WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Gotta Look Sharp 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:06.400 Hike and everybody on Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.400 --> 0:00:11.320 the Bengals Booth podcast The God Will Look Sharp. Addition 0:00:11.800 --> 0:00:14.560 a little old school Joe Jackson there as my broadcast 0:00:14.560 --> 0:00:17.800 partner Dave Lapham joins me to discuss the final week 0:00:18.160 --> 0:00:22.479 of voluntary offseason practices. We'll discuss Tuesday's open to the 0:00:22.520 --> 0:00:25.599 media workout, and lap will share some of the names 0:00:26.000 --> 0:00:28.640 of so called under the radar guys that have caught 0:00:28.720 --> 0:00:31.159 his eye over the past few weeks. One of the 0:00:31.200 --> 0:00:33.960 Bengals draft picks that is expected to play a significant 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:37.000 role as a rookie is second rounder Drew Sample, the 0:00:37.080 --> 0:00:39.800 tight end out of Washington. We'll hear from thirty four 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:42.720 year old James Casey, the Bengals new tight ends coach, 0:00:43.080 --> 0:00:46.479 on why he is excited to have Sample on the roster. 0:00:46.960 --> 0:00:49.519 And in this week's fun Facts interview, I'll talk to 0:00:49.560 --> 0:00:53.159 Bengals quarterbacks coach Alex van Pelt about a wide variety 0:00:53.159 --> 0:00:57.200 of topics, ranging from breaking Dan Marino's passing records at 0:00:57.280 --> 0:01:02.400 pitt to singing on stage with Hank Williams Junior. All 0:01:02.400 --> 0:01:04.760 of that is straight ahead, but first, here's a quick 0:01:04.800 --> 0:01:07.080 reminder that you can have the latest edition of this 0:01:07.160 --> 0:01:11.000 podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:16.240 subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or pod Bean. 0:01:16.640 --> 0:01:24.000 It's the greatest invention since the snape mousetrap. In the 0:01:24.080 --> 0:01:28.800 late eighteen hundreds, Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, quote, build 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:31.039 a better mousetrap in the world will beat a path 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:34.840 to your door. I don't know what the path to 0:01:34.959 --> 0:01:37.760 the door looks like at the Canness Company, but I've 0:01:37.800 --> 0:01:41.440 become a fan of the snappy mouse trap. Unlike the 0:01:41.520 --> 0:01:45.600 traditional old wooden trap, they're easy to set, with virtually 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:49.320 no chance of catching your own finger, and the reusable 0:01:49.840 --> 0:01:51.760 so if you need to take care of a mouse 0:01:52.360 --> 0:01:56.040 or mice, you can learn more at Kenes dot com. 0:01:56.040 --> 0:02:00.640 That's k n e SS. Now, let's get to football 0:02:00.800 --> 0:02:04.320 as I bring in my broadcast partner Dave Lapham lap 0:02:04.400 --> 0:02:06.480 Tuesday's practice was a fun one to watch for a 0:02:06.480 --> 0:02:08.760 few reasons. Number one, the weather conditions could not have 0:02:08.840 --> 0:02:11.120 been better, which is always nice. But secondly, they did 0:02:11.160 --> 0:02:15.160 some stuff that was designed to be competitive between offense 0:02:15.160 --> 0:02:17.960 and defense. They did kind of a no huddle two 0:02:17.960 --> 0:02:20.400 minute drill type of thing, except they put one fifteen 0:02:20.400 --> 0:02:22.560 on the clock instead of two minutes. They did more 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:24.440 red zone like they did last week, and then they 0:02:24.520 --> 0:02:27.280 ended practice by having the offense try to drive out 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:30.120 from deep from their own territory, and it seemed like 0:02:30.160 --> 0:02:32.240 both sides are kind of keeping score. Yeah, they were 0:02:32.280 --> 0:02:36.200 into it and situational football, but it was it was competitive, 0:02:36.480 --> 0:02:39.320 and of course the defense was complaining that the offensive 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:41.239 warning end. The head coach was given first downs when 0:02:41.240 --> 0:02:43.840 he shouldn't have. And they had officials out there as well, 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:47.320 so you know, zach z I could have the officials 0:02:47.360 --> 0:02:49.440 a few times. I mean, the coaches were into it, 0:02:50.000 --> 0:02:52.560 the players weren't it. I thought it was. It was great. 