1
00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:04,400
Speaker 1: Hi, get everybody.

2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:08,119
Speaker 2: I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast.

3
00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,360
Speaker 1: B My Opinions.

4
00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:18,000
Speaker 2: Addition, has seven Bengals Beat reporters tackle five questions about

5
00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:22,440
Speaker 2: training camp and the upcoming season, followed by my opinions

6
00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,919
Speaker 2: on the same topics. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought

7
00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:28,280
Speaker 2: to you by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals

8
00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,920
Speaker 2: official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof fiber

9
00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:35,800
Speaker 2: Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to

10
00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,400
Speaker 2: a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care

11
00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,760
Speaker 2: for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official healthcare

12
00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,080
Speaker 2: provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick reminder that

13
00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,240
Speaker 2: you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered

14
00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,159
Speaker 2: right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing wherever

15
00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:58,000
Speaker 2: you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since randomly

16
00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:02,120
Speaker 2: watching Super Bowl fifty I was going around the horn

17
00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,720
Speaker 2: with my TV remote the other night when I stumbled

18
00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,760
Speaker 2: upon a replay of Super Bowl fifty six on the

19
00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,120
Speaker 2: NFL network. Now, I know that some of you find

20
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,280
Speaker 2: it too painful to watch. I get it, but not me.

21
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,319
Speaker 2: I found it fun to relive the highlights and be

22
00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,919
Speaker 2: reminded of some of the things that were seemingly insignificant

23
00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,839
Speaker 2: at the time that had a big impact on the game.

24
00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,080
Speaker 2: And if you do find it too painful, my recommendation

25
00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:30,560
Speaker 2: is to shut it off with five minutes to go,

26
00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,520
Speaker 2: just before Cooper cup seven yard run on fourth and

27
00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,200
Speaker 2: one that kept the Rams game winning drive alive. Now,

28
00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,280
Speaker 2: let's get to this week's guests. Since the draft, every

29
00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,479
Speaker 2: episode of this podcast has included an interview with one

30
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,520
Speaker 2: of this year's draft picks, where I asked them five

31
00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:54,160
Speaker 2: offbeat questions. Well, I'm sticking with five questions on this

32
00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,840
Speaker 2: episode of the podcast, but the concept is a little different.

33
00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,640
Speaker 2: I spoke to seven Bengals Beat reporters and ask them

34
00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:06,720
Speaker 2: the same five questions about the upcoming season. We start

35
00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:12,840
Speaker 2: with one of ESPN's NFL Nation reporters. We are going

36
00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:17,320
Speaker 2: alphabetically in our visits with Bengals Beat reporters. So Ben

37
00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,639
Speaker 2: Baby from ESPN is up first. All of your takes

38
00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,480
Speaker 2: are going to be fresh in comparison to your fellow

39
00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,080
Speaker 2: Beat reporters. So are you ready for five questions about

40
00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:28,040
Speaker 2: the upcoming season?

41
00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:30,280
Speaker 3: I think Dan, you know me well enough. I've always

42
00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:31,919
Speaker 3: got some good takes loaded in the chamber.

43
00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:36,720
Speaker 2: For you, I would expect nothing less. Question number one,

44
00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,000
Speaker 2: what is your biggest question going into training camp?

45
00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:42,280
Speaker 4: I think the biggest question for me.

46
00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:44,480
Speaker 3: I know that there's going to be the offensive line

47
00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,320
Speaker 3: a lot of concerns, or how well they're going to play,

48
00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,120
Speaker 3: you know, potentially throwing two new starters into the mixed

49
00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,720
Speaker 3: rookie Dylan Fairchild who seems to be doing a good

50
00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:56,120
Speaker 3: job of transitioning to left guard in the NFL, and

51
00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,400
Speaker 3: then that right guards battle between Lucas Patrick Cody Ford,

52
00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,040
Speaker 3: can Cordell Volson maybe throw his name in the hat?

53
00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,840
Speaker 3: I think that's interesting. But for me, I think the

54
00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:07,480
Speaker 3: biggest thing is how well can.

55
00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:08,440
Speaker 4: The secondary play?

56
00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:10,799
Speaker 3: And you know, I fear that I may be harping

57
00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,000
Speaker 3: on the secondary a lot between now and the end

58
00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,440
Speaker 3: of our conversation, but I think it's the most important

59
00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,240
Speaker 3: thing because had they been a little bit better, had

60
00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,720
Speaker 3: they you know, played to the level I think a

61
00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:22,960
Speaker 3: lot of people thought they were capable of last year.

62
00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,960
Speaker 3: I think last season looks vastly different than it did.

63
00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,240
Speaker 3: And so if they can find, you know, the if

64
00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,360
Speaker 3: those experienced corners of Dax Hill can come back healthy

65
00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,840
Speaker 3: after his injury last season, If Cam Taylor Brick can

66
00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,600
Speaker 3: perform well, DJ Turner, Josh Newton stepping up, I think

67
00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,720
Speaker 3: if those players can really bounce back and that unit

68
00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,120
Speaker 3: take a big step, I think this group can be

69
00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,680
Speaker 3: in for a really good, good season, and I think

70
00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,840
Speaker 3: it's going to dictate how this whole team really operates

71
00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,560
Speaker 3: and performs in a very I think the stakes, as

72
00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,000
Speaker 3: Joe Burrow said earlier this offseason, the stakes are always high,

73
00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,839
Speaker 3: but they feel especially high going into twenty twenty five.

74
00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,440
Speaker 2: Judging by the names you just ran off, it sounds

75
00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,000
Speaker 2: like you think that there is at least enough talent

76
00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:07,480
Speaker 2: to potentially be good.

77
00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:09,360
Speaker 4: Yeah, I definitely think so.

78
00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,880
Speaker 3: And talking to guys in the building over the course

79
00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,320
Speaker 3: of the offseason, I know that when Al Golden came in,

80
00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,720
Speaker 3: they were pleasantly happy with what they had back there,

81
00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:19,720
Speaker 3: and you look at what they did last year.

82
00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,680
Speaker 4: I know that there's been so much talk between the.

83
00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,280
Speaker 3: Talking heads and everybody kind of analyzing how that Bengal

84
00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:29,039
Speaker 3: season looked last year. And what I like to point

85
00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:30,679
Speaker 3: out to folks is you go look at the last

86
00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,479
Speaker 3: five games of the season, I think that was probably

87
00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,479
Speaker 3: more indicative of how that team should have played the

88
00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,600
Speaker 3: whole year, and I don't think it really had anything

89
00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:41,360
Speaker 3: to do with the personnel that was on the field.

90
00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:43,080
Speaker 3: I think when you look at it, I think there

91
00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:45,560
Speaker 3: were some schematic issues from time to time that really

92
00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,160
Speaker 3: popped up. I think there's a reason why I think

93
00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,280
Speaker 3: loui an Arumo did a really really good job over

94
00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:51,719
Speaker 3: his six.

95
00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:53,640
Speaker 4: Years here in Cincinnati.

96
00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:56,680
Speaker 3: But I think that I understand why they went to

97
00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,000
Speaker 3: Al Golden and understand what he brings to the table.

98
00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:00,600
Speaker 4: I think Al's gonna have.

99
00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,000
Speaker 3: A very similar challenge that lou did and making sure

100
00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,480
Speaker 3: that you can maximize a lot of young players without

101
00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,880
Speaker 3: having the luxury of having really high priced defensive.

102
00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:10,760
Speaker 4: Players at your disposal.

103
00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,200
Speaker 3: We'll see what happens with Trean Hendrickson when training camp

104
00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,760
Speaker 3: rolls around. But I do think that there are some

105
00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,120
Speaker 3: really good pieces there. I think that they've used high

106
00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,200
Speaker 3: draft picks over the years, and you expect them to

107
00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,599
Speaker 3: play it that way. I know that when Dax got hurt,

108
00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,359
Speaker 3: they felt he was probably the best quarterback that they had,

109
00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:29,880
Speaker 3: and I think that DJ Turner and Camp Taylor Britna

110
00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:30,440
Speaker 3: have shown.

111
00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:31,520
Speaker 4: Some really good flashes.

112
00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:36,000
Speaker 3: You know, Safety's probably the spot where we're looking at saying, Okay,

113
00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:38,560
Speaker 3: what can these guys you know bring to the table.

114
00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:42,000
Speaker 3: I've always liked Jordan Battle, not just because he's one

115
00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,440
Speaker 3: of the best locker room personalities in there.

116
00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,880
Speaker 4: I was giving him a hard time last year about

117
00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:47,400
Speaker 4: whether or not.

118
00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,560
Speaker 3: I think he had a little competition with Jermaine Pratt

119
00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:52,920
Speaker 3: on how many turnovers he'd be able to force, and

120
00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,880
Speaker 3: I think it extrapolated out to all the defensive backs.

121
00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,560
Speaker 3: They didn't end up getting as many turnovers as they'd like.

122
00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,839
Speaker 3: We could never figure out who two interceptions, three interceptions

123
00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,159
Speaker 3: of what have you to. We're practic and maybe treat

124
00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,160
Speaker 3: some of the younger defenders, But I think Jordan Battle,

125
00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:09,000
Speaker 3: you know, the more that he's in, I think if

126
00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,320
Speaker 3: he's in, you know, the closer replace of the box,

127
00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,800
Speaker 3: he can be a boundary safety as well. But I

128
00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,680
Speaker 3: like that partnership with Geno Stone. I think that if

129
00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,279
Speaker 3: they're able to get some time together, that unit really

130
00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,560
Speaker 3: doesn't have a lot of moving parts. The more they

131
00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,280
Speaker 3: can play with each other, I think you're gonna see

132
00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,760
Speaker 3: a better product than they put on the field last season.

133
00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,880
Speaker 2: We move on to topic number two. Who is Ben

134
00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,960
Speaker 2: Baby's breakout player in twenty twenty five.

135
00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,039
Speaker 3: You know, I've thought about this a good amount. I

136
00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:39,039
Speaker 3: think that there are.

137
00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:43,640
Speaker 4: Some very good candidates. I will go with Josh Newton.

138
00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,119
Speaker 4: I think him sliding in Again.

139
00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,680
Speaker 3: I apologize for the defensive back theme here, but I

140
00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,520
Speaker 3: do think that that probably is one of the best

141
00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,919
Speaker 3: and most pivotal pivotal groups in this whole on this

142
00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,440
Speaker 3: whole roster, and Josh s Newton when they drafted him.

143
00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,039
Speaker 3: I know that assistant coach Chuck Burks really like the

144
00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,200
Speaker 3: mentality that Josh had, and you know, it's hard to

145
00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:06,919
Speaker 3: come in and unseen a guy like Mike Hilton. But

146
00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,440
Speaker 3: I think, you know, Josh might not has been been

147
00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,120
Speaker 3: as entrenched as he was last season. Maybe there might

148
00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,119
Speaker 3: have been a little bit more competition to put Josh

149
00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,520
Speaker 3: on the field. Obviously, you know some Rooie mistakes from

150
00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,600
Speaker 3: time to time, but I think when you look at

151
00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:21,760
Speaker 3: a guy and how successful he has the chance to

152
00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,440
Speaker 3: be as a pro, the mentality makes up such a

153
00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,280
Speaker 3: big aspect of it. And I remember one of the

154
00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,920
Speaker 3: things that stuck out is that when when Chuck would

155
00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,840
Speaker 3: go back and talk to Josh about certain plays from

156
00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,000
Speaker 3: previous years that had nothing to do with the Bengals.

157
00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,120
Speaker 3: Josh Newton had already studied that because he wants to

158
00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,840
Speaker 3: go out and understand what it takes to be a

159
00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:43,560
Speaker 3: great defensive back.

160
00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:44,880
Speaker 4: And I think people.

161
00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:48,080
Speaker 3: Who are wired that way have a great chance of

162
00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:51,360
Speaker 3: being successful, not just in football, but whatever it is.

163
00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,240
Speaker 3: If you're willing to be a student of the game,

164
00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,400
Speaker 3: you're willing to understand.

165
00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:56,720
Speaker 4: What it takes to be good at your craft.

166
00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,000
Speaker 3: Put in time when nobody's telling you to do so,

167
00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,320
Speaker 3: which is such an underrated skill, you are able to

168
00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,480
Speaker 3: be increase your odds.

169
00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:06,000
Speaker 4: Of really being good.

