very quickly follow Baltimore Ravens. 348 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: And it's not going to be like the Browns last year, 349 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: where everyone's hyping them up because they've got big names. 350 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: It's going to be these young guys with guys who 351 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: are complimentary, who filled the right roles coming in around them, 352 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: and hopefully the Bengals can build that way. Let's talk 353 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: about the offensive weapons. They franchise Tag daj Green, they 354 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: drafted t Higan, they have Joe Mixing in the backfield. 355 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: How good are the scope position players that Joe Burrow 356 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: will be working with. Can we just talk about Aja 357 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: Green beforehand? Though, because he didn't play last year and 358 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: it was never a big deal to anyone outside of Cincinnati, 359 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: And that's it doesn't make any sense, right because I 360 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: know he's quiet, and I know Cincinnati is a smaller market, 361 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: so everyone gets overlooked there and that's always the narrative. 362 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: But the quality of this guy as a football player 363 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: has never been appreciated and enough. Like Julio Jones gets 364 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: so much credit for being a little bit worse than 365 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: Aja Green. Like Julio Jones is a no standing receiver, 366 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: but Asia Green's a better rout runner. Aja Green is 367 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: just as tough. He's got that huge cat riots, He's 368 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: got all the athleticism. He's an incredible football player. He's 369 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: been one of the best receivers in this league at 370 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: a time when the league has had so many incredible receivers. 371 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: Calvin Johnson returned, and we just got another line of 372 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: guys coming in who are nearly as good as Calvin Johnson. 373 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: It's ridiculous. And he's been there for so long. So 374 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 1: I'm the biggest Aja Green fan around. But the Bengals 375 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: should trade him. And the reason they should trade him 376 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 1: is because at that point of age he's at look, 377 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: his value is hired to another team and it's higher 378 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 1: in a trade to the Bengals than it is to 379 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 1: the Bengals on the field right now. And that's a 380 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 1: business move, and it's a move that fits the development 381 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: curve of this specific team you want Borrow to be 382 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 1: working with. He's gonna work with for the next four 383 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: to five years. If you keep Edge Green, it's still 384 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: great because it can be like Reggie Wayne, but Andrew 385 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: luck up to start of his career. If you don't 386 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 1: even get that back, edge of Green can go somewhere. 387 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 1: Probably the timeline fits a little better for him and 388 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: the Bengals can get better overall. The value Tyler Boy 389 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: I really like as a compliment to Green. I think 390 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 1: like the possession receiver idea is a little bit antiquated 391 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 1: and it's a little bit under selling what his ability is. 392 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: Like when he came out of college, everyone thought, oh, 393 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: he's the slot receiver. He'll just play in the slot 394 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: and he'll be consistent all the time. I think he's 395 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: proven he's more than that. Even if he plays in 396 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: the slot, He's got that atleticism to get down field. 397 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: He can make big plays. He can he can make 398 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: running precise roads as well as anyone audn't Taate. I 399 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: know he's getting overlooked now because like John ROSSI still 400 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,119 Speaker 1: there as well. It's another guy who's got endless amounts 401 00:17:58,119 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: of talents. And te Higgins is coming in. But I 402 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 1: thought him tait a lot last year, like as a 403 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: young receiver, as one who hadn't played a usual month beforehand. 404 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: He showed you a lot. He made a lot of 405 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,640 Speaker 1: difficult plays. He catched the ball well away from his body. 406 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: He worked against type coverage a lot. He might get 407 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 1: lost in the shuffle a little bit, which is not 408 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 1: a reason why I'm looking at Aja Green and thinking 409 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: you don't necessarily have to be here. We can still 410 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 1: be really good without you. See, Higgins is like te 411 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:22,440 Speaker 1: Higgins is a little bit like DeVante Parker in the 412 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: sense he's going to get compared to Aja Green because 413 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: of his body type and because of his athleticism he's got. 414 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: I'll be better at the catch point. He's got to 415 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: be better at reading the flight of the ball, and 416 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 1: these are the things he can learn. Once he does that, 417 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 1: it'll be terrifying for any cornerback trying to cover him. 418 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 1: I really like him. I thought he went way or 419 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 1: that way he went still went in the second round. 