0:02:52.639 --> 0:02:55.639 It was fun to watch, and you'll hear around the 0:02:55.720 --> 0:02:58.560 league how competitive some of these practices good. You know, 0:02:58.720 --> 0:03:01.519 guys tell me how down in New Orleans with Drew 0:03:01.560 --> 0:03:04.880 brees Man, it's like game day on Wednesday, Tom Brady, 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:06.880 same thing. I mean, he and Teddy Bruski. It was 0:03:06.960 --> 0:03:10.040 legendary offense defense competing, you know, and so that that 0:03:10.120 --> 0:03:12.560 just raises the bar and raises the whole ship. You know, 0:03:12.600 --> 0:03:15.400 when it comes to game day on Sunday, the idea 0:03:15.520 --> 0:03:18.520 is to make make game day almost easy. It's almost 0:03:18.560 --> 0:03:20.440 like a little break because you work so hard and 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:23.320 so competitively on your big work days that you know 0:03:23.520 --> 0:03:25.239 Sunday rolls around and it's like it's all going to 0:03:25.280 --> 0:03:27.280 fall into place and it's going to be not a 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:29.799 walk in the park, but it'll be an easier, easier 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:32.120 dynamic for you. The other thing that's actually doing a 0:03:32.160 --> 0:03:35.280 lot of coaches have done over the years. You know 0:03:35.320 --> 0:03:37.640 that I've been associated with football, and Paul Gunther did 0:03:37.680 --> 0:03:40.240 this most recently. He's calling players up to the grease 0:03:40.280 --> 0:03:44.640 board and having them design, you know, entire offensive plays now. 0:03:44.960 --> 0:03:48.080 And the idea is not just tunnel vision what I'm doing, 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:52.520 but no, the whole package of the play. Everybody's assignment. 0:03:52.600 --> 0:03:55.280 So you'll understand why you're doing it and when you're 0:03:55.280 --> 0:03:58.200 gonna be doing certain things and not just I'm doing 0:03:58.240 --> 0:04:01.600 this no matter what. And and defense is making adjustments 0:04:01.800 --> 0:04:04.240 and you have to maybe make other calls. You understand 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:06.520 why you're making those calls because it normally affects what 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:08.800 you're doing. You understand that it's going to affect things 0:04:08.800 --> 0:04:11.560 on both sides of you. And so the mental aspect 0:04:11.560 --> 0:04:15.760 of it and comprehending the entire big picture, not just 0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:19.279 a little picture. It's gonna, I think, pay big dividends 0:04:19.279 --> 0:04:21.800 to the football team on all phases of it. These 0:04:21.880 --> 0:04:26.400 OTAs are voluntary. Cordy Glenn was not in attendance on Tuesday. Additionally, 0:04:26.480 --> 0:04:29.599 John Ross didn't practice. He was on a stationary bike. 0:04:29.839 --> 0:04:33.440 Early in the practice. Trey Hopkins stepped in as the 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:36.760 starting left guard, and Alex Rickson had a huge day, 0:04:37.440 --> 0:04:40.200 partly because he was getting a lot of those snaps 0:04:40.200 --> 0:04:42.880 that John Ross would normally get. Alex Erkson made a 0:04:42.920 --> 0:04:46.000 bunch of players, a bunch of back shoulder catches. I mean, dude, 0:04:46.000 --> 0:04:48.360 We've talked about it so many times. He's just a 0:04:48.360 --> 0:04:50.960 football player. But let's start with a couple of guys, 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:53.440 you know, in those positions. And the fans obviously know 0:04:53.720 --> 0:04:57.000 Alex Rikson what he's about and he's made big contributions. 0:04:57.279 --> 0:04:59.960 But Trey Hopkins, he was playing really well, you know. 