170
00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:09,080
Speaker 3: I think Josh being in that slot right there. I

171
00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,400
Speaker 3: think having stability at outside corner, Josh has a really

172
00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:14,640
Speaker 3: big I think he's got a high ceiling and can

173
00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,840
Speaker 3: play at a really high level. Cam Taylor Britt would

174
00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,000
Speaker 3: be my other option. I've been burned in the past

175
00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,080
Speaker 3: on my Cam Taylor Britt hype. However, I still think,

176
00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:25,920
Speaker 3: in my heart of hearts, I do believe he can

177
00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,720
Speaker 3: be a Pro Bowl caliber cornerback and I think that

178
00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,440
Speaker 3: if he has a really strong season, I think it's

179
00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,800
Speaker 3: gonna make the conversation about a second contract, and either

180
00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:37,199
Speaker 3: in Cincinnati or elsewhere, it's gonna make it a very

181
00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,200
Speaker 3: appealing And then if I had to take a third

182
00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,480
Speaker 3: one a non defensive player, I think Andrea Yoshovas could

183
00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,800
Speaker 3: have a really really strong year. You go look at

184
00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,560
Speaker 3: the number of touchdowns he has. It's disproportionate to the

185
00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,920
Speaker 3: number of receptions he has. I believe it's ten touchdowns

186
00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,080
Speaker 3: on fifty one receptions, which is very strong. It could

187
00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:00,880
Speaker 3: be awful little bit on those numbers. But Andre, and

188
00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:02,880
Speaker 3: it's not just you know how well he does and

189
00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,080
Speaker 3: scramble drills with Joe Burrow, how good he is in

190
00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:05,760
Speaker 3: the red zone.

191
00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:07,560
Speaker 4: But I think you go and.

192
00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,720
Speaker 3: Watch the tape, he does a really good job of

193
00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,640
Speaker 3: creating separation, having the understanding of how to win on

194
00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,760
Speaker 3: routes at any other place, and people in the building

195
00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,480
Speaker 3: will say this as well. Andre would be a number

196
00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,840
Speaker 3: two somewhere else. So I think the Bengals have had

197
00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:25,040
Speaker 3: a really strong luxury of drafting very well deep in

198
00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,040
Speaker 3: the draft to find a guy like Andre and I

199
00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,200
Speaker 3: think if he gets more targets, he could have a

200
00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:30,000
Speaker 3: really nice year.

201
00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:34,040
Speaker 2: We playfully spar in the Bengals media room, but I

202
00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,600
Speaker 2: think Josh Newton and Andre Yosi Vash are great calls

203
00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,679
Speaker 2: great calls for breakout players. In twenty twenty five question

204
00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,080
Speaker 2: number three, the Bengals defense will be better if.

205
00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,680
Speaker 1: Dot dot dot, Well, I.

206
00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:50,760
Speaker 3: Will, first of all, I want to make sure we

207
00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:52,240
Speaker 3: go back to that previous point you just said, we

208
00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:54,040
Speaker 3: don't always see eye to eye, so what we do

209
00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:57,840
Speaker 3: that's a very good thing, Dan. And then going back

210
00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,000
Speaker 3: to your question and instead of picking all the same

211
00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,120
Speaker 3: canary again, let's switch it up a little bit. I

212
00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,640
Speaker 3: think that the key maybe to everything when you talk

213
00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:07,800
Speaker 3: about the defense, maybe one of the more underrated guys

214
00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,319
Speaker 3: we aren't talking about is TJ. Slayton, and I think

215
00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,199
Speaker 3: the fact that they identified him, and when you look

216
00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,720
Speaker 3: at that front seven and how they underperformed last year,

217
00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,360
Speaker 3: there's a lot of conversations about did the linebackers not

218
00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,800
Speaker 3: play all that well? What was wrong with the front

219
00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:24,960
Speaker 3: I think when you look at the defensive line, there

220
00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:26,719
Speaker 3: are a lot of injuries that they had to battle with.

221
00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,520
Speaker 4: You know, Chris Jenkins playing with the club was big.

222
00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,160
Speaker 4: BJ Hills banged up from time to time. That was

223
00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:32,839
Speaker 4: a big issue.

224
00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,679
Speaker 3: But when you look at how they attacked free agency,

225
00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,760
Speaker 3: that always tells you what a front office thinks of

226
00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,640
Speaker 3: its current roster and not just how it attacks, but

227
00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:44,120
Speaker 3: who would attacks and how much money they invest in

228
00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:46,520
Speaker 3: certain positions. And I thought the fact they went out

229
00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,240
Speaker 3: and got TJ. Slayton was very big. You get a

230
00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,559
Speaker 3: big body that you can't really move in the middle.

231
00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:54,560
Speaker 3: You want somebody who can eat up those gaps inside.

232
00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:56,800
Speaker 3: And it's not gonna be something that we talk about

233
00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:58,520
Speaker 3: a lot. It's not gonna be something you're gonna see

234
00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:02,480
Speaker 3: on each and every play. But if that interior defensive

235
00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:04,560
Speaker 3: line can do a good job of being better against

236
00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:06,360
Speaker 3: the run, which was something they were really bad at

237
00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:10,559
Speaker 3: last year, and letting your linebackers trigger downhill really be

238
00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,480
Speaker 3: free to make plays, that is something that's going to

239
00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:17,200
Speaker 3: really help this defense because you can't be sitting here always.

240
00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:21,760
Speaker 3: Even in second and seven, second and five, second and six,

241
00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:24,160
Speaker 3: you open up too much of the playbook to the

242
00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,920
Speaker 3: opposing offense. If teams are able to get a good

243
00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,320
Speaker 3: amount of yards on first down, that makes it really

244
00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,680
Speaker 3: hard for any coordinator to go out and scheme things

245
00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:34,839
Speaker 3: up for this For second down and third down. You

246
00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,320
Speaker 3: want to try to get teams and third and long

247
00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,520
Speaker 3: that allow you to put yourself in advantageous positions. To

248
00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:42,559
Speaker 3: get off the field if you're not able to be

249
00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:44,839
Speaker 3: good in the front seven. I think that's huge, and

250
00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:47,559
Speaker 3: you've heard Al Golden and Zach Taylor talk about that

251
00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,199
Speaker 3: a good amount of this offseason. I know Zach is

252
00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,960
Speaker 3: very very high on what Chris Jenkins and McKinley Jackson can.

253
00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:55,199
Speaker 4: Bring in year two.

254
00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,120
Speaker 3: I think the reason they went out and drafted them

255
00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,240
Speaker 3: they needed them to play a little bit better. They

256
00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:01,280
Speaker 3: go out and invest the money in BJ Hill, I

257
00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:03,679
Speaker 3: thought for me was the most one of the more

258
00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,120
Speaker 3: telling moves of the offseason that they said, Hey, this

259
00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:08,640
Speaker 3: is a guy that we really want to continue to

260
00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,319
Speaker 3: reward where he brings a lot to our locker room.

261
00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,319
Speaker 3: And I think, and Dan, you know this, and not

262
00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:15,400
Speaker 3: just what he brings on the field, but that leadership

263
00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,000
Speaker 3: quality that he has off the field something you can't

264
00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,480
Speaker 3: really put a price on it. And so if TJ

265
00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,640
Speaker 3: can come in help solidify that run defense, those other

266
00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:28,600
Speaker 3: defensive tackles can play well. I think that defense can

267
00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,720
Speaker 3: help that secondary and work in tandem, which was something

268
00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,599
Speaker 3: that those two sides or two units talked about a

269
00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:36,920
Speaker 3: lot as to why they made they weren't playing as

270
00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:38,880
Speaker 3: well as they could have last season.

271
00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:40,400
Speaker 1: I've been saying about TJ.

272
00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,120
Speaker 2: Slayton, he will not have a lot of sacks, but

273
00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,520
Speaker 2: he might help the team have a bunch by getting

274
00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:48,800
Speaker 2: the opponent into second and third and long. So I

275
00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,920
Speaker 2: think those were really good points, all right. Topic number

276
00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:55,439
Speaker 2: four is Taylor made for ESPN's Ben Baby, give me

277
00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:59,160
Speaker 2: your hot take about training camp and or the upcoming season.

278
00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,920
Speaker 3: I think that Joe Burrow will probably have the most

279
00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,320
Speaker 3: camp interceptions he's ever had.

280
00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:08,880
Speaker 4: That's it if we're going hot time.

281
00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:13,319
Speaker 3: But I don't think it's going to matter because number one,

282
00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:14,360
Speaker 3: I think we need a preface.

283
00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:16,600
Speaker 4: Training can't buy, and large does not matter.

284
00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:18,599
Speaker 3: Stats people who if you if you ever find a

285
00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:22,439
Speaker 3: reporter taking stats at a practice, make sure you hold

286
00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:25,679
Speaker 3: them immediately because it is a practice situation. And I

287
00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,960
Speaker 3: think that what you saw on OTAs and and Joe

288
00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,719
Speaker 3: at an interesting point, and that he was, you know,

289
00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:33,679
Speaker 3: and I he was talked about, you know why he

290
00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:35,520
Speaker 3: was out there throwing for so long. He says, you know,

291
00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:37,920
Speaker 3: I want to get to get get in a good rhythm,

292
00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,280
Speaker 3: getting a good feel of things, And that kind of

293
00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:42,559
Speaker 3: prompted me to ask him. I said, well, do you

294
00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,079
Speaker 3: feel like it's your risk is back to where it was,

295
00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,280
Speaker 3: and he says essentially, not necessarily. And I think there's

296
00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:51,560
Speaker 3: always gonna be questions about if that's ever going to happen.

297
00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:53,640
Speaker 4: And I think that's what made last.

298
00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,240
Speaker 3: Year so spectacular, the fact that he looked like he

299
00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,520
Speaker 3: did in the spring, didn't look great early in the season,

300
00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:01,360
Speaker 3: and then a was able to put together an MVP

301
00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:04,560
Speaker 3: caliber season. I think, quite frankly, does not get talked

302
00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:06,920
Speaker 3: about enough, and he deserves a ton of credit. I

303
00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,120
Speaker 3: had to eat crow. I told him, Joe, I'm gonna

304
00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:10,760
Speaker 3: be honest with you. I did not expect you to

305
00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,600
Speaker 3: look like this when I saw you in the summer.

306
00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:16,599
Speaker 3: But I think for Joe, you saw him tweaking with

307
00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,360
Speaker 3: things a little bit, working on the spin rate, working

308
00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,680
Speaker 3: on his mechanism, and I think maybe looking at how

309
00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,520
Speaker 3: aggressive he can be in windows and we're writing about

310
00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:27,640
Speaker 3: that right now on ESPN. I thought he had a

311
00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:29,680
Speaker 3: great ball on a hole shot down the middle of

312
00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:33,080
Speaker 3: Andrea Yoshabaz and a seven on seven Drew And I

313
00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:34,520
Speaker 3: think that aggressiveness.

314
00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,600
Speaker 4: The more he can push that, the more he can

315
00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:38,920
Speaker 4: get out of this offense.

316
00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:41,320
Speaker 3: I think that's something he's always trying to make that

317
00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,840
Speaker 3: calculation in his mind at all times. Joe's always trying

318
00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,520
Speaker 3: to think about the risk reward of how he plays

319
00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:49,920
Speaker 3: the game. And I think training camp is the perfect

320
00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,760
Speaker 3: time to go out test your defense, give them good

321
00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,560
Speaker 3: opportunities to go out and create turnovers, but see what

322
00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:57,480
Speaker 3: you feel like you might be able to get away with.

323
00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,360
Speaker 3: Especially early, that may the biggest thing to help them

324
00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:03,400
Speaker 3: get off to a fast started. Joe was playing like

325
00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,400
Speaker 3: he does week seven and week eight, and he's feeling

326
00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,680
Speaker 3: in tune with his receivers. I think that is going

327
00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,280
Speaker 3: to be a really good thing for this team, but

328
00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:13,760
Speaker 3: also might lead to some more turnovers. And I think

329
00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:16,640
Speaker 3: we've learned and we should not overanalyze what we see

330
00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:17,720
Speaker 3: in training camp.

331
00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,960
Speaker 2: So if Joe Burrow throws training camp picks, don't panic.

332
00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:26,160
Speaker 2: According to Ben Baby, our fifth and final topic the

333
00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,600
Speaker 2: upcoming season and your prediction for how the Bengals will do.

334
00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:31,680
Speaker 2: What will their record be and where will they finish

335
00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:32,720
Speaker 2: in the AFC North.

336
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:35,920
Speaker 3: I think that they end up going back to win

337
00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:38,080
Speaker 3: the North. As we know, nobody's won the North three

338
00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,320
Speaker 3: years in a row. It's something that everyone would like

339
00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,280
Speaker 3: to do. It makes it one of the toughest divisions

340
00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:45,960
Speaker 3: of football. That was something when I came from Dallas

341
00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:50,280
Speaker 3: six years ago really underestimated just how good this division is,

342
00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,160
Speaker 3: the quality of the defenses, how hard it is to

343
00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,160
Speaker 3: win week in and week out, and really just the

344
00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:58,360
Speaker 3: passion that you have with the fan base is how

345
00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:02,480
Speaker 3: well these franchises operate. I think that is something that

346
00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,160
Speaker 3: you know, pound for pound across the league. I don't

347
00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:07,360
Speaker 3: know if you have another division that's really as sound

348
00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:08,120
Speaker 3: as this one.