420 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 1: I thought he could have gone ten picks hard, and 421 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: he did. I think some of the receivers who went 422 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 1: ahead of him weren't as good as him. The guy 423 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 1: the Eagles picked in particular whose name jumps a Reger Jager. 424 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:49,439 Speaker 1: If you put Higgins and Reager next to each other. 425 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 1: I thought Reger looked like a run back, in Higgins 426 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 1: look like he could be a star receiver. So there's 427 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: massive reasons to be excited about the skill positions in 428 00:18:55,720 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: this office. The Bengals spent big in free agency, which 429 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: they have historically not done. DJ Reader, Trey Wayne's, Von Bell, 430 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:08,360 Speaker 1: Mackenzie Alexander, josh By, Xavier Sue of feel well, all 431 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 1: of those guys could start this year. Who is the 432 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:15,360 Speaker 1: best edition in your opinion? That's a good question. So 433 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: when you're looking at fais it's not necessarily the dual 434 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: player or who is the best player of this group 435 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 1: you've got, it's the value you get. Like Bill Belichick 436 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: has signed a lot of big name players, but he's 437 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: never really overpaid for a big name player. Are you 438 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: actually like DJ Reader? It's not really a great one 439 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 1: because he's gonna be similar to Andrew Billings who's left, 440 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 1: so you're not going to necessarily see a huge impact. 441 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: I really like him as a player, and I think 442 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: he's good value for what they got. The guy I like, 443 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: the guy who I think has higher potential than much 444 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: you think is McKenzie Alexander. So it's it's a confusing 445 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 1: one because Mike Zimmer got these defensive backs, both of 446 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:51,159 Speaker 1: these defensive back Trey Wains and McKenzie Alexander in Minnesota, 447 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: he might have left them go because a cap situation. 448 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:55,199 Speaker 1: Minnesota din't have a huge amount of cap get to 449 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,199 Speaker 1: cut Zavier Roles cut Everson Griffin. So that might have 450 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 1: been the issue. But you have to kind of worry 451 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: a little bit when Mike Zimmer is letting defensive back 452 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: because as you guys know, Mike Zimmer is an incredibly 453 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 1: good defensive backs coach. But I always felt McKenzie Alexander 454 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: had a lot more ability than his performance to show 455 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 1: him Minnesota he can play inside, he can play outside. 456 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: I think he might play a lot of inside in 457 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: Cincinnati because you've got William Jackson there who's outstanding. Trey 458 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: Waynes is going to stay on the outside, He's not 459 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: going to move on the inside. So you're basically taking 460 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: two fifths of the Viking secondary and putting it into Cincinnati. 461 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 1: And I think Alexander is one of those guys who 462 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: can just benefit from and a fresh start, someone who's 463 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: going to get a new voice in his head, going 464 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: to have an opportunity to show off his ball skills 465 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,439 Speaker 1: a little bit more his assignments, what he's asked to 466 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: do in the specifics of the offense or sorry, in 467 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: this discility of defense might actually help him a little bit. 468 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 1: I like his footwork, I like his ball skills. His 469 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: issue has been sticking with receivers outs. That's something he 470 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 1: can get better at. If you if you, if you're 471 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: in a different role as a slot receiver, as a 472 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: slot quarterback, like what depends what you're asked to do. 473 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 1: The Bengals have decent safeties. They have other cornerbacks that 474 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: are going to take the bigger name receivers when they 475 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: mix and man, so I think that Alexander could be 476 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: the guy there who overachieved relative to what he was paid. 477 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 1: I started out by referencing the story that you wrote 478 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 1: for OTB sports dot Com. Bengals set up well with 479 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,880 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow, but you also made the point in that 480 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: story that they're not going to contend yet with a 481 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: rookie quarterback. You don't immediately turn things around after winning 482 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: two games and win the Super Bowl. How far away 483 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 1: are they should Bengals fans realistically anticipate that within the 484 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:35,680 Speaker 1: next two or three years, they could be a legitimate contender. Again, absolutely, 485 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:37,880 Speaker 1: because you've got the two most difficult pieces. But look, 486 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,160 Speaker 1: let's let's fast forward twelve months. Let's say it