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:04.440 And then the guy that I think this coaching staff 0:05:04.640 --> 0:05:07.960 has him at left guard and Cordy Glen's absence because 0:05:08.000 --> 0:05:12.000 this guy is so smart and being intelligent allows him 0:05:12.040 --> 0:05:16.520 to play both guards, center or either tackle. So I 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:19.320 think the fact that the coaches feel so comfortable with 0:05:19.400 --> 0:05:22.240 him understanding the offense. You know, he get plugged in 0:05:22.279 --> 0:05:25.280 at that left guard position and everybody knows, you know 0:05:25.400 --> 0:05:28.119 what he did. You know when Billy Price was injured 0:05:28.160 --> 0:05:30.200 and he stepped in in center position and played well. 0:05:30.240 --> 0:05:31.719 I mean it's almost like, wow, this might be his 0:05:31.800 --> 0:05:35.920 best position. So one thing that coaches I remember Paul 0:05:35.960 --> 0:05:39.320 Brown saying, when you know, I remember after a couple 0:05:39.360 --> 0:05:41.680 of drafts, coach, why do we take this guy in 0:05:41.720 --> 0:05:45.520 the third round because he's smart. David cannot have enough 0:05:45.760 --> 0:05:48.680 good smart football players. They don't have to be all 0:05:48.720 --> 0:05:51.880 pro superstars physically, but I want guys that knowing what 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:54.640 the hell they're doing. And that's Trey Hopkins. You know, 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:58.200 he's not going to wow you with you know, Hall 0:05:58.240 --> 0:06:02.279 of Fame type strength or whatever as an offensive lineman. 0:06:02.320 --> 0:06:06.800 But the dude is very, very good and extremely intelligent. 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:10.080 So I think Trey Hawkins deserves some kudos. And let's 0:06:10.160 --> 0:06:12.359 hit the receiver position. While you mentioned that, Dan, you know, 0:06:12.520 --> 0:06:16.200 Ericson is what he is. I mean, he's he's big time. 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:19.320 I think in terms of always overachieving. You know, you 0:06:19.440 --> 0:06:22.040 never worry about Alex Rixon not giving you one and 0:06:22.080 --> 0:06:25.680 ten percent as the saying goes. But Stanley Morgan's impressed me. 0:06:25.839 --> 0:06:27.839 I think he's the best of the of the guys. 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:30.280 You know, they didn't it didn't work out. I think 0:06:30.360 --> 0:06:33.039 if they had drafted a receiver second or third round, 0:06:33.040 --> 0:06:35.000 they probably would have gotten a receiver, but as it 0:06:35.080 --> 0:06:37.600 gotten to later rounds, they didn't have one high enough 0:06:37.600 --> 0:06:40.320 in their board to make that selection. Stanley Morgan they 0:06:40.320 --> 0:06:42.680 signed as a free agent. And the reason that he 0:06:42.720 --> 0:06:44.480 was available as a free agent. He doesn't have a 0:06:44.480 --> 0:06:46.080 world class speed. He's not going to be a guy 0:06:46.200 --> 0:06:48.800 whoa look at the physical abilities of this guy. But 0:06:49.040 --> 0:06:53.000 he's another one that's very intelligent. He's got a position versatility. Already, 0:06:53.000 --> 0:06:56.560 they're playing him in a bunch of different positions. All 0:06:56.600 --> 0:07:00.279 time leading receiver at Nebraska, and people own you know, 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:01.839 they run the ball, but they've been throwing the ball 0:07:01.920 --> 0:07:04.279 here lately, and he's he's the best they've had there. 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:07.120 And Zach Taylor, you know, trust at those coaches in 0:07:07.160 --> 0:07:09.840 the contacts he has at that school. And and this kid, 0:07:10.200 --> 0:07:12.360 you know, was highly recommended and you look at him 0:07:12.400 --> 0:07:16.040 on tape. He runs great routes. He understands we're in 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:18.520 zones to you know, settle into his own and get 0:07:18.560 --> 0:07:21.080 open for the quarterback or run through his zone. And 0:07:21.200 --> 0:07:22.640 you know, if you have to get open for the quarterback, 0:07:22.680 --> 0:07:25.800 Hander stands all those concepts. So I'm impressed with Stanley Morgan. 