349
00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:09,680
Speaker 4: And so it is so difficult to win.

350
00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,080
Speaker 3: And when you look at what the Bengals have, I

351
00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,880
Speaker 3: think that if the offense can play well, I think

352
00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,680
Speaker 3: the defense will take a step. When they figured things

353
00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:19,960
Speaker 3: out at the end of last year, they were five

354
00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,200
Speaker 3: to zero, and had they played just slightly better, they're

355
00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:25,520
Speaker 3: able to beat Baltimore maybe one of those times. And

356
00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:30,120
Speaker 3: there were just situations last season where they let winning

357
00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:33,040
Speaker 3: positions just slip out of their grasp, and I think

358
00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,440
Speaker 3: the fact that they still finished nine to eight, you know,

359
00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,960
Speaker 3: is pretty impressive in that regard, and I think everybody

360
00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,960
Speaker 3: inside the building knows after you don't make the playoffs

361
00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:45,440
Speaker 3: for two years, the stakes have never been higher for

362
00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,160
Speaker 3: I think everybody there that to really go out and produce.

363
00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,240
Speaker 3: The one thing that I give Zach Taylor so much

364
00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:53,840
Speaker 3: credit for it even when he was two and fourteen

365
00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,280
Speaker 3: and you know, four eleven and one. I think after

366
00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,520
Speaker 3: twenty I think the demeanor in which he carries himself,

367
00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,120
Speaker 3: how he handles pressure and doesn't ever change the way

368
00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,280
Speaker 3: he operates is probably one of the most unique and

369
00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,800
Speaker 3: valuable traits as a head coach. Oftentimes when I've covered coaches,

370
00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,280
Speaker 3: that's something that really separates good coaches from I think

371
00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:17,000
Speaker 3: exceptional coaches is the ability to internalize and handle pressure

372
00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:19,000
Speaker 3: and make sure that the team doesn't feel that and

373
00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,080
Speaker 3: they're able to go out and operate at a high level.

374
00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,320
Speaker 3: We saw that in twenty twenty one when the Bengals

375
00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,040
Speaker 3: would lose a couple games and they were able to

376
00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:28,680
Speaker 3: go back win when they needed to answer the bell,

377
00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,000
Speaker 3: and I think that really is what you need if.

378
00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:32,879
Speaker 4: You want to go out and chase championship.

379
00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:37,119
Speaker 3: So I have them going twelve and five winning the

380
00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:41,280
Speaker 3: division and we'll see how this looks. I think probably

381
00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:45,879
Speaker 3: an AFC divisional loss is where I have things I

382
00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,200
Speaker 3: don't know. When you look at where they stand between

383
00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,639
Speaker 3: Kansas City and Buffalo and we'll see who else pops

384
00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,800
Speaker 3: up in a very crowded conference. I think when you

385
00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:57,480
Speaker 3: look at it, it's just so the depth is incredible.

386
00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:01,000
Speaker 3: I think quarterback play across the NFL has never been better.

387
00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:04,560
Speaker 3: So we'll see how far they're able to go. But

388
00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:06,840
Speaker 3: I think getting in is the tough part.

389
00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:07,320
Speaker 4: Once you're in.

390
00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:09,439
Speaker 3: You know, had the Bengals made it in last year,

391
00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,000
Speaker 3: we could have been having a very different offseason because

392
00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:13,600
Speaker 3: when they have a tendency to get hot at the

393
00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:16,720
Speaker 3: right time, really figure things out. And when you put

394
00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:18,760
Speaker 3: Burrow in the postseason, he finds a way to get

395
00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,840
Speaker 3: things done. So I've will bet against him until I

396
00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,760
Speaker 3: see for otherwise. I feel like I'm already out on

397
00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,359
Speaker 3: a limb saying they're going to go out and win

398
00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,280
Speaker 3: the division. I think it's just just me being on

399
00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:29,600
Speaker 3: the pod. Dan is rubbing off on me slightly. But

400
00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,159
Speaker 3: you know, if I say something, I have conviction behind it,

401
00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:34,959
Speaker 3: and I do think this can be a very good

402
00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,120
Speaker 3: team that makes a run at winning the AFC North again.

403
00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,480
Speaker 2: All right, our conversations with Bengals beat reporters is off

404
00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:42,720
Speaker 2: to a great start. You have set the bar very

405
00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,040
Speaker 2: high for the next six to come.

406
00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:46,840
Speaker 1: Ben Baby, I appreciate your time. Thank you.

407
00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:48,480
Speaker 4: Always a pleasure, Dan, thank you.

408
00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:50,800
Speaker 1: It is always.

409
00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:54,120
Speaker 2: Delightful to visit with Kelsey Conway from the Cincinnati Inquirer.

410
00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,920
Speaker 2: Are you ready to tackle five questions here on the

411
00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:58,160
Speaker 2: Bengals Booth podcast.

412
00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,000
Speaker 5: I'm so ready and thank you so much for having

413
00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:03,400
Speaker 5: me on. I think this might be my first appearance

414
00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:04,200
Speaker 5: on your podcast.

415
00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:06,080
Speaker 1: I think it is.

416
00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:07,760
Speaker 6: Does that mean I've made it?

417
00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,639
Speaker 2: It means something, but I don't know if that's it

418
00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,639
Speaker 2: all right? Question number one, what is your biggest question

419
00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:17,360
Speaker 2: going into training camp?

420
00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,840
Speaker 5: Are they going to have their entire team on the

421
00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:25,920
Speaker 5: practice field, meaning all of their contract stuff is resolved.

422
00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,639
Speaker 5: I think that I've been asked that a bunch the

423
00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,280
Speaker 5: last two weeks, and I'm at a point at this

424
00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:38,360
Speaker 5: point in June where it's just really hard to say.

425
00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:39,120
Speaker 6: One way or the other.

426
00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,200
Speaker 5: So I think that's my biggest question heading into camp.

427
00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,000
Speaker 5: Heading into the season, I would have a different answer,

428
00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,040
Speaker 5: but camp, all I want to know is is Shamar Stewart.

429
00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,119
Speaker 6: Going to be on the field, Trey Hendrickson going to

430
00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:51,480
Speaker 6: be on the.

431
00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:55,560
Speaker 5: Field, and what does that look like with a healthy

432
00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:57,920
Speaker 5: Burrow Chase with no contract drama.

433
00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:02,920
Speaker 2: Do you think Shamar and Trey will eventually be in

434
00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:04,959
Speaker 2: training camp, even if it's not in day one?

435
00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:12,439
Speaker 5: Yes, I think I actually think Trey Hendrickson it feels

436
00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,560
Speaker 5: like that situation is closer than Shamar Stewart.

437
00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:18,119
Speaker 6: And that's crazy to say because I.

438
00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,000
Speaker 5: Never would have thought that, Like a month ago, I

439
00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,440
Speaker 5: kind of thought Trey might take it through camp, but

440
00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:27,600
Speaker 5: it just really seems like, I mean, you've seen the

441
00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:31,000
Speaker 5: pictures of him training at Black Sheep this week, and

442
00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,359
Speaker 5: knowing Trey, I mean, both of us know like his

443
00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:37,080
Speaker 5: work ethic, Like I think Trey would have a really

444
00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,399
Speaker 5: hard time not practicing.

445
00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,320
Speaker 6: I think maybe if it comes down to him having

446
00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:42,720
Speaker 6: to do it.

447
00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:45,280
Speaker 5: For a day or two, I just I have a

448
00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:49,159
Speaker 5: feeling he's going to be like, you know what, this

449
00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:51,240
Speaker 5: is the most important thing to me. I've got to

450
00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:54,439
Speaker 5: get on the field. I can't stand watching anymore. Whereas

451
00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:59,520
Speaker 5: Schamar's not under contract. So I think based off what

452
00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:03,399
Speaker 5: I what I've heard and learned about that situation is

453
00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:09,040
Speaker 5: it would be completely almost embarrassing for his side if

454
00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:12,040
Speaker 5: they didn't get anything in return at this point, Like

455
00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:14,880
Speaker 5: if they're just gonna now accept the Bengals terms after

456
00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,239
Speaker 5: all of the public comments and everything, it just kind

457
00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:21,520
Speaker 5: of seems like they're gonna be more dug in and

458
00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:25,040
Speaker 5: he's not under contract, so I think I do think

459
00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:27,400
Speaker 5: schmar Sewer is going to play. I don't think it's

460
00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:29,640
Speaker 5: gonna be one of the things where it go back

461
00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:33,600
Speaker 5: goes back into the draft. I just think that they

462
00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,080
Speaker 5: are not going to cave, and I don't know if

463
00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:39,240
Speaker 5: the Bengals are gonna cave on their side either.

464
00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:44,080
Speaker 2: Right before camp, all right, who is Kelsey Conway's breakout

465
00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:45,880
Speaker 2: player in twenty twenty five?

466
00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:48,640
Speaker 6: Chris Jenkins.

467
00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:53,719
Speaker 5: I think that he's gonna get a lot of playing

468
00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:57,119
Speaker 5: time just because of the depth and the numbers at

469
00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,360
Speaker 5: the interior defensive line room.

470
00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:03,440
Speaker 6: And I think that he's got a new position coach.

471
00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,800
Speaker 5: I think he's the type of person that is going

472
00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:09,639
Speaker 5: to get better with more reps and he'll be healthy,

473
00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:13,320
Speaker 5: and so I think I'm gonna put Chris Jenkins as

474
00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:14,200
Speaker 5: my breakout player.

475
00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,639
Speaker 2: It's interesting because I think it's almost forgotten that the

476
00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:19,200
Speaker 2: dude was a second round.

477
00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:24,920
Speaker 5: Pick, right right, yeah, I you know, I know they're

478
00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,800
Speaker 5: excited about McKinley Jackson too, but like I just kind

479
00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:32,080
Speaker 5: of look at what Jenkins' skill sets were when when

480
00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,080
Speaker 5: he was drafted, they viewed him more as like the

481
00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,560
Speaker 5: pass rusher. I think that the Bengals don't really have that,

482
00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,320
Speaker 5: and you know, BJ like they're not. They got to

483
00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,120
Speaker 5: regulate his snaps because he's older. So I just think

484
00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,240
Speaker 5: Chris Jenkins is going to see the field a lot more.

485
00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,640
Speaker 5: He's going to not have his you know, hand injury.

486
00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:54,000
Speaker 7: So I think that let's just say this, it'll be

487
00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:59,040
Speaker 7: it'll be disappointing, and it'll be nobody's swall but Chris

488
00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:03,640
Speaker 7: Jenkins if he doesn't break out this year, because he's

489
00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:05,440
Speaker 7: going to get the opportunity.

490
00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,280
Speaker 2: If that makes sense, and he won't have a giant

491
00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:09,480
Speaker 2: pad and club at the.

492
00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:13,000
Speaker 6: Club club on his hands. So let's go with a

493
00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:15,199
Speaker 6: big year from Chris Jenkins.

494
00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:19,120
Speaker 2: All right, Conway says Jenkins question number three. The Bengals

495
00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:23,760
Speaker 2: defense will be better if dot dot dot.

496
00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:28,480
Speaker 5: Their corners stay healthy throughout the rest throughout the entire year,

497
00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:34,160
Speaker 5: which I know is a tall task because injuries happen especially.

498
00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:37,720
Speaker 6: I truly think that.

499
00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:44,119
Speaker 5: If Cam Taylor, Britt DJ Turner and Dax Hill are

500
00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,760
Speaker 5: your mix of your three healthy outside.

501
00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:48,679
Speaker 6: Corners, and you have Josh Newton.

502
00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:52,960
Speaker 5: As you're starting, Nickel, I think people are not talking

503
00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:58,000
Speaker 5: about the potential of that group being maybe the Bengal's

504
00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:02,399
Speaker 5: biggest strength on defense. Talking about two second round picks

505
00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:05,840
Speaker 5: in DJ Turner, Cam Taylor brit then a first round

506
00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:10,000
Speaker 5: pick in jaxx Till, and a hungry Josh Newton.

507
00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:14,960
Speaker 6: Who last year you could argue was after memes.

508
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:17,840
Speaker 5: Some people say like their favorite pick of the Bengals

509
00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:20,680
Speaker 5: just because of the potential in what he showed. I

510
00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,000
Speaker 5: think if they can stay healthy, they might be a

511
00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:29,000
Speaker 5: sneaky good unit that's hungry and has some talent. But

512
00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,919
Speaker 5: it's hard to It's hard to project that because I mean,

513
00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,719
Speaker 5: DJ Turner's talked about it. He's got to stay healthy

514
00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,960
Speaker 5: and he's got a lot to prove from a consistency standpoint.

515
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,320
Speaker 5: Cam Taylor Britt is a complete you know, we don't

516
00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:45,040
Speaker 5: know what to expect, but when he's on, he can

517
00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:45,720
Speaker 5: be really good.