Joel 487 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: Burrow has a really good rookie seasons, Like the numbers 488 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 1: aren't insane, but he shows you he's going to be 489 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: your sactor for the next ten years. Let's say Jonah 490 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: Williams comes in and he's great too, Zavier Suavilo is 491 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,639 Speaker 1: an effective starting right guard, and then you all just 492 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: have those areas to fill in. You don't need a 493 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 1: wide receiver, you don't need a running back. Assimi mix 494 00:21:57,320 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: and stays around. You can probably bring in someone outside 495 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 1: then to compete you've got. Defensively, I think you still 496 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:04,679 Speaker 1: are searching for that second past or. Sure at this 497 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 1: point that second start to put Exogeno Atkins, and Atkins 498 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:12,360 Speaker 1: is obviously at the ending stage of his career. Offensively, 499 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: I think they're set up. They're probably one two pieces 500 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 1: away from having an above averaged really good offense, depending 501 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: on how Borow develops. Defensively is where I think they 502 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,959 Speaker 1: can concentrate, and that's a really nice position to be 503 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 1: in because if you can concentrate all your equity in 504 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: one specific area or month specific side of the ball. 505 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: It's very it's much easier to evaluate and figure out 506 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 1: what you want to do. Let's go back to the Vikings, 507 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 1: who we just talked about. They've built their defense and 508 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 1: it kind of sold Teddy Bridgewater out a little bit 509 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 1: because they never had an offensive line with Teddy Bridgewater 510 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:41,959 Speaker 1: and they didn't have receivers. He was trying to Charles Johnson, 511 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: he was trying to matt Asiata was one of his 512 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: best receivers. Of matt Acciata as a running back who 513 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: should have been a fullback. That tells you how good 514 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:49,919 Speaker 1: the passing game was there. They built their defense up, 515 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: they had the superstar defensive carried the team for a while, 516 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 1: and then they focus on the offense. The Bengals can 517 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:56,399 Speaker 1: do the opposite of that. Add a couple more pieces 518 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,120 Speaker 1: to the offense as you go and focus all your equity, 519 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 1: all your investments on the defensive side, and build your 520 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 1: team that way moving forward. I don't think this team 521 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: is like really far away, Like if you compare them 522 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: to the Los Angeles Rams, who are in a really 523 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 1: bad position because they've spent so much money on certain players. 524 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: They've traded away as so many picks, they've hemorrhage talent 525 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: for the last couple of years. They have to go 526 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: into this year, figure out what happens this year, and 527 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 1: then hit the reset button. If you look at the 528 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: Miami Dolphins, you're betting on a quarterback who has a 529 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 1: questionable hip. You hope he's going to be really good, 530 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: but you've also overpaid a bunch of guys to build 531 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:30,360 Speaker 1: through free agency as the foundation of your team. That's 532 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: not a great position to be an either. The Bengals 533 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: aren't overpaying anyone. They're not committing long term money to anyone. 534 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: They shouldn't be. They haven't made awful moves and free 535 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:40,400 Speaker 1: agency it's going to set them back. They haven't hurt 536 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: themselves with any draft picks. So you've got this table 537 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: set and there's already a really nice steak there, but 538 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 1: your quarterback, and there's a great side with it too, 539 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,120 Speaker 1: as your left tackle, and you've just got to add 540 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: the rest of it. And I think they're going to 541 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 1: be able to do that. Key and Faye, he has 542 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: been our guest. You can read everything he writes about 543 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: football for as little as two dollars a month at 544 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 1: Patreon dot com at r eon dot com. I am 545 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: a very happy subscriber and I appreciate your time today. 546 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,880 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, thank you. Before we get to our 547 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 1: next conversation, here's a quick reminder that you can take 548 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,159 Speaker 1: your Bengals pride to the next level in twenty twenty 549 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: with an official Bengals fan package from Prime Sport. One 550 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: of the best stories on the Bengals roster is Trey Hopkins. 