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:28.440 I think he's got a better than even chance to 0:07:28.480 --> 0:07:30.480 make the football team. I really do. When you talked 0:07:30.480 --> 0:07:33.440 about Paul Brown drafting smart guys back in the day, 0:07:33.480 --> 0:07:35.720 it made me think of a story I read sometime 0:07:35.760 --> 0:07:37.760 in the last two or three weeks in the Boston 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:41.840 Globe about how much of a premium Bill Belichick puts 0:07:42.040 --> 0:07:46.200 on drafting and or acquiring smart guys. And you look 0:07:46.200 --> 0:07:48.760 at it, Dan, look at the position versatility he's had 0:07:48.800 --> 0:07:52.840 with different guys. You know, Mike Vrabel defensive end, linebacker, 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:55.000 tight end offensively. You know, he's kind of like the 0:07:55.000 --> 0:08:00.360 Sam Hubbard of the of the Patriots. So there's there's Littney, 0:08:00.360 --> 0:08:02.600 and there's a long long list of guys that in 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:06.320 the way Bill Belichick approaches a game almost on a 0:08:06.400 --> 0:08:09.560 series by series basis. They may change, they may change everything, 0:08:09.680 --> 0:08:11.200 and if you don't have guys that can do it, 0:08:11.520 --> 0:08:13.160 you have to you have to quote dumb it down 0:08:13.200 --> 0:08:15.520 to your dumbest guy on the field. So if you 0:08:15.600 --> 0:08:18.679 have five guys that understand calculus but six to don't, 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:20.760 you're not gonna be able to, you know, have that 0:08:20.920 --> 0:08:23.960 sophisticated a game plan. But if they all understand calculus, 0:08:24.200 --> 0:08:26.240 now you got something, you got something special, and you're 0:08:26.320 --> 0:08:29.040 head of the game. Because it's like, oh my gosh, 0:08:29.080 --> 0:08:31.560 they're morphing into this. Now they're doing that. How many 0:08:31.560 --> 0:08:33.160 things are they going to do? You have to have 0:08:33.200 --> 0:08:35.440 someone television to be able to do that. Zach Taylor 0:08:35.480 --> 0:08:37.760 can certainly speak to that based on the Super Bowl 0:08:37.880 --> 0:08:40.040 last year where Bill Belichick went into the game saying, 0:08:40.080 --> 0:08:41.880 we are not going to give up the play action 0:08:41.960 --> 0:08:44.880 deep ball and played a defense that basically they had 0:08:44.880 --> 0:08:47.280 not played during the regular season or first few rounds 0:08:47.320 --> 0:08:49.240 of the playoffs. Yeah, I mean they were a man team. 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:51.640 You know, they played like seventy five eighty percent man. 0:08:51.720 --> 0:08:54.920 They played seventy five eighty percent zone in the Super Bowl, 0:08:55.120 --> 0:08:56.920 and they basically said, you know, the two weeks of 0:08:56.920 --> 0:08:58.760 preparation that week you had out in the West Coast, 0:08:59.000 --> 0:09:02.640 the week you had in Atlanta, yea scrub that you 0:09:02.640 --> 0:09:04.960 guys are gonna have to adjust because we're not doing that. 0:09:05.040 --> 0:09:07.040 We're not. We're not showing you anything that you can 0:09:07.080 --> 0:09:09.640 take advantage of with those big chunk plays. All right, 0:09:09.679 --> 0:09:11.560 let's talk about some other guys that maybe are a 0:09:11.559 --> 0:09:14.160 little bit under the radar that caught your eye had 0:09:14.160 --> 0:09:16.480 practice today. I know one of them was one of 0:09:16.559 --> 0:09:21.280 last year's draft picks who got hurt, defensive lineman Andrew Brown. Yeah. Dan, 0:09:21.360 --> 0:09:24.120 you look at him physically, he's got what it takes 0:09:24.120 --> 0:09:25.560 to play in the league. I'm not saying, you know, 0:09:26.040 --> 0:09:29.880 a perennial Pro Bowl guy, but he's got some heavy hands, 0:09:29.880 --> 0:09:32.839 some explosiveness. When you see him go through bag drills, 0:09:32.880 --> 0:09:36.199 he pops those bad boys. And he's got I mean, 0:09:36.200 --> 0:09:37.959 he was the best high school player in the state 0:09:38.000 --> 0:09:40.520 of Virginia. You know, people like, oh, yeah, well boy, 0:09:40.520 --> 0:09:42.480 there were a bunch of powerhouses of Virginia. But this kid, 0:09:42.480 --> 0:09:43.880 this kid was a really good player and he had 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:48.079 a lot of big time offers stated Virginia. And I 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:51.680 think he's got the skill set physically. Now is he 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:53.640 gonna be able to put it all together? He's kind 0:09:53.640 --> 0:09:56.240 of a tweener, you know when you when you look 0:09:56.280 --> 0:09:59.199 at him. He's listed at sixty three, two hundred and 0:09:59.240 --> 0:10:02.440 ninety six pounds. Is that big enough to play defensive tackle? 