518
00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:47,120
Speaker 6: So I'm excited.

519
00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,160
Speaker 5: I'm really excited to watch that battle in camp. I'm

520
00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:54,159
Speaker 5: excited to watch it in preseason, and I'm I'm thinking

521
00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:58,600
Speaker 5: that the Bengals. I'm not in love with the past

522
00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,680
Speaker 5: rush situation. I true, I don't think it's semed enough

523
00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,840
Speaker 5: to make that unit better. But if they are better

524
00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:08,360
Speaker 5: on the back end, right, it will help take off

525
00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:10,000
Speaker 5: some of that pressure. So I'm going to go with

526
00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:13,720
Speaker 5: the Bengals defense will be better their corners stay healthy

527
00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,440
Speaker 5: and play up to the level that they were drafted

528
00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:17,000
Speaker 5: to play at.

529
00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,200
Speaker 2: I often say that cornerback is the position that has

530
00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:24,679
Speaker 2: the highest injury rate because they're little guys tackling big guys.

531
00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,600
Speaker 2: They're sprinting up and down the field on every snap.

532
00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:30,400
Speaker 2: But at least in this case, you've got four really

533
00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:35,480
Speaker 2: talented guys for three spots. So sure guys will miss games.

534
00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:35,800
Speaker 1: Here and there.

535
00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:39,800
Speaker 2: Hopefully you don't have season ending injuries or things that

536
00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,480
Speaker 2: you know, wipe out multiple guys for extended periods of time.

537
00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:44,680
Speaker 1: And I agree with you.

538
00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,119
Speaker 2: I think talent wise, that's a good group and hopefully

539
00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,520
Speaker 2: they stay on the field for most of the action

540
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:54,440
Speaker 2: this season. Question number four, give us Kelsey Conways hot

541
00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,200
Speaker 2: take about training camp or the upcoming season.

542
00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:00,639
Speaker 6: You know, I'm not much of a hot take artists,

543
00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:05,520
Speaker 6: so this might be a little bit of a challenge

544
00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:11,760
Speaker 6: for me. My hot take is more about the season

545
00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:13,919
Speaker 6: and that it.

546
00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:22,400
Speaker 5: Is arguably the most important season of Zach Taylor's career.

547
00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,760
Speaker 5: I think that this season has been the one that

548
00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,720
Speaker 5: people have been waiting on right like and you saw

549
00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,159
Speaker 5: the clip from the fanatics Fest this past weekend with

550
00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:35,400
Speaker 5: that little kid saying jobur or like make the playoffs?

551
00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:42,199
Speaker 6: Like this isn't it's no, the playoffs is the bare minimum.

552
00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:44,760
Speaker 5: I think that it is time for the Bengals to

553
00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:50,000
Speaker 5: make the jump of not being ten and seven, Like,

554
00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:52,640
Speaker 5: what does twelve and five.

555
00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:56,200
Speaker 6: Look like for this team, you know? Or thirteen and four?

556
00:26:56,400 --> 00:27:01,320
Speaker 5: Like, in my opinion, if it's an another middling season

557
00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:03,879
Speaker 5: and they make the playoffs and get bounced in the

558
00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:08,040
Speaker 5: first round, it's hard to you know, discount a coach

559
00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:09,040
Speaker 5: when that happens.

560
00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:12,400
Speaker 6: They make playoffs. They cannot not make the playoffs.

561
00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,480
Speaker 5: With Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase and t Higgins making the

562
00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:17,960
Speaker 5: money that they are, it's go time.

563
00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:20,639
Speaker 6: They cannot have another slow start.

564
00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:24,520
Speaker 5: And so, in my opinion, this is and I don't

565
00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:26,800
Speaker 5: think it's much of a hot take, but this is

566
00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:30,960
Speaker 5: the most important season of Zach Taylor's career as the

567
00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,480
Speaker 5: coach of the Cincinnati Bengals because there's no excuses for him.

568
00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,520
Speaker 5: He has all of his guys healthy. You know, knock

569
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:41,919
Speaker 5: on wood that everybody stays healthy. But I think they

570
00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:44,760
Speaker 5: got to like step on the gas pedal here because

571
00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:46,040
Speaker 5: you know, you saw.

572
00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:47,720
Speaker 6: The clip for Netflix's promo.

573
00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:50,399
Speaker 5: I'm sure where Burrow said like he blinked and he

574
00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,040
Speaker 5: had been in the league for five years and then

575
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:54,320
Speaker 5: he's going to blink again and you know, be ten

576
00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:57,400
Speaker 5: and like he's closer to thirty then he is twenty one.

577
00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:59,600
Speaker 5: So and I'm not trying to, you know, say like

578
00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:01,280
Speaker 5: he's near the man of his career. But you know

579
00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,119
Speaker 5: what I'm saying, like how many more years do you

580
00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:08,320
Speaker 5: think that you'll have these elite receivers the same continuity

581
00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:11,200
Speaker 5: on the coaching staff? Like, I just think it's time

582
00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:13,760
Speaker 5: for the Bengals to really like make a run at

583
00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:17,120
Speaker 5: the number one, number two overall seed, and in my opinion,

584
00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:19,520
Speaker 5: that falls directly on Zach Taylor.

585
00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:20,960
Speaker 1: Pretty hot take.

586
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:21,760
Speaker 4: I like it.

587
00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:24,480
Speaker 1: Maybe not maybe not sizzling hot.

588
00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:25,480
Speaker 5: I prefer to.

589
00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:30,120
Speaker 1: Hot, not not surface of the sun, but pretty hot.

590
00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:31,919
Speaker 1: I liked it all right.

591
00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:35,800
Speaker 2: Fifth and final question for The Inquirer's Kelsey Conway. What

592
00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:39,080
Speaker 2: will the Bengals record be and where will they finish

593
00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:40,360
Speaker 2: in the AFC North.

594
00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:42,960
Speaker 5: Holy Moly, is the AFC North going to be a

595
00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,120
Speaker 5: gauntlet with Aaron Rodgers now in Pittsburgh.

596
00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:47,160
Speaker 6: I mean, I think a.

597
00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:49,120
Speaker 5: Lot of people are just writing the Steelers off and

598
00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,240
Speaker 5: it's like a two person to like debate in the

599
00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:57,000
Speaker 5: AFC North with Baltimore and Cincinnati. But I gotta tell you,

600
00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:00,440
Speaker 5: I think the Steelers will be right with those with

601
00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:07,400
Speaker 5: those two teams. Yeah, I think the Steelers have a

602
00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,280
Speaker 5: good team around Rogers and if he can just like

603
00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:12,680
Speaker 5: I don't think he wants to end his career playing

604
00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:16,800
Speaker 5: like garbage. So I think I think the Steelers are

605
00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,240
Speaker 5: gonna and you know, they're always a difficult matchup for

606
00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:22,360
Speaker 5: the Bengals with high Smith and what. But I think

607
00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,640
Speaker 5: that's what makes my overall record projection hard for me

608
00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:30,560
Speaker 5: with the Bengals, because I just have a feeling they're

609
00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:34,160
Speaker 5: gonna split with Baltimore and they're gonna split with Pittsburgh,

610
00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,360
Speaker 5: and so where does that leave them? And I want

611
00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,880
Speaker 5: to be more than ten and seven, but I cannot

612
00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:46,840
Speaker 5: get there. So I'm ten and seven and hoping that

613
00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:49,640
Speaker 5: they prove me wrong. And it's a you know, a

614
00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,400
Speaker 5: twelve win season, and what we were talking about they're

615
00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,880
Speaker 5: making a run for the one or two seed. But

616
00:29:55,480 --> 00:30:00,920
Speaker 5: I just think the NFC North really good teams Packers, Detroit, Chicago.

617
00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:04,040
Speaker 5: I expect to be better, Minnesota to be good, like

618
00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,720
Speaker 5: for that to be their crossover division. I think that

619
00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:12,440
Speaker 5: it's challenging and there's not you know, a ton of

620
00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:14,960
Speaker 5: games where shoot, I mean, we all thought the.

621
00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,080
Speaker 6: Game against Patriots is gonna be lay up for the

622
00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:18,360
Speaker 6: Bengals last year and it was not.

623
00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:22,320
Speaker 5: So I'm gonna stick with ten and seven, and I'm

624
00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:26,960
Speaker 5: I'm picking ten and seven because I'd rather be under than.

625
00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:30,320
Speaker 6: Pick them to go of fifteen and two.

626
00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:32,640
Speaker 5: Like a friend of ours that will probably pick them

627
00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:35,080
Speaker 5: to go fifteen and two on your podcast when he

628
00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:36,360
Speaker 5: appears on later.

629
00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,080
Speaker 6: But I'm sure he will reveal his identity.

630
00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:42,920
Speaker 5: But I'm gonna go with ten and seven, and I

631
00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:46,520
Speaker 5: am gonna have them finish second in the division behind

632
00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:51,240
Speaker 5: the Ravens. I the Jayre Alexander moved for me in

633
00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:53,960
Speaker 5: Baltimore kind of put them, in my opinion, like a

634
00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:58,760
Speaker 5: head of Cincinnati, just because they got some dogs over there,

635
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,800
Speaker 5: and I was kind of hoping Bangals make a run

636
00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:05,560
Speaker 5: for that guy. But so let's go with ten and seven,

637
00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:06,960
Speaker 5: second in the division.

638
00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:09,440
Speaker 1: And make the playoffs and make the playoffs.

639
00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:13,800
Speaker 2: All right, Kelsey Conway has spoken, I appreciate your time

640
00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:17,480
Speaker 2: and your sizzling hot take. Look forward to seeing in

641
00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:18,120
Speaker 2: training camp.

642
00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:22,840
Speaker 1: Thanks kel thanks so much for having me on the athletics.

643
00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:26,800
Speaker 2: Paul Danner Junior has promised spicy takes, and I have

644
00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:29,560
Speaker 2: no doubt he will deliver on this little exercise.

645
00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:30,280
Speaker 8: So here we go.

646
00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:34,200
Speaker 2: Question number one, Paul, what is your biggest question going

647
00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:35,080
Speaker 2: into training camp?

648
00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:38,760
Speaker 9: It's going into training camp, it's going into the season.

649
00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:40,560
Speaker 9: It's how are we talking about this?

650
00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:41,440
Speaker 4: In week eight?

651
00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:46,400
Speaker 9: Can Miles Murphy make the most of his opportunity? We

652
00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:51,600
Speaker 9: heard Al Golden right, it's time. It's time. The Bengals

653
00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:55,000
Speaker 9: have promised everywhere we have talked to the personnel department,

654
00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,480
Speaker 9: to Zach Taylor. It has been Miles Murphy's getting this opportunity.

655
00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:02,680
Speaker 9: He needs snaps, he needs to play. But yet we

656
00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:06,240
Speaker 9: haven't seen the production when he has had that opportunity.

657
00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,240
Speaker 9: Now it has to happen. There's others potentially in line,

658
00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:12,880
Speaker 9: there are other options. How long can you hang with

659
00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,920
Speaker 9: somebody and wait? Year three? The time is over to

660
00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:18,960
Speaker 9: wait because you can sit here and say, hey, I

661
00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:21,200
Speaker 9: did one little quick stat dive on Miles Murphy for

662
00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:25,360
Speaker 9: you here. We know that some of his pressure rates

663
00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:28,120
Speaker 9: have been okay, like he's been solid, But when you

664
00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,200
Speaker 9: have put him into third and long third and five

665
00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,360
Speaker 9: or more, he's had fifty nine opportunities. Of all those

666
00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:38,280
Speaker 9: in his draft class, he's dead last three point four percent,

667
00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:41,920
Speaker 9: Lucas van Ness next six point three, everyone else over

668
00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:46,080
Speaker 9: eleven percent. In those times, you have to make the

669
00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:50,280
Speaker 9: most of the opportunities you're given. If you want more,

670
00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:53,320
Speaker 9: they're gonna give him more. He has to prove that

671
00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:55,480
Speaker 9: he has taken a leap this year to make the

672
00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:56,040
Speaker 9: most of those.

673
00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:59,080
Speaker 2: I have heard you on your podcast and in other

674
00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:04,560
Speaker 2: appearances express some optimism about this. You are cautiously optimistic

675
00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:08,080
Speaker 2: that he can deliver correct I see it like.

676
00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:12,160
Speaker 9: I think a guy can learn to finish that more

677
00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:15,880
Speaker 9: reps can get you there. I think you've seen it

678
00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:20,720
Speaker 9: in flashes. But you only get so many opportunities, and

679
00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:22,680
Speaker 9: at some point you have to prove that you can

680
00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:25,000
Speaker 9: do it or they have to move on. You know,

681
00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:27,360
Speaker 9: we've seen that, whether it's gonna be Joseph Osai or

682
00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:31,040
Speaker 9: Shamar Stewart or Cam Sample or Trey Hennett, whoever it is.