551 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: After breaking his leg in the preseason as a rookie 552 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: back in twenty fourteen, Hopkins did not play in a 553 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 1: regular season game in his first two years in the NFL, 554 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:37,359 Speaker 1: and only appeared in one game in year three, but 555 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 1: he eventually became a starter at guard in two seventeen, 556 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: and last year he started every game at center after 557 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: beating out former first round draft pick Billy Price in 558 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: training camp. Hopkins played so well that he was given 559 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: a three year, twenty point four million dollar contract extension 560 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 1: near the end of the season. I spoke to Trey 561 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: this week, shortly after he celebrated his twenty eighth birthday. Trey, 562 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 1: how'd you celebrate your twenty eighth birthday? Well, I'm down 563 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: back home and I was actually just hanging out with 564 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: my family playing some cards and you know, I just 565 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: got back out of here and then yesterday went efficient 566 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: um with my family again. Have you spent the off 567 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: season back home or did you spend part of it 568 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: in the Cincinnati area. As spent all of it in 569 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 1: the Cincinnati area. And this is my first time seeing 570 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 1: my family since They'ruhary Trey, You're coming off quite a 571 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: year from winning a starting job in training cap to 572 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,920 Speaker 1: getting a three year contract extension in late December. How 573 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:39,160 Speaker 1: gratifying was it for you to see all of your 574 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:42,640 Speaker 1: hard work payoff? I mean it was great. I definitely 575 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: win a the off season with a lot of good 576 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: feel he's in the ending now. Um, I mean if 577 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: we do get get out there, I mean to be 578 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: great to actually you know, earn that and actually see 579 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:56,439 Speaker 1: that contract to fruition. Um, you know, the end of 580 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: the last year or after getting the last year, I see, 581 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:01,479 Speaker 1: even in the imagining things that turned out the way 582 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 1: they did. And um, I mean I'm in very signs, 583 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: very trout, and I'm still happy now. But sometimes you 584 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 1: gotta you gotta, you know, you gotta get to work, 585 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 1: no question about it. We're chatting with Trey Hopkins. Until 586 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,080 Speaker 1: last year, Trey, you were kind of a Swiss Army 587 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: knife on the offensive line. Now you've got a spot center. 588 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 1: Is it a relief to be settled in at one spot? Oh? 589 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 1: Ye as for strange to be able to just focus 590 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,640 Speaker 1: on one kind of page. But you know, the way 591 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:35,719 Speaker 1: life works. I feel like I've never had just light 592 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 1: an off season where you can really later right now, 593 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 1: and this one is kind of the same way, just 594 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 1: because all the uncertainty with COVID and everything, and then 595 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 1: figuring out how to train and then figuring out, you 596 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 1: know what what to do. The facility is closing down 597 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 1: and things like that. So it's it's it's another strange 598 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,400 Speaker 1: off The seems like it will be another year where 599 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 1: you know, there's never any relaxing. The contract that you 600 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 1: signed after Christmas was life changing. Did you splurge on 601 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:10,640 Speaker 1: anything for yourself or anybody else? Um? No, I thought, 602 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: mean not yet, not at this point. Um it was. 603 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 1: It was kind of good just you know, for the 604 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 1: first time I'm actually able to like sit down to 605 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: advisories and so I had a good chunk, you know, 606 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,680 Speaker 1: to actually do some some investments with. So that that's 607 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 1: what I did with the way you see thus far 608 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: and you've really done too much. That's that good University 609 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 1: of Texas education being put to work Trey with no 610 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 1: OTAs or mini camps. All of the offseason work for 611 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,399 Speaker 1: the team was done on zoom calls. How challenging was 612 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 1: that for you? It was challenging in the sense that 613 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: it's clearing, monotonous, and then you miss out on those 614 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: moments of kind of lady m which football where you 615 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 1: know you're hanging out with you're in the lot room, 616 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 1: you get to share those like funny moments. You get 617 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 1: those you know, team building moments that way, and of 618 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 1: course you have those kinds of those same moments in zone. 619 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 1: But another thing really can replace it in person camaraderie 620 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:16,120 Speaker 1: um that you normally having those tas because those days 621 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: are a little bit less, it's a little less stressful 622 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 1: for everyone in laws. You're not preparing for the game 623 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:23,960 Speaker 1: riding around the corner in three days, you know what 624 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 1: I mean? So um that in that part it was 625 