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:06.080 Is it perfect? You know, dimensions for defensive end, But 0:10:06.280 --> 0:10:09.400 all I know is physically he's got some capabilities. And 0:10:09.559 --> 0:10:11.240 to be interested if you could take that next step 0:10:11.280 --> 0:10:14.240 mentally and uh and understand everything that the lou and 0:10:14.360 --> 0:10:17.280 Aruma is putting in out there, because that defense is 0:10:17.320 --> 0:10:20.319 looking pretty good. I mean, they're not playing softcover too 0:10:20.320 --> 0:10:22.840 anymore and letting people free released off the line of scrimmage. 0:10:22.840 --> 0:10:26.160 They're getting after them, they're blitzing, they're getting after the quarterback, 0:10:26.280 --> 0:10:28.680 and they're playing tight coverage. They're getting up their pressing people, 0:10:28.720 --> 0:10:32.480 and it looks it looks pretty good. I felt overall 0:10:32.520 --> 0:10:35.360 the defense won the day. The offense had their moments 0:10:35.360 --> 0:10:38.559 and had plays in today's workout, but on a snap 0:10:38.559 --> 0:10:42.440 by snap basis, if you evaluate it as an impartial evaluator, 0:10:42.720 --> 0:10:44.240 you don't have to give the nod to the defense. 0:10:44.400 --> 0:10:47.199 I thought that was especially true in the no huddle 0:10:47.800 --> 0:10:50.320 two minute drill. Again they actually put one fifteen on 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:53.400 the clock, but in that portion of the practice, I 0:10:53.440 --> 0:10:56.000 thought the defense really shown. I agree, Dan, I mean, 0:10:56.040 --> 0:10:58.240 I think they're well put together. I think I think 0:10:58.280 --> 0:11:00.360 the scheme is very sound. And the players are really 0:11:00.400 --> 0:11:03.000 responded to it. I think I think they appreciate that. 0:11:03.360 --> 0:11:06.840 You know, again, it's not you don't have to study 0:11:07.520 --> 0:11:10.800 volumes and volumes of an encyclopedia, you know, and have 0:11:11.320 --> 0:11:13.160 three answers for everything, and that they do this you. 0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:15.200 But I have another answer for that. It's like, you 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:19.640 know this, this whole game is you either punch or CounterPunch. 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:21.880 You don't want to always be CounterPunch and everything the 0:11:21.920 --> 0:11:24.679 offense does to you. You want to just have a 0:11:24.679 --> 0:11:27.360 few things and make them CounterPunch. And I think that's 0:11:27.400 --> 0:11:30.440 the track that the defense is on. We mentioned that 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:33.080 Hopkins stepped in as the starting left guard or the 0:11:33.160 --> 0:11:36.439 number one left guard, with Cordy Glen not in attendance 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:39.640 today and Clint Bowling still on the rehab field. But 0:11:39.720 --> 0:11:42.240 Christian Westerman also cut your eye today. Yeah. I mean, 0:11:42.280 --> 0:11:45.280 I think physically he's got it all. I mean, he 0:11:45.440 --> 0:11:48.959 is a thumper now, He's very very strong, he has 0:11:48.960 --> 0:11:51.640 a good pad level. He bends at the hips and 0:11:51.720 --> 0:11:54.840 not at the at the knees. He's not a knee bender. 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:59.280 And when he strikes you, you're struck. The thing is, again, 0:12:00.679 --> 0:12:03.839 it's hard to deal with it. If he's only got 0:12:03.880 --> 0:12:06.559 forty percent of it of it, you have to have 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:08.520 at least seventy five eighty percent of it, you know, 0:12:08.600 --> 0:12:11.920 from mental standpoint at this stage, or the coach's lose confidence. 