683
00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:34,560
Speaker 9: At some point you have to prove that you're better

684
00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:37,160
Speaker 9: than those guys. And year three for a first round pick.

685
00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:37,720
Speaker 8: That's win.

686
00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:41,880
Speaker 2: Question number two for the Athletics, Paul Dater Junior, who

687
00:33:42,280 --> 00:33:44,880
Speaker 2: is your breakout player in twenty twenty five.

688
00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,400
Speaker 9: I don't know if this is unfair to say this,

689
00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:51,320
Speaker 9: but I'm gonna say because I think he's been my

690
00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:54,920
Speaker 9: breakout player before and he's kind of broken out and

691
00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:58,760
Speaker 9: then regressed. Cam Taylor Bred, I'm buying Cam Taylor brit.

692
00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:01,720
Speaker 9: I felt like I remember talking to him multiple times

693
00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:05,160
Speaker 9: last year between the benchings and then coming back. He

694
00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:08,080
Speaker 9: admitted he was just in his own head so much

695
00:34:08,239 --> 00:34:10,520
Speaker 9: last year and it was part of what was going wrong.

696
00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,719
Speaker 9: But when we've seen him play clearheaded, confident, I mean

697
00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:16,400
Speaker 9: no one's louder or more confident out there on the

698
00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:20,520
Speaker 9: football field or in OTAs or in training camp. When

699
00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,239
Speaker 9: we see that, he looks like he can be a

700
00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,640
Speaker 9: number one corner. He looks like he can live up

701
00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:28,279
Speaker 9: to that role. I'm still buying that that's in him

702
00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,000
Speaker 9: because we have seen it for stretches, and I think

703
00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:35,040
Speaker 9: Al Golden can come in and whether it's simplification or

704
00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:38,440
Speaker 9: just playing more to his strengths or you know, he

705
00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:41,520
Speaker 9: looked like in mini camp and during the OTAs of

706
00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:43,759
Speaker 9: a guy who had that confidence back. You saw that

707
00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:46,560
Speaker 9: in him, you heard it from him. So I'm buying

708
00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:49,520
Speaker 9: Cam Taylor Britt has that back can stay on the

709
00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:52,439
Speaker 9: right track and become the number one corner we've seen

710
00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,280
Speaker 9: those flashes of in his first few.

711
00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:58,560
Speaker 2: Years, Alice moving him around in the many camps. Do

712
00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:01,600
Speaker 2: you think that happens the season or were they just

713
00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:04,799
Speaker 2: cross training guys and experimenting because it didn't matter.

714
00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:08,719
Speaker 9: I think that it's probably less in the season. But

715
00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:10,359
Speaker 9: I think there's a lot that we don't know about

716
00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:12,920
Speaker 9: what's gonna happen in the season with Al Golden in

717
00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:15,399
Speaker 9: terms of how much they're going to lean into certain things.

718
00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:18,920
Speaker 9: I think trying guys out, seeing how they react, and

719
00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:20,840
Speaker 9: if you want to learn about how a guy reacts,

720
00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,279
Speaker 9: how about having to cover Mikeasicki in the slot and

721
00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:26,880
Speaker 9: pulling off interception of Joe Burrow. That'll do in an

722
00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:29,640
Speaker 9: ability to handle whatever Al Golden's gonna throw at him.

723
00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,120
Speaker 2: Time for question number three, The Bengals defense will be

724
00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,680
Speaker 2: better if dot dot dot.

725
00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,440
Speaker 9: I don't know if this is an easy out because

726
00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:42,960
Speaker 9: it's a little too general, but I can't get past it.

727
00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:44,759
Speaker 9: Al Golden has to live up.

728
00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:45,400
Speaker 8: To his reputation.

729
00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:49,360
Speaker 9: He built a reputation on developing young players, whether it

730
00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:52,040
Speaker 9: be what he did in the college ranks Temple Miami

731
00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:54,239
Speaker 9: as a linebackers coach here, what he did with that

732
00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:58,759
Speaker 9: young group, notre dame we saw, that's his reputation. That's

733
00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:02,920
Speaker 9: why he's here right now is because there are currently

734
00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:07,680
Speaker 9: nine top one hundred picks on rookie deals in major

735
00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:10,799
Speaker 9: roles here, all of which have questions and have had

736
00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,040
Speaker 9: up and down starts to their careers or our rookies,

737
00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:17,960
Speaker 9: Miles Murphy, Schamar Stewart, Chris Jenkins, McKinley Jackson, Dimitrious Knight,

738
00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:21,520
Speaker 9: Junior Jordan Battle, DJ Turner, Cam Taylor, Britt Dax Hill,

739
00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:24,799
Speaker 9: all of these guys have questions and feel like are

740
00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:28,080
Speaker 9: capable of taking a step. That's what this defense is

741
00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:30,879
Speaker 9: gonna be. Those young guys are either gonna come along

742
00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:33,520
Speaker 9: because Al Golden can create an environment where they do so,

743
00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:36,880
Speaker 9: which has been what he's done throughout his career, or

744
00:36:37,520 --> 00:36:40,520
Speaker 9: they're not good enough and Al Golden wasn't able to

745
00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:42,840
Speaker 9: get that out of him, which is kind of the

746
00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:46,760
Speaker 9: biggest question around maybe this entire team's title hopes, because

747
00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:49,560
Speaker 9: this defense has to get to a level of serviceability

748
00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:50,839
Speaker 9: and that starts with those nine guys.

749
00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:54,520
Speaker 2: It's what Kansas City has done so well. Yep, they

750
00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:57,880
Speaker 2: have developed young guys, not necessarily top one hundred picks,

751
00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,840
Speaker 2: but they just keep oh over turning young guys that

752
00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,640
Speaker 2: can continue to keep that defense at a championship level.

753
00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:11,319
Speaker 9: And I felt like the way the process that Duke

754
00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:14,320
Speaker 9: Tobin and the personnel department have approached this was the

755
00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:18,000
Speaker 9: right one, right, But the only thing that ends up

756
00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:20,160
Speaker 9: at the end is their process can be great, but

757
00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:22,520
Speaker 9: if the results don't hit, it doesn't matter if you

758
00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:25,040
Speaker 9: did it the right way, you still end up with

759
00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:26,640
Speaker 9: what you've had in the last couple of years. And

760
00:37:26,719 --> 00:37:29,840
Speaker 9: obviously that was part of the disconnect last year when

761
00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:32,200
Speaker 9: things went south for lou Anarumo in that side of

762
00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:35,000
Speaker 9: the ball and some in twenty twenty three, was something

763
00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:38,480
Speaker 9: was not connecting there with these young players in his system.

764
00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:41,080
Speaker 9: Maybe the new system and what Al Golden is good

765
00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:42,520
Speaker 9: at brings it out of them, and then then the

766
00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:44,440
Speaker 9: process can be proved a little more right, and you

767
00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:47,680
Speaker 9: can replicate some of what Kansas City has done opposite

768
00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:49,120
Speaker 9: their high paid stars on offense.

769
00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:54,080
Speaker 2: You promise, spicy, So here we go give us Paul

770
00:37:54,120 --> 00:37:58,040
Speaker 2: Danner Junior's hot take about training camp for the upcoming season.

771
00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:03,560
Speaker 9: Chase Brown leads the team in yards from scrimmage and

772
00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:06,800
Speaker 9: does something only two other running backs in the NFL

773
00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:10,200
Speaker 9: have done in the last five seasons. One thousand yards rushing,

774
00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:15,440
Speaker 9: five hundred yards receiving. Okay, Christian McCaffrey and Jamier Gibbs

775
00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:18,120
Speaker 9: are the only other two to do that since twenty twenty.

776
00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:22,080
Speaker 9: The last week's nine to seventeen. Last year, when the

777
00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:26,239
Speaker 9: offense evolved, he was fifth in the NFL in yards

778
00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:30,359
Speaker 9: from scrimmage, narrowly behind Jamar Chase, who was third. Dan

779
00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:34,000
Speaker 9: Pitcher has kind of gotten his hands around the running

780
00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:36,239
Speaker 9: game now a little bit more and distributed that. They're

781
00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:38,920
Speaker 9: changing that with Frank Pollock out and now you have

782
00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,640
Speaker 9: a new idea around that. Well, last year they were like,

783
00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:44,839
Speaker 9: what is this run game? They're trying to build this thing,

784
00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:47,520
Speaker 9: Zach Moss, how much will Chase Brown play? They are

785
00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:53,680
Speaker 9: tweaking and kind of recentering this running game around Chase

786
00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:56,880
Speaker 9: Brown's skill set now and so you take what he

787
00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,000
Speaker 9: did so well. One of the most impressive things I

788
00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:03,000
Speaker 9: saw last year was his growth and instant chemistry with

789
00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:05,680
Speaker 9: Joe Burrow in the passing game as a protector sure

790
00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:09,880
Speaker 9: the off script plays when the play broke down, his

791
00:39:10,040 --> 00:39:12,680
Speaker 9: ability to get in phase with Joe and create explosives

792
00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:15,760
Speaker 9: was remarkable and such a big part of the offensive

793
00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:18,319
Speaker 9: explosion in the second half of the season. He'll only

794
00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:21,279
Speaker 9: average four point two yards per carry that point, that's

795
00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:23,880
Speaker 9: far lower than some of the premiere backs. Dan Pitcher

796
00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:26,080
Speaker 9: says to me, Hey, look, we have a guy, we

797
00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:28,680
Speaker 9: have a top ten back, and we're gonna base things

798
00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:30,600
Speaker 9: around him. If you can get that four point two

799
00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:34,000
Speaker 9: to four point four to four point five and he

800
00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:36,120
Speaker 9: still does the things he does in the passing game,

801
00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:39,960
Speaker 9: and defenses are like Triple Crown winners not beating us today.

802
00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:43,080
Speaker 9: And you're getting more into the decoy game around Jamar,

803
00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:45,560
Speaker 9: which I think will be part of this season storyline.

804
00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:49,239
Speaker 9: Give me all the Chase Brown stock, give me that

805
00:39:49,560 --> 00:39:52,520
Speaker 9: and have him become the guy who gets a lot

806
00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:56,080
Speaker 9: of the volume yardage here, even with him getting more

807
00:39:56,160 --> 00:39:58,640
Speaker 9: breaks and not being in there one hundred percent of

808
00:39:58,719 --> 00:40:00,880
Speaker 9: the snaps nearly this year. I still think it adds

809
00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:03,040
Speaker 9: up to a massive season for Chase Brown.

810
00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:05,719
Speaker 2: So more than a thousand rushing yards and more than

811
00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:09,440
Speaker 2: five hundred receiving yards. I just busted out my calculator

812
00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:11,920
Speaker 2: to do a little math. If you go by what

813
00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:14,680
Speaker 2: he averaged over the last eight games last year, that's

814
00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:17,200
Speaker 2: more than twelve hundred rushing yards and more than six

815
00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:21,520
Speaker 2: hundred receiving yards. So yes, he demonstrated the ability to

816
00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:22,839
Speaker 2: do it. We'll see if he can do it over

817
00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:25,799
Speaker 2: a seventeen game season. But I love that hot take.

818
00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:28,720
Speaker 2: Here's our fifth and final question. What will the Bengals

819
00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:32,560
Speaker 2: record be and where will they finish in the AFC North.

820
00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:34,440
Speaker 9: I don't know why you do this to me, Dan,

821
00:40:34,719 --> 00:40:35,360
Speaker 9: Why do we do this?

822
00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:37,200
Speaker 1: Why do we help it?

823
00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:41,320
Speaker 9: Why do we have to predict records on June twenty

824
00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:44,920
Speaker 9: whatever we're at right? I hate doing this because I

825
00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:48,080
Speaker 9: think that we are gonna obviously learn so much. But

826
00:40:48,160 --> 00:40:50,600
Speaker 9: if y'all I'm here to play, I'm here to play.

827
00:40:50,640 --> 00:40:54,200
Speaker 9: Your appreciate here for it. I'll say eleven and six

828
00:40:54,360 --> 00:40:58,080
Speaker 9: second in the AFC North. I like the team and

829
00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,439
Speaker 9: where they're at gotta see it defensive, you know, pass rush,

830
00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:05,840
Speaker 9: the young secondary. Can both of those come through? What

831
00:41:06,120 --> 00:41:09,120
Speaker 9: level will that surface that I'm concerned about the lack

832
00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:12,000
Speaker 9: of interior pass rush and what's gonna happen in general

833
00:41:12,040 --> 00:41:15,520
Speaker 9: with the pass rush, and that makes me reticent up

834
00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:19,000
Speaker 9: against what Baltimore has. I think it's a two team race.

835
00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:22,240
Speaker 9: I think this is gonna come down to yet again.

836
00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:26,719
Speaker 9: Those two games, I think Thanksgiving Night in December fourteenth

837
00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:28,880
Speaker 9: are gonna be the defining games of the season the

838
00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:29,399
Speaker 9: same way.