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: it was difficult. UM. I think it was a great 626 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 1: opportunity for younger guys UM to learn UM. Again, it's 627 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: another it's it was a tough spot for them on 628 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 1: that not being over physically in pressure coaching lands like that. 629 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: But it it was a good moment for them to 630 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: not have to worry so much about the physical aspect 631 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: as far as you know, um, perfecting the techniques on 632 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: the field exactly then. But but it gave them good 633 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: a good chance to really ironed out, like iron out 634 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 1: the playbook. From what we read and heard, you were 635 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: barking out line calls on zoom calls as if you're 636 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 1: facing a defense. Can you describe that? Oh, yeah, it's 637 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: very easy. It's just you know, just going over film, 638 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: whether it be clips from our games or in the 639 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: games from from last year, and you know, Zach would 640 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: give us a give us a play Um, Joe would 641 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: call out the cadence and then it would be trade. 642 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 1: What's the call was identification And it's very similar to 643 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: the way that you Turner with hold these meetings, you know, 644 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 1: and you can protecting meetings that we would have throughout 645 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: the week last year. So I don't think that aspect 646 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 1: of any any difference. Just now instead of us all 647 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:41,479 Speaker 1: being in the same room to get it looking at 648 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: the screen, um, looking at one projective screen that we're 649 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: at home, looking at a zoom strength. What are your 650 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: impressions of Joe Burrow so far? Very impressive, very impressive things, 651 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: have a great progress with offense. So it's just a 652 00:29:56,600 --> 00:30:00,480 Speaker 1: very very short time. It seems like because of the 653 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: season he had at LSU and winning the Heisman and 654 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: winning the national championship, there's so much interest in him 655 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: in Cincinnati among everybody right now? Was it the same 656 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 1: among his soon to be teammates? Were you really eager 657 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: to see, all right, what's this? What's this guy all about? 658 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 1: For sure? Definitely. I mean the number of overalls, the 659 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: number one overall people there to be don't really skate by. 660 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 1: I think everyone. There's a lot of excitement in the 661 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: locker room, just you know, for this training, special life, 662 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 1: um and just to he's got to see how he 663 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 1: translates encouraged? Was this what I seems the star in 664 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: the zone? Us with quarterbacks, we tend to think of 665 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: a need to develop timing and chemistry with his receivers, 666 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: But what about the quarterback center relationship? Does that happen 667 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 1: quickly or does that take some time? I mean, personally, 668 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 1: I guess I'll only we have an experience to besides 669 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:02,640 Speaker 1: moveing to the idea haven't already um been there. But 670 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 1: to be honest, it didn't take that long um snapping. 671 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:08,680 Speaker 1: For the most part. It was snapping of course, you 672 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: know quarterbacks and they when they like a little bit more, 673 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 1: they're like, oh, one wants to all a little bit higher, 674 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 1: and you know, they want a little bit faster or 675 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:17,640 Speaker 1: something like that. And that's something that normally you get 676 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: that straight down within a matter of a couple of snaps, um, 677 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: you know. But then when it comes to a communication 678 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 1: between each other, I think we didn't have the opportunity, 679 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 1: um in the ZOOE meetings to kind of work through 680 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 1: those things. And I got to hear how he sees 681 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 1: things and how he's gonna roll through his cadence or 682 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 1: whether he's going to go through a full case before 683 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 1: he has a check when he wants to make a check, 684 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: and then how he's gonna phrase those things. So I 685 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: think that that Parker was good and getting to already 686 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 1: get a jump on that. UM. Now a physical part, 687 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 1: I would say it should not be that discud It 688 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 1: shouldn't take long at all. This might be a stupid question, 689 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:55,080 Speaker 1: but since there are no OTAs or mini camps. That's 690 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: a center practice snapping in the backyard or at a 691 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: park or what do you do? Or I couldn't practice 692 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: that US mapping lane because I was actually a boy myself. 