0:12:11.960 --> 0:12:16.280 I mean, coaches want laid on the line with guys 0:12:16.320 --> 0:12:17.599 that they feel like you're going to be able to 0:12:17.600 --> 0:12:19.800 get it. Doesn't matter how big, strong and powerful you 0:12:19.800 --> 0:12:21.640 are if you're blocking the wrong guy or going the 0:12:21.679 --> 0:12:24.560 wrong way. So he just has to keep working on 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:27.800 that part of his game. And again, you know, feeling 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:31.680 is that's why Trey Hawkins is probably not as physical, 0:12:32.520 --> 0:12:35.920 physically talented as Westerman, but mentally he's way ahead of 0:12:35.920 --> 0:12:38.920 the game on him. We've mentioned on previous podcasts that 0:12:39.280 --> 0:12:41.520 it's almost an all star team on the rehab field 0:12:41.600 --> 0:12:44.800 right now with guys like AJ Green, Tyler Eiford, etc. 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:49.000 We're keeping an eye on Carl Lawson and Ryan Glasgow 0:12:49.640 --> 0:12:52.320 today and both of those guys look like they're moving 0:12:52.360 --> 0:12:54.480 really well as they look to come back from their injuries. 0:12:54.600 --> 0:12:56.840 I agree, you know, I think it's probably not going 0:12:56.880 --> 0:12:58.680 to be right at the beginning of training camp, but 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:01.800 at some point maybe to play in that third preseason 0:13:01.840 --> 0:13:04.240 game where you know you're gonna be taking snaps with 0:13:04.240 --> 0:13:06.000 with pretty good players for a good periody of the 0:13:06.000 --> 0:13:07.720 game that can roll a lot of guys in there 0:13:07.960 --> 0:13:10.720 when they're still guys are going to be NFL players 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:13.920 on the field, So you might target that preseason game 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:16.000 number three is when some of those guys are gonna 0:13:16.200 --> 0:13:19.600 maybe maybe hit it and really test it. And that's 0:13:19.600 --> 0:13:21.800 the thing. You can you can feel really good on 0:13:21.840 --> 0:13:24.040 the rehab field and you know, but I remember when 0:13:24.080 --> 0:13:26.400 I just had scopes to my knee. You know, it's like, mentally, 0:13:26.720 --> 0:13:29.480 you have to hit, hit the ground, get caught in 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:33.000 a pile, something has to happen. Where is it really okay? 0:13:33.120 --> 0:13:35.200 And once you get past that little stage of it, 0:13:35.280 --> 0:13:37.679 that little block, once you know you go live contact 0:13:37.720 --> 0:13:40.800 and and you fit the battlefield and you come out unscathed. 0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:42.840 Now you're cooking with gas. So I do think that 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:46.040 getting snaps in the preseason for both of those guys, 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:47.520 at some point it's going to be, you know, a 0:13:47.559 --> 0:13:49.760 paramount to get done. But I'm not sure it's going 0:13:49.800 --> 0:13:51.920 to be in the first couple of weeks. Any other 0:13:52.080 --> 0:13:54.960 under the radar type guys catch your eye today, Well, 0:13:55.000 --> 0:13:57.600 you know, you look at the tight end position, Dan Um. 0:13:58.280 --> 0:14:00.920 You know Sethan Carter I thought was playing really well 0:14:01.120 --> 0:14:04.480 and he had the shoulder injury. Yeah, I like that guy. 0:14:04.640 --> 0:14:06.400 I think he can block at the inn line of scrimmage. 0:14:06.440 --> 0:14:09.439 I think he can catch the football. Jordan Franks last year. 0:14:09.679 --> 0:14:12.200 I mean the thing about Jordan Franks im that little 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:14.199 wheel route that he ran after the fake. He motioned 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:15.880 across the backfield and he caught a ball down the 0:14:15.920 --> 0:14:17.880 football field. When you have a tight end that can 0:14:17.960 --> 0:14:20.800 run and you have that size speed ratio advantage, you know, 0:14:20.880 --> 0:14:22.920 Jordan Franks will he'd be able to take another step. 0:14:23.280 --> 0:14:26.640 So I'm basically trying to, you know, hit guys at 0:14:27.280 --> 0:14:29.600 at almost every position group that maybe we haven't talked 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:31.200 about it a lot, and the fans haven't really heard 0:14:31.200 --> 0:14:33.320 about a lot, but you know, they may make the 0:14:33.400 --> 