839
00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:30,160
Speaker 8: They were last year.

840
00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:33,400
Speaker 9: And if the Bengals would have gotten the kick and

841
00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:35,680
Speaker 9: the two point conversion last year, they would have been

842
00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:39,160
Speaker 9: the third overall seed and won the AFC North and

843
00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:42,280
Speaker 9: have won five straight going into the playoffs. The margins

844
00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:44,680
Speaker 9: are so thin in between Baltimore and the Bengals and

845
00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:48,440
Speaker 9: the elite quarterbacks in those games. It's gonna be thin again,

846
00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:52,200
Speaker 9: That's what it is. It's those margins in those two

847
00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:55,640
Speaker 9: games that will probably decide whether the Bengals are hosting

848
00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:56,560
Speaker 9: a playoff.

849
00:41:56,200 --> 00:41:57,920
Speaker 8: Game or in the playoffs.

850
00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:03,040
Speaker 9: But I don't see a world catastrophic injury situations that

851
00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:05,400
Speaker 9: the Bengals aren't making the playoffs this year. I do

852
00:42:05,560 --> 00:42:07,799
Speaker 9: think they have put together a roster and a team

853
00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:10,440
Speaker 9: and an energy that you feel around them right now

854
00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:13,880
Speaker 9: that is of a real championship contender.

855
00:42:14,400 --> 00:42:17,520
Speaker 2: I'm glad you clarified Baltimore number one, because when you

856
00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:20,160
Speaker 2: said eleven and six second in the AFC North, I

857
00:42:20,239 --> 00:42:22,759
Speaker 2: assumed Cleveland ysh, You're champions.

858
00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:27,640
Speaker 9: The year of Kenny Pickett storyline in the NFL is

859
00:42:27,719 --> 00:42:28,400
Speaker 9: what it's gonna be.

860
00:42:28,680 --> 00:42:29,400
Speaker 8: There's no question.

861
00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:32,720
Speaker 1: All right, you promise spicy takes. He delivered.

862
00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:34,920
Speaker 2: Appreciate your time, Paul, look forward to seeing.

863
00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:36,280
Speaker 1: Your camp anytime.

864
00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:36,520
Speaker 3: Dan.

865
00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:39,879
Speaker 1: Jay Morrison is next on the list.

866
00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:42,239
Speaker 2: I don't know if Jay will have stats in this

867
00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:45,399
Speaker 2: particular exercise. I guess we will find out. But let's

868
00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:48,879
Speaker 2: start with question number one. Jay, your biggest question going

869
00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:49,719
Speaker 2: into training camp.

870
00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:53,040
Speaker 10: I think everybody's is gonna be win. Is Trey Henderson

871
00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:55,560
Speaker 10: going to show up? When was first practice be I

872
00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:57,800
Speaker 10: don't want to be repetitive. I'm guessing you've probably already

873
00:42:57,840 --> 00:42:59,839
Speaker 10: heard that from some other guys, So I'm gonna say,

874
00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:05,200
Speaker 10: will Dylan Fairchild be ready? I think that's maybe the

875
00:43:05,280 --> 00:43:08,080
Speaker 10: only thing that can derail this offense. If they've got

876
00:43:08,400 --> 00:43:12,760
Speaker 10: a hole on that offensive line. And it's nothing against Dylan,

877
00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:17,239
Speaker 10: but this team has struggled to draft offensive linemen, and

878
00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:20,239
Speaker 10: in the last decade they've had failures with Paul Alexander,

879
00:43:20,280 --> 00:43:22,960
Speaker 10: They've had failures with Jim Turner, They've had failures with

880
00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:27,959
Speaker 10: Frank Pollack. So the one consistent is the people evaluating

881
00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:31,279
Speaker 10: them and drafting them, and so I just I think

882
00:43:31,320 --> 00:43:34,960
Speaker 10: it's reasonable to question that because if he's not ready,

883
00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:38,399
Speaker 10: you're talking about what Lucas Patrick and Cody Ford most likely,

884
00:43:38,560 --> 00:43:41,640
Speaker 10: or a reclamation project with Cordell Volson. I just think

885
00:43:41,960 --> 00:43:44,359
Speaker 10: as soon as they drafted Dylan, they pretty much said

886
00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:46,440
Speaker 10: he's our guy. We're sticking him in there as the starter,

887
00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:49,240
Speaker 10: and that's a great plan, but if it goes awry,

888
00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:51,520
Speaker 10: they don't really have a great backup plan.

889
00:43:51,760 --> 00:43:54,600
Speaker 2: And obviously an injury could factor in there as well.

890
00:43:54,920 --> 00:43:58,160
Speaker 2: I would say that if he doesn't pan out in

891
00:43:58,280 --> 00:44:00,840
Speaker 2: training camp, or if he got hurt, it seems to

892
00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:03,479
Speaker 2: me that Cordell Vohlson back on the left side would

893
00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:07,040
Speaker 2: likely be the backup and you'd still have that Lucas

894
00:44:07,120 --> 00:44:10,240
Speaker 2: Patrick Cody Ford battle on the right side. I feel

895
00:44:10,280 --> 00:44:13,080
Speaker 2: a little bit better at least about Cordell. Have him

896
00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:16,960
Speaker 2: heard him talk about his relationship with Scott Peters and

897
00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:19,200
Speaker 2: how much he thinks Scott is going to help him.

898
00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:22,640
Speaker 10: I agree, And just his admission that, you know, he

899
00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:24,840
Speaker 10: wasn't defiant like, oh, I don't think I played that.

900
00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:26,839
Speaker 10: He knew he didn't play well last year, and he's

901
00:44:26,920 --> 00:44:30,640
Speaker 10: excited about learning new things and trying to get better

902
00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:35,080
Speaker 10: and embracing the new. So I agree with you just

903
00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:37,960
Speaker 10: his comments this year, because it was right after he

904
00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:39,719
Speaker 10: was asked to take the pay cut, and we a

905
00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:41,560
Speaker 10: couple of us approached him and it's like, oh, how's

906
00:44:41,560 --> 00:44:43,720
Speaker 10: this going to go? And he sat there and answered

907
00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:46,960
Speaker 10: every question and they weren't short, and it wasn't just

908
00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:48,760
Speaker 10: about the pay cut. It was about everything in general,

909
00:44:48,840 --> 00:44:51,040
Speaker 10: his play, And so I agree with you there. I

910
00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:56,600
Speaker 10: think there's some cause for optimism there. Sometimes the coaching changes,

911
00:44:56,680 --> 00:44:59,080
Speaker 10: you see it, a change of scenery helps a player.

912
00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:01,960
Speaker 10: Sometimes change of coaching can help a player as well.

913
00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:05,879
Speaker 2: Who is your breakout player in twenty twenty five.

914
00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:09,040
Speaker 8: I'm gonna go Cam Taylor Britt.

915
00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:13,600
Speaker 10: I don't know if he's been picked, but I think

916
00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:17,040
Speaker 10: there was a heavy, a healthy level of respect between

917
00:45:17,360 --> 00:45:20,200
Speaker 10: he and Lou. But I also think there's a nice

918
00:45:20,320 --> 00:45:23,960
Speaker 10: strong dose of frustration there, and I think he's the

919
00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:29,680
Speaker 10: one that kind of was hamstrung the most by how

920
00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:32,640
Speaker 10: much Lou was putting on their plays. He's such an instinctual,

921
00:45:32,719 --> 00:45:34,880
Speaker 10: twitchy guy and it just seemed like he was out

922
00:45:34,920 --> 00:45:37,920
Speaker 10: there thinking too much and getting himself in bad positions.

923
00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:40,120
Speaker 10: And if Al Golden can find a way to just

924
00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:43,240
Speaker 10: let him go out there and play and trust his instincts,

925
00:45:43,640 --> 00:45:45,440
Speaker 10: I mean, he's done it before. It's not like it's

926
00:45:45,440 --> 00:45:47,600
Speaker 10: a guy you're waiting to break out. He was really

927
00:45:47,680 --> 00:45:49,759
Speaker 10: good as a young player, and you don't You don't

928
00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:52,080
Speaker 10: typically see that arc where they start good and then

929
00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:55,719
Speaker 10: just fall off immediately. So I think that the talent's there,

930
00:45:56,440 --> 00:45:59,080
Speaker 10: and I think he's a guy that it means a

931
00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:01,800
Speaker 10: lot to him. He really wants to be good. And

932
00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:05,719
Speaker 10: anytime the discussion comes to breakout players, you start with

933
00:46:06,080 --> 00:46:08,319
Speaker 10: is it a contract year? And it's a contract year

934
00:46:08,360 --> 00:46:08,959
Speaker 10: for Cam Taylor.

935
00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:13,239
Speaker 2: Britt Al Golden played a lot of pressman at Notre Dame.

936
00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:17,520
Speaker 2: Maybe that's the simple fix for Cam. Assign him to

937
00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:20,560
Speaker 2: a guy and let him be athletic and trust his instincts.

938
00:46:21,080 --> 00:46:23,440
Speaker 8: Yeah, and then he is athletic.

939
00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:26,000
Speaker 10: We see it on the football field, and I've talked

940
00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:27,800
Speaker 10: about this on our podcast where I went to the

941
00:46:27,880 --> 00:46:30,319
Speaker 10: Logan Wilson softball game, and it's so funny watching those

942
00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:32,200
Speaker 10: guys because they look totally out of place on a

943
00:46:32,239 --> 00:46:34,359
Speaker 10: softball field, the way they swing the bat, the way

944
00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:38,000
Speaker 10: they throw a ball. And he was making leaping catches

945
00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:40,880
Speaker 10: of line drives, and he's just a great athlete. And

946
00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:43,359
Speaker 10: I think that's the way to go is just let

947
00:46:43,480 --> 00:46:45,239
Speaker 10: him rely on that athleticism.

948
00:46:45,880 --> 00:46:48,560
Speaker 2: We are visiting with Jay Morrison from Bengals Talk dot com.

949
00:46:48,760 --> 00:46:52,000
Speaker 2: Question number three, The Bengals defense will be better if

950
00:46:52,440 --> 00:46:53,520
Speaker 2: dot dot dot.

951
00:46:54,600 --> 00:46:55,760
Speaker 8: The world keeps spinning.

952
00:46:56,120 --> 00:47:01,000
Speaker 10: I mean, it can't get much worse, right, So, so

953
00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:02,920
Speaker 10: I do have some stats, and this is where I

954
00:47:03,000 --> 00:47:07,040
Speaker 10: think is there's some reason for optimism there, even beyond

955
00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:11,560
Speaker 10: the Al Golden arrival. As bad as this defense was

956
00:47:11,719 --> 00:47:16,200
Speaker 10: last year, it took a considerable step in what was

957
00:47:16,360 --> 00:47:19,560
Speaker 10: maybe what was its biggest issue in twenty twenty three,

958
00:47:19,600 --> 00:47:22,000
Speaker 10: and that was given up all those explosive plays they

959
00:47:22,080 --> 00:47:24,600
Speaker 10: ranked twenty ninth and explosive passes in twenty twenty three

960
00:47:24,640 --> 00:47:28,400
Speaker 10: and twenty eighth and explosive runs they climbed last year

961
00:47:28,480 --> 00:47:30,680
Speaker 10: to fifteenth and passes in eighteenth and runs that was

962
00:47:30,719 --> 00:47:36,240
Speaker 10: a sizeable advantage. What was the problem was red zone defense.

963
00:47:36,560 --> 00:47:38,319
Speaker 10: It's like, yeah, you can say you can't give up

964
00:47:38,320 --> 00:47:39,960
Speaker 10: the chunk plays. You got to make a team drive

965
00:47:40,040 --> 00:47:42,520
Speaker 10: the length of the field. Well, they weren't getting the

966
00:47:42,560 --> 00:47:46,080
Speaker 10: stops in the red zone. They had the worst the

967
00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:49,360
Speaker 10: league started tracking red zone percentage in two thousand. It

968
00:47:49,560 --> 00:47:52,239
Speaker 10: was the worst red zone percentage of any Bengals team

969
00:47:52,280 --> 00:47:54,879
Speaker 10: since two thousand and There's been some bad teams over

970
00:47:55,000 --> 00:47:57,799
Speaker 10: that time. And if they can just find a way

971
00:47:57,920 --> 00:48:01,480
Speaker 10: to get better in the red zone and turn some

972
00:48:01,640 --> 00:48:05,240
Speaker 10: of those touchdowns they were thirtieth and touchdown percentage across

973
00:48:05,280 --> 00:48:08,920
Speaker 10: the league in the red zone just six seven eight

974
00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:12,320
Speaker 10: of those turn those into field goals and instead of touchdowns.

975
00:48:12,360 --> 00:48:15,040
Speaker 10: I think that makes a really big or will make

976
00:48:15,080 --> 00:48:16,120
Speaker 10: a really big difference.