693 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 1: But now that I trained that dignition um and or 694 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 1: Grisian elite now um, and so now that I'm down there, 695 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 1: some guys, um, I cannot actually snap the people. So 696 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: so yeah, it's really just one of those banish you 697 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: want to make sure you never really lose it, and 698 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:24,200 Speaker 1: you want to you want to make sure your cap 699 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 1: on top of it. A few more questions for Bengal 700 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 1: center Trey Hopkins. Let's look at the old line. Jonah 701 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,719 Speaker 1: Williams returns from his injury to play left tackle. Xaviers 702 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 1: to a Philo signed as a free agent, and we'll 703 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: likely started right guard. How much does that solidify the 704 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 1: offensive line? I feel like we have a we have 705 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 1: a solid group getting there and there last year and 706 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,560 Speaker 1: then you lost your own early early on, you know, 707 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 1: and OCAs with the soldier soldier injury. Um, it'll be 708 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:52,960 Speaker 1: great to see him out there. But you know, I'm 709 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 1: excited as the c would with xs something, excited to 710 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:59,160 Speaker 1: get to you know, play next thing. Because Sean was. 711 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 1: Zoe BBC said, great, of course, It's it's kind of 712 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 1: hard to descry people's just space having on them some 713 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 1: zoom meetings, But I can't say I'm very excited for 714 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:09,959 Speaker 1: this group. They we're gonna head in the moone um 715 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 1: this year, and I'm excited to get get to work 716 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: with the size. You know, after starting all sixteen games 717 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,719 Speaker 1: last year, how long did it take to feel okay 718 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 1: physically execular? I'll say probably, Well, you know what happened. 719 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:28,840 Speaker 1: I actually gotten pretty sick at the beginning, like right 720 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: after the last game, so that kind of that kind 721 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 1: of took a little told long. Me too, But I 722 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 1: would say about three weeks after the season. I Treyer 723 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 1: about three weeks away from reporting for training camp. How 724 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 1: are you feeling about the possibility of playing football in 725 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: a pandemic Company's feel, honest, to be honest, excited for 726 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 1: the opportunity to play. When being excited, so my contract, 727 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:55,720 Speaker 1: I mean, I'd love to do that to a mon's homecoming, 728 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:58,760 Speaker 1: to get to it um. But there's still a lot 729 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:01,400 Speaker 1: of certain uncertainty. You know, as you talk about the 730 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: NFL and SOBA coming together and decided to safety protocols 731 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 1: and things like that, and exactly what is it gonna 732 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:10,759 Speaker 1: look like for us, because I mean, as anybody can 733 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:13,400 Speaker 1: can tell you, football is not really a game you 734 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 1: can play social distancing. So it'll be interesting to see 735 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 1: how how this all actually plays out of reporting and 736 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 1: how it affects the league and the games and practicing 737 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:30,280 Speaker 1: and things like that, because I mean, unfortunately, he's trying 738 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 1: to take away a lot of stuff that that is 739 00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:35,200 Speaker 1: enjoyable about the game. Playing on Sundays in front of 740 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:38,919 Speaker 1: a full crowd, even at that crowd participation and things 741 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:41,399 Speaker 1: like that, and you know, being in a full locker 742 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:45,120 Speaker 1: room of people and cafeteria times and things like they're 743 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 1: just sitting down during camp and getting your break sitting 744 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:51,439 Speaker 1: in the cafeteria and just you know, just talking with people, 745 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 1: just being be interacting with people the way that humans 746 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:58,480 Speaker 1: tends to do and you would kind of take for granted. So, um, 747 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 1: you know, it's economy stealing on the side for the 748 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:03,520 Speaker 1: football partner that I mean, I know there will be 749 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:05,440 Speaker 1: a lot of parts that I'm that I'm get to this, 750 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of the uncertainty as will still 751 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:11,319 Speaker 1: floating around even as we are three weeks and done, 752 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 1: three weeks away, full and poor day. Thanks so much 753 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:15,920 Speaker 1: for doing this, Stay safe and I look forward to 754 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:19,520 Speaker 1: seeing in a few weeks. Let's see that. Hi. Thanks 755 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:21,920 Speaker 1: to Trey Hopkins and Key and Fahey, and that's going 756 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,759 Speaker 1: to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, 757 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:28,240 Speaker 1: brought to you by Prime Sport, the official fan, travel 758 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:32,000 Speaker 1: and hospitality partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. If you haven't 759 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 1: done so already, please subscribe and if you have a minute, 760 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:37,880 Speaker 1: give it a rating or share a comment that helps 761 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm Dan Horde, and 762 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:44,960 Speaker 1: thanks for listening to the Bengals Boot Podcast.