0:14:35.960 jump from one year to the next. And let's go 0:14:36.000 --> 0:14:39.520 to the linebacker position. Dan. You know, with Jermaine Pratt 0:14:39.600 --> 0:14:41.640 having the hamstring injury that slowed him a little bit, 0:14:41.760 --> 0:14:43.760 Deshan Davis has gotten a lot of snaps and I 0:14:43.840 --> 0:14:46.560 like him. I can see why you know, the guys 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:49.040 were people were fearful maybe a little bit because he's 0:14:49.040 --> 0:14:51.520 not a real big guy, but man, he carries a 0:14:51.560 --> 0:14:53.920 lot of weight in that lower body and he plays 0:14:53.920 --> 0:14:56.640 with a very low pad level. And he's smart. I mean, 0:14:56.840 --> 0:14:58.520 you know he can call sing those for you. He 0:14:58.560 --> 0:15:02.120 understands the defense, he flies around the football, he's he's 0:15:02.120 --> 0:15:05.280 a playmaker. He's a productive guy. So you know, I 0:15:05.280 --> 0:15:07.480 think I think he's gonna he's gonna be a factor, 0:15:07.760 --> 0:15:10.520 you know, on the football team as well in the secondary. 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.640 Trayvon Henderson, remember how well he was playing before he 0:15:13.640 --> 0:15:15.560 has his knee injury. You look at that dude's legs. 0:15:15.720 --> 0:15:18.320 I mean he's stout. Now he's put together, you know, 0:15:18.360 --> 0:15:21.120 Trayvon Henderson come back and can he compete at the 0:15:21.200 --> 0:15:23.720 level he was competing at it maybe even more and 0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:27.440 at the safety position. So I mean there's there's a 0:15:27.440 --> 0:15:28.880 lot of guys to keep an eye on. There's no 0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:31.320 question about it. Ryan Finley, I think is at the 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:35.080 quarterback spot, is starting to you know, understand things a 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:37.360 little bit better and he's making plays both in and 0:15:37.440 --> 0:15:38.880 out of the pocket. I think he's getting a lot 0:15:38.880 --> 0:15:40.960 more comfortable and a lot more confident. And you can 0:15:40.960 --> 0:15:43.120 see why he was drafted, you know, in the fourth round. 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:46.240 So there's there's quite a few guys to keep track 0:15:46.280 --> 0:15:48.640 of during the course of this, uh, this thing for sure. 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:52.040 Last thing. We are in the tunnel of Paul Brown Stadium, 0:15:52.280 --> 0:15:54.200 kind of in between the Bengals locker room and the 0:15:54.320 --> 0:15:56.920 entrance to the playing field. Several golf carts have gone 0:15:57.000 --> 0:15:59.720 rolling by. Mike Brown moments ago went buying a golf cart. 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:02.000 Do we need to have some of these people teach 0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:07.200 you how to drive a golf cart? Lap? The man unbelievable. Dan. 0:16:07.680 --> 0:16:11.160 I tried to, Uh, I tried to pass on a 0:16:12.200 --> 0:16:16.640 cart path that was too narrow and front wheel, front 0:16:16.680 --> 0:16:18.760 right wheel went off the cart path and it was 0:16:18.800 --> 0:16:23.440 just a total downhill, like forty five degree decline, and 0:16:23.520 --> 0:16:25.320 I was, I'm not gonna be able to keep this 0:16:25.440 --> 0:16:27.720 up there the second the back wheel went off and 0:16:27.760 --> 0:16:29.880 I was like, oh, it's like slow motion. Start to 0:16:30.240 --> 0:16:33.160 I rolled. It rolled a bad boy, but a little 0:16:33.200 --> 0:16:34.760 bit of a hip issue, a little hitching to get 0:16:34.760 --> 0:16:37.520 along with the hip, but just a little scratch on 0:16:37.560 --> 0:16:39.880 the arm and the cart. The carts survived because I 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:42.160 used it in the afternoon round as well. But man, 0:16:42.360 --> 0:16:45.440 I'm retiring from evil Knieval with the golf carts. Next 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:47.360 time we golf, I'm driving pack got you, I got 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:51.360 your coach. Thankfully, Lap wasn't hurt and that wasn't the 0:16:51.400 --> 0:16:53.600 only good news to come out of the golf tournament 0:16:53.680 --> 0:16:57.720 he co hosts with former teammate and roommate Ken Anderson. 