977
00:48:16,960 --> 00:48:19,200
Speaker 2: All Right, Jae, I don't necessarily think of you as

978
00:48:19,200 --> 00:48:21,920
Speaker 2: a hot take artist, but that is the assignment here.

979
00:48:22,040 --> 00:48:24,440
Speaker 2: Give us your hot take about either training camp or

980
00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:25,360
Speaker 2: the upcoming season.

981
00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:28,080
Speaker 10: Yeah, so, what kind of piggybacks on the last question?

982
00:48:28,920 --> 00:48:31,960
Speaker 10: I will say the Bengals will lead the league in

983
00:48:32,160 --> 00:48:35,239
Speaker 10: takeaways this year. I think we're going to see a

984
00:48:35,360 --> 00:48:39,360
Speaker 10: jump from Cam Taylor, britt Gino. Stone's done it before.

985
00:48:39,520 --> 00:48:41,120
Speaker 10: It's not like you're asking him to do something he's

986
00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:43,279
Speaker 10: never done. He had a seven interception season.

987
00:48:43,360 --> 00:48:45,680
Speaker 1: And even in a bad year last year, he had four.

988
00:48:45,880 --> 00:48:49,640
Speaker 8: Right exactly, and it came on late. The momentum is there.

989
00:48:51,040 --> 00:48:53,919
Speaker 10: They get Tray and Shamar Stewart figured out, the pass

990
00:48:54,000 --> 00:48:57,680
Speaker 10: rush gets better. The big thing here is I think

991
00:48:57,760 --> 00:48:59,839
Speaker 10: this offense is really going to hit the ground, run

992
00:49:00,360 --> 00:49:02,480
Speaker 10: and break out of the gate fast. And I don't

993
00:49:02,520 --> 00:49:05,080
Speaker 10: expect them to be playing catch up and back and

994
00:49:05,200 --> 00:49:06,920
Speaker 10: forth a lot. I expect them to be leading a

995
00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:09,399
Speaker 10: lot of games in the second half, and that's where

996
00:49:09,400 --> 00:49:11,000
Speaker 10: a lot of those turnovers come from, where the other

997
00:49:11,040 --> 00:49:13,080
Speaker 10: team is forced to throw. You know what they're gonna do.

998
00:49:14,200 --> 00:49:17,160
Speaker 10: And as bad as this defense was last year, they

999
00:49:17,200 --> 00:49:19,360
Speaker 10: were seventh in the league in takeaways, So it's not

1000
00:49:19,520 --> 00:49:21,440
Speaker 10: a big leap to go from seventh to first, and

1001
00:49:21,520 --> 00:49:23,520
Speaker 10: I think they've got the makings to make.

1002
00:49:23,480 --> 00:49:25,279
Speaker 8: That happen, all right.

1003
00:49:25,320 --> 00:49:27,840
Speaker 2: Our fifth and final question is what will the Bengals

1004
00:49:27,960 --> 00:49:30,759
Speaker 2: record be and where will they finish in the AFC North.

1005
00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:35,239
Speaker 10: So right now, until I see Dylan Fairchild, until I

1006
00:49:35,280 --> 00:49:37,759
Speaker 10: see this defense, I'm gonna go eleven and six. I

1007
00:49:37,840 --> 00:49:40,040
Speaker 10: think they could be better, But right now I'm gonna

1008
00:49:40,040 --> 00:49:42,960
Speaker 10: go eleven and six and second in the North. They

1009
00:49:43,239 --> 00:49:46,279
Speaker 10: have to prove they can beat Lamar, and I think

1010
00:49:46,360 --> 00:49:51,879
Speaker 10: all those close losses against the Ravens, it's almost more

1011
00:49:51,920 --> 00:49:54,719
Speaker 10: of a hurdle than if they were getting blown out

1012
00:49:54,760 --> 00:49:56,360
Speaker 10: by them and you're like, Okay, we're gonna flip it.

1013
00:49:57,000 --> 00:50:00,319
Speaker 10: It's definitely in their head, and they won't say it's

1014
00:50:00,360 --> 00:50:02,120
Speaker 10: in their head, but it is a mental thing. And

1015
00:50:02,600 --> 00:50:07,200
Speaker 10: just the fact of the they are justified and correct

1016
00:50:07,960 --> 00:50:12,320
Speaker 10: and complaining about four straight primetime games at Baltimore but

1017
00:50:12,920 --> 00:50:14,400
Speaker 10: grousing about it publicly.

1018
00:50:14,480 --> 00:50:16,560
Speaker 8: It just shows that it is in their head a

1019
00:50:16,600 --> 00:50:17,000
Speaker 8: little bit.

1020
00:50:17,120 --> 00:50:19,640
Speaker 10: And if they can find a way to just beat

1021
00:50:19,680 --> 00:50:21,800
Speaker 10: the Ravens once this year, they only need a sweep

1022
00:50:21,840 --> 00:50:24,200
Speaker 10: beat them once, I think they've got a really good

1023
00:50:24,239 --> 00:50:26,600
Speaker 10: shot to win the division. But until we see it happen,

1024
00:50:26,920 --> 00:50:30,840
Speaker 10: I'm going to go eleven and six, second place wild Card, make.

1025
00:50:30,719 --> 00:50:33,719
Speaker 2: An overtime field goal at home, convert a two point

1026
00:50:33,800 --> 00:50:35,840
Speaker 2: conversion at the end of regulation on the road, they

1027
00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:38,480
Speaker 2: would have had at least one win over Baltimore last year,

1028
00:50:38,520 --> 00:50:40,359
Speaker 2: but they got to go out and do it. We'll

1029
00:50:40,400 --> 00:50:43,600
Speaker 2: see if they can. Jay, appreciate your time, great stuff

1030
00:50:43,880 --> 00:50:45,160
Speaker 2: and look forward to seeing you at camp.

1031
00:50:45,400 --> 00:50:46,120
Speaker 8: All right, thanks Dan.

1032
00:50:47,080 --> 00:50:49,680
Speaker 2: Mike Petrelli is up next. But first here's a quick

1033
00:50:49,719 --> 00:50:52,320
Speaker 2: reminder that the Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you

1034
00:50:52,480 --> 00:50:55,680
Speaker 2: by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR

1035
00:50:55,800 --> 00:50:59,880
Speaker 2: software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed

1036
00:51:00,000 --> 00:51:03,080
Speaker 2: elevate your home, business and community to a new level,

1037
00:51:03,560 --> 00:51:06,880
Speaker 2: and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans.

1038
00:51:07,000 --> 00:51:10,719
Speaker 2: Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.

1039
00:51:11,880 --> 00:51:13,120
Speaker 1: We are joined now by my.

1040
00:51:13,239 --> 00:51:17,640
Speaker 2: Pal, Mike Petrelia aka Trags, host of the Jungle Roar podcast.

1041
00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:21,680
Speaker 2: You can read his work at CLNS Media. Are you

1042
00:51:21,840 --> 00:51:26,240
Speaker 2: ready to tackle five questions on the Bengals Booth Podcast? Shoot?

1043
00:51:26,400 --> 00:51:29,600
Speaker 2: Dan O, All right, here we go. What is your

1044
00:51:29,680 --> 00:51:32,160
Speaker 2: biggest question going into training camp?

1045
00:51:33,160 --> 00:51:36,759
Speaker 11: I think who is going to step forward on the defense,

1046
00:51:36,920 --> 00:51:41,440
Speaker 11: specifically on the defensive edge and provide more pressure on

1047
00:51:41,520 --> 00:51:43,920
Speaker 11: the quarterback. That is the biggest question I have I

1048
00:51:44,000 --> 00:51:46,919
Speaker 11: think it's a question that most Bengal fans have had

1049
00:51:47,440 --> 00:51:51,000
Speaker 11: this offseason. It's why they went out and drafted Shamar

1050
00:51:51,160 --> 00:51:54,680
Speaker 11: Stewart in the first round with some of their pick

1051
00:51:54,800 --> 00:52:00,400
Speaker 11: seventeenth overall, they are trying to obviously bring more to

1052
00:52:00,480 --> 00:52:03,800
Speaker 11: the quarterback and I think that's the biggest question I have.

1053
00:52:04,440 --> 00:52:08,600
Speaker 11: Obviously people are wondering about Trey Hendrickson and that's understandable,

1054
00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:10,960
Speaker 11: but there are other people that have to be able

1055
00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:14,880
Speaker 11: to step forward on the edge to provide more production,

1056
00:52:15,400 --> 00:52:19,239
Speaker 11: Miles Murphy and Joseph Osai for two. And I think

1057
00:52:19,320 --> 00:52:22,600
Speaker 11: to me that's the biggest question going into camp. Where

1058
00:52:22,719 --> 00:52:26,239
Speaker 11: will the extra pressure come from the Bengals pass rush.

1059
00:52:26,719 --> 00:52:30,160
Speaker 2: Do you expect Shamar Stewart to be signed by the

1060
00:52:30,280 --> 00:52:32,879
Speaker 2: start of camp or at some point during camp.

1061
00:52:33,400 --> 00:52:37,600
Speaker 11: I expect him to be signed right before camp begins.

1062
00:52:38,480 --> 00:52:41,239
Speaker 11: I think you know, both sides know what they want.

1063
00:52:42,040 --> 00:52:45,320
Speaker 11: Both sides have made their positions well known about the

1064
00:52:46,640 --> 00:52:48,960
Speaker 11: moral high ground if you will, that they want to

1065
00:52:49,040 --> 00:52:51,600
Speaker 11: stand and that they want a stake, and they both

1066
00:52:51,680 --> 00:52:54,960
Speaker 11: feel it's very important. But to me, in the end,

1067
00:52:55,160 --> 00:52:59,480
Speaker 11: this does not feel like a protracted situation. This feels

1068
00:52:59,680 --> 00:53:04,160
Speaker 11: like in situation where both sides wanted to make a statement,

1069
00:53:04,880 --> 00:53:07,040
Speaker 11: draw the line in the sand. They've done that, and

1070
00:53:07,400 --> 00:53:09,520
Speaker 11: at the end of the day, I think Shamar Stewart

1071
00:53:09,800 --> 00:53:11,800
Speaker 11: wants to be on the field playing football, and I

1072
00:53:11,880 --> 00:53:13,000
Speaker 11: think that's what's going to happen.

1073
00:53:13,760 --> 00:53:16,359
Speaker 2: All right, Trags, who is your breakout player in twenty

1074
00:53:16,440 --> 00:53:17,000
Speaker 2: twenty five?

1075
00:53:17,560 --> 00:53:20,520
Speaker 11: Boy, there's so many ways I could go on this Dan,

1076
00:53:21,080 --> 00:53:23,719
Speaker 11: and I'm going to go offense, and I was going

1077
00:53:23,800 --> 00:53:26,200
Speaker 11: to go Chase Brown, but I'm going to go andre

1078
00:53:26,360 --> 00:53:30,320
Speaker 11: Yosivash because I think the Bengals have made him a

1079
00:53:30,440 --> 00:53:34,040
Speaker 11: bigger and bigger role, made a bigger role for him

1080
00:53:34,120 --> 00:53:38,759
Speaker 11: in the offense, and he's actually physically bigger. When I

1081
00:53:38,840 --> 00:53:42,400
Speaker 11: think we saw him in the OTAs in the mandatory

1082
00:53:42,480 --> 00:53:45,759
Speaker 11: mini camp, he looks stronger to me, and I think

1083
00:53:46,520 --> 00:53:50,239
Speaker 11: if he already has the size, Dan, he already has

1084
00:53:50,360 --> 00:53:54,560
Speaker 11: the length, he has the physical gifts of being a

1085
00:53:54,800 --> 00:53:58,480
Speaker 11: former track star in college. I think he is and

1086
00:53:58,640 --> 00:54:00,840
Speaker 11: he's I really think he is going to pick up

1087
00:54:00,920 --> 00:54:03,360
Speaker 11: the offense at a level that we haven't seen in

1088
00:54:03,440 --> 00:54:05,759
Speaker 11: the previous two years. I'm pretty excited about what he

1089
00:54:05,880 --> 00:54:08,840
Speaker 11: can do. I think Joe Burrow is too so he

1090
00:54:08,920 --> 00:54:09,440
Speaker 11: would be my.

1091
00:54:09,600 --> 00:54:12,120
Speaker 8: Choice for breakout player on the Bengals.

1092
00:54:12,920 --> 00:54:15,720
Speaker 2: I think T Higgins might agree based on his comments

1093
00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:19,000
Speaker 2: during the mini camps. Bigger, faster, stronger, twitchier was what

1094
00:54:19,080 --> 00:54:20,279
Speaker 2: t Higgins had to say.

1095
00:54:20,440 --> 00:54:21,560
Speaker 1: So I'm with you.