0:16:58.280 --> 0:17:01.480 This year's event raised more than two hundred thousand dollars 0:17:01.560 --> 0:17:05.119 for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati and the 0:17:05.200 --> 0:17:11.000 Ken Anderson Alliance, which provides opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. 0:17:11.480 --> 0:17:14.080 Kudos to two of the all time great Bengals and 0:17:14.359 --> 0:17:17.520 people for continuing to make a difference in the community 0:17:17.880 --> 0:17:21.920 well after their playing careers. When the Bengals drafted tight 0:17:22.000 --> 0:17:24.480 end Drew Sample in the second round this year, number 0:17:24.520 --> 0:17:28.680 fifty two overall, after moving back ten spots to pick 0:17:28.760 --> 0:17:32.600 up extra fourth and sixth round picks from Denver, some 0:17:32.760 --> 0:17:35.359 of the draft guru suggested that he would have been 0:17:35.400 --> 0:17:40.280 available later. We'll never know, but if Ota practices are 0:17:40.359 --> 0:17:45.040 any indication, Sample will help the Bengals right away. He 0:17:45.200 --> 0:17:47.639 was considered to be the best blocking tight end in 0:17:47.680 --> 0:17:50.600 the draft and he's caught everything thrown his way in 0:17:50.680 --> 0:17:53.800 the practices that have been open to the media. The 0:17:53.840 --> 0:17:56.119 Bengals have a new tight ends coach this year in 0:17:56.280 --> 0:17:59.800 James Casey. He spent seven years playing in the NFL 0:18:00.160 --> 0:18:03.919 and was still active as recently as twenty fifteen. I 0:18:04.040 --> 0:18:07.960 spoke to Casey about the addition of Drew Sample you 0:18:08.080 --> 0:18:10.880 played the position, Tell me what you like about this guy. 0:18:11.320 --> 0:18:15.400 He's he's got great, great technique, great feet, great bass. 0:18:15.400 --> 0:18:17.360 About how he's blocking him, he's you know, you watch 0:18:17.440 --> 0:18:19.760 a lot of these college guys and it's I think 0:18:19.760 --> 0:18:22.040 it's rare, and I'm not, you know, extremely experienced. I 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:24.040 haven't doing it for twenty years, But when I watched 0:18:24.040 --> 0:18:25.520 all the guys that are coming out this year, he 0:18:25.600 --> 0:18:27.080 was one guy that just stood out to me as 0:18:27.160 --> 0:18:29.600 being like a sound football player with a really good 0:18:29.600 --> 0:18:32.000 technique that you don't you don't feel like you got 0:18:32.000 --> 0:18:34.280 to come in or like teach him and coach him 0:18:34.320 --> 0:18:35.719 up on a whole bunch of different things. You can 0:18:35.760 --> 0:18:37.600 more to like jump into it and get him learned 0:18:37.600 --> 0:18:39.320 the scheme and kind of of course you're gonna try 0:18:39.320 --> 0:18:40.639 to get him better on some of the techniques and 0:18:40.640 --> 0:18:42.639 get him more physical and all those things. But he 0:18:42.680 --> 0:18:44.719 was he was a polished player and who played with 0:18:45.359 --> 0:18:47.240 great effort and great technique, and that's what you're looking 0:18:47.240 --> 0:18:49.359 for our tight ends. We're looking for smart guys, and 0:18:49.359 --> 0:18:51.520 he's extremely intelligent. We're looking for tough guys. He's a 0:18:51.520 --> 0:18:53.280 really tough guy. He's playing a lot of football, and 0:18:53.320 --> 0:18:55.000 then we're looking for guys that got really quick feet, 0:18:55.040 --> 0:18:56.640 so because we're gonna do a lot of lateral stuff 0:18:56.680 --> 0:18:59.000 with our offense, and he fits all those molds. Were 0:18:59.080 --> 0:19:01.760 kind of interaction did you have with him personally? I 0:19:01.760 --> 0:19:03.920 got to you know, really most of us at the combine, 0:19:04.000 --> 0:19:06.639 and once we left the combine, everybody knew we loved him. 0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:07.919 We got to, you know, set in the meeting. You know, 0:19:07.920 --> 0:19:09.480 we kind of had like a form meeting with him 0:19:09.480 --> 0:19:13.320 with the whole staff, and he was extremely intelligent. One 0:19:13.359 --> 0:19:15.880 of the most impressive guys that I've been around as 0:19:15.880 --> 0:19:18.720 far as like his intelligence and asking the questions. It 0:19:18.800 --> 0:19:21.000