1096
00:54:21,760 --> 00:54:24,319
Speaker 2: I think andre Yosibosh is going to take a big

1097
00:54:24,400 --> 00:54:26,719
Speaker 2: step forward. We'll see how many opportunities he gets with

1098
00:54:26,840 --> 00:54:29,760
Speaker 2: the other weapons that they have, but I would expect

1099
00:54:29,840 --> 00:54:33,040
Speaker 2: him to take advantage of those opportunities. Question number three,

1100
00:54:33,440 --> 00:54:38,480
Speaker 2: The Bengals defense will be better if can I answer

1101
00:54:38,600 --> 00:54:42,719
Speaker 2: this with two not just one, Lily, Okay? If they

1102
00:54:42,840 --> 00:54:43,839
Speaker 2: stop the run better.

1103
00:54:44,920 --> 00:54:49,000
Speaker 11: The last couple of years, it's not any coincidence, Dan

1104
00:54:49,280 --> 00:54:53,520
Speaker 11: that they have allowed explosive plays in the run game,

1105
00:54:53,920 --> 00:54:57,720
Speaker 11: especially on second and third down. That can't happen anymore.

1106
00:54:58,120 --> 00:55:00,360
Speaker 11: They've got to be able to stop the run. I

1107
00:55:00,520 --> 00:55:03,960
Speaker 11: think certainly TJ. Slayton is a step in that direction.

1108
00:55:05,040 --> 00:55:09,040
Speaker 11: You know they have been looking for somebody to really

1109
00:55:09,120 --> 00:55:12,279
Speaker 11: fill the voids and DJ Reader left and I think

1110
00:55:13,000 --> 00:55:16,279
Speaker 11: bringing in TJ. Slayton is a terrific step forward in

1111
00:55:16,360 --> 00:55:18,719
Speaker 11: that regard. They've got to be able to stop the run.

1112
00:55:18,840 --> 00:55:22,640
Speaker 11: The second is, as I mentioned earlier, they've got to

1113
00:55:22,760 --> 00:55:27,400
Speaker 11: be able to get to the quarterback and provide some pressure.

1114
00:55:27,520 --> 00:55:29,280
Speaker 11: They have got to be able to do that, because

1115
00:55:29,320 --> 00:55:32,400
Speaker 11: what happens when you bring pressure, you create turnovers, and

1116
00:55:32,480 --> 00:55:34,480
Speaker 11: I guess I could say is a third part of that.

1117
00:55:35,680 --> 00:55:37,520
Speaker 11: If you allow me to do that, they've got to

1118
00:55:37,520 --> 00:55:39,719
Speaker 11: be able to turn the opposition over and get the

1119
00:55:39,800 --> 00:55:40,600
Speaker 11: ball back in the.

1120
00:55:40,680 --> 00:55:43,640
Speaker 8: Hands of Joe Burrow a few more times a game.

1121
00:55:44,480 --> 00:55:48,440
Speaker 2: You know, one and two are not necessarily separate, because

1122
00:55:48,480 --> 00:55:51,520
Speaker 2: if you stop the run better and you get teams

1123
00:55:51,680 --> 00:55:55,040
Speaker 2: into second and third and long, right now, you can

1124
00:55:55,120 --> 00:55:57,920
Speaker 2: pressure the quarterback better, so they're actually tied together.

1125
00:55:59,160 --> 00:55:59,800
Speaker 8: Yeah, I think so.

1126
00:56:00,480 --> 00:56:02,920
Speaker 11: You know, I know that Al Golden has spent a

1127
00:56:03,000 --> 00:56:06,680
Speaker 11: lot of time this offseason trying to craft that defense

1128
00:56:07,200 --> 00:56:09,719
Speaker 11: into his own image. But part of that image has

1129
00:56:09,840 --> 00:56:11,359
Speaker 11: to be stopping the run.

1130
00:56:11,480 --> 00:56:11,840
Speaker 2: I know that.

1131
00:56:12,000 --> 00:56:14,560
Speaker 11: I mean, every defensive coordinator knows that you've got to

1132
00:56:14,640 --> 00:56:16,200
Speaker 11: be able to stop the run, but it's how they

1133
00:56:16,320 --> 00:56:18,800
Speaker 11: go about it. I think we're going to see, and

1134
00:56:18,880 --> 00:56:22,080
Speaker 11: we already saw this in some of the offseason practices,

1135
00:56:22,160 --> 00:56:25,200
Speaker 11: Dan that he's going to use players along the defensive

1136
00:56:25,280 --> 00:56:30,320
Speaker 11: line more versatile. He's going to use them in more positions,

1137
00:56:30,840 --> 00:56:33,560
Speaker 11: and I think that's one way the Bengals are going

1138
00:56:33,640 --> 00:56:37,440
Speaker 11: to go about giving offenses different looks along the defensive front.

1139
00:56:38,400 --> 00:56:41,600
Speaker 2: Now give us Mike Petrellia's hot take going into training

1140
00:56:41,680 --> 00:56:45,560
Speaker 2: camp for the twenty twenty five season, all right, I.

1141
00:56:45,760 --> 00:56:50,560
Speaker 11: Think that Joseph Osai is going to wind up in

1142
00:56:50,680 --> 00:56:53,040
Speaker 11: double digits in sacks.

1143
00:56:53,440 --> 00:56:53,640
Speaker 1: Nice.

1144
00:56:53,760 --> 00:56:55,520
Speaker 11: I think he is going to come out of nowhere,

1145
00:56:55,760 --> 00:56:57,800
Speaker 11: and I think he is actually going to respond to

1146
00:56:57,920 --> 00:57:00,239
Speaker 11: that one year prove it to me deal that he

1147
00:57:00,360 --> 00:57:03,800
Speaker 11: received from the Bengals, and he's got the physical ability.

1148
00:57:04,160 --> 00:57:08,279
Speaker 11: He stays healthy and he plays consistently. And I've said

1149
00:57:08,280 --> 00:57:11,239
Speaker 11: this on my own podcast a couple of times. We've

1150
00:57:11,320 --> 00:57:13,759
Speaker 11: seen in twenty twenty two, and we saw it last year,

1151
00:57:14,280 --> 00:57:17,360
Speaker 11: like the last five to six games of the season,

1152
00:57:17,600 --> 00:57:20,000
Speaker 11: he turned it on. I mean, he was a different player,

1153
00:57:20,400 --> 00:57:23,520
Speaker 11: explosive player. We've got to see that from the start

1154
00:57:23,560 --> 00:57:26,440
Speaker 11: of the season from Joseph Osai. I think we do

1155
00:57:26,680 --> 00:57:30,840
Speaker 11: this year, and that's why I'm going to go with

1156
00:57:30,960 --> 00:57:32,880
Speaker 11: this hot take. I think we see it from the

1157
00:57:32,960 --> 00:57:35,400
Speaker 11: beginning of the year. I think he winds up in

1158
00:57:35,480 --> 00:57:39,160
Speaker 11: double digits in sacks and becomes a big, big part

1159
00:57:39,280 --> 00:57:41,680
Speaker 11: of what we've been talking about, and that is a

1160
00:57:41,760 --> 00:57:43,800
Speaker 11: bigger and better and badder.

1161
00:57:43,960 --> 00:57:45,200
Speaker 8: Pass rush for the Bengals.

1162
00:57:45,560 --> 00:57:48,360
Speaker 2: All right, that's a clip, and save for Joseph Osai,

1163
00:57:48,560 --> 00:57:50,440
Speaker 2: we get to our fifth and final question. I'm going

1164
00:57:50,480 --> 00:57:52,480
Speaker 2: to turn the clock back a little bit here. I

1165
00:57:52,600 --> 00:57:55,280
Speaker 2: had the honor of being the first ever guest on

1166
00:57:55,400 --> 00:57:58,200
Speaker 2: the Jungle Roar podcast. This was prior to the twenty

1167
00:57:58,280 --> 00:58:02,640
Speaker 2: twenty one seasons Super Bowl fifty six season, and we

1168
00:58:02,880 --> 00:58:06,840
Speaker 2: did a predict the record for the upcoming season. You

1169
00:58:07,040 --> 00:58:11,200
Speaker 2: said thirteen wins, and while they didn't get the thirteen wins,

1170
00:58:11,240 --> 00:58:13,320
Speaker 2: they did go to the Super Bowl. I remember thinking

1171
00:58:13,400 --> 00:58:16,080
Speaker 2: that you were nuts at the time, and clearly you

1172
00:58:16,200 --> 00:58:16,440
Speaker 2: were not.

1173
00:58:16,920 --> 00:58:17,600
Speaker 8: So here we go.

1174
00:58:17,960 --> 00:58:20,280
Speaker 2: What will the Bengals record be and where will they

1175
00:58:20,400 --> 00:58:22,200
Speaker 2: finish in the AFC North.

1176
00:58:23,000 --> 00:58:26,680
Speaker 11: I think they will finish eleven and six, Dan, I

1177
00:58:26,800 --> 00:58:30,720
Speaker 11: think they will win the AFC North. I obviously think

1178
00:58:30,760 --> 00:58:33,520
Speaker 11: there were two strutches of this season that will be

1179
00:58:33,640 --> 00:58:38,560
Speaker 11: the telltale of what the Bengals wind up towards the

1180
00:58:38,680 --> 00:58:41,240
Speaker 11: end of the season and at the end of the season.

1181
00:58:41,360 --> 00:58:44,280
Speaker 11: But I think this time they get the hole. Let's

1182
00:58:44,320 --> 00:58:47,400
Speaker 11: start the season hot, Let's start the season better. I

1183
00:58:47,440 --> 00:58:51,080
Speaker 11: think they get that right this year. But the four

1184
00:58:51,200 --> 00:58:54,680
Speaker 11: games right after Jacksonville are going to tell me a

1185
00:58:54,760 --> 00:58:57,720
Speaker 11: lot about where this team is going. I think they

1186
00:58:57,880 --> 00:59:00,640
Speaker 11: figured some things out. I think Al Golden is going

1187
00:59:00,720 --> 00:59:04,120
Speaker 11: to bring a difference on that defense, a different look.

1188
00:59:04,800 --> 00:59:09,160
Speaker 11: And then certainly when they start with that stretch beginning

1189
00:59:09,240 --> 00:59:14,240
Speaker 11: with Pittsburgh, New England and then Baltimore and Buffalo, Baltimore

1190
00:59:14,320 --> 00:59:19,120
Speaker 11: twice and Buffalo once in seventeen days, to me, that's

1191
00:59:19,160 --> 00:59:20,680
Speaker 11: where the season is going to be made. But I

1192
00:59:20,720 --> 00:59:24,600
Speaker 11: think the Bengals will be prepared to handle that stretch

1193
00:59:24,920 --> 00:59:28,240
Speaker 11: with an improved defense and the best offense.

1194
00:59:28,480 --> 00:59:30,200
Speaker 8: I think it's going to be the best offense in

1195
00:59:30,280 --> 00:59:31,080
Speaker 8: football this year.

1196
00:59:31,480 --> 00:59:34,840
Speaker 2: So eleven wins first place in the AFC North, that

1197
00:59:35,080 --> 00:59:37,760
Speaker 2: probably means they are not the number one seed and

1198
00:59:37,880 --> 00:59:40,360
Speaker 2: not getting a playoff by but it would mean a

1199
00:59:40,480 --> 00:59:43,880
Speaker 2: home playoff game at pay Course Stadium and hopefully the

1200
00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:49,520
Speaker 2: start of another nice long postseason run. Trags, appreciate your time,

1201
00:59:49,600 --> 00:59:50,680
Speaker 2: appreciate the takes.

1202
00:59:50,920 --> 00:59:52,479
Speaker 1: Thanks so much for joining me on the pod.

1203
00:59:53,040 --> 00:59:55,600
Speaker 8: Dan, always a pleasure. Thank you very much for having me.

1204
00:59:57,040 --> 01:00:00,920
Speaker 2: Nobody cranks out more Bengals content than my buddy James Rapeens.

1205
01:00:00,960 --> 01:00:03,200
Speaker 2: So I'm sure these five questions are going to be

1206
01:00:03,280 --> 01:00:07,000
Speaker 2: a breeze for you. Are you ready to tackle these

1207
01:00:07,120 --> 01:00:09,080
Speaker 2: five issues on the Bengals Booth podcast?

1208
01:00:09,800 --> 01:00:11,040
Speaker 8: Absolutely, I'm ready to go.

1209
01:00:11,360 --> 01:00:12,080
Speaker 1: I'm sure you are.

1210
01:00:12,240 --> 01:00:15,920
Speaker 2: Question number one, what is your biggest question going into

1211
01:00:16,000 --> 01:00:16,600
Speaker 2: training camp?

1212
01:00:17,560 --> 01:00:20,120
Speaker 12: There are a bunch of questions, right, and I think

1213
01:00:20,840 --> 01:00:23,320
Speaker 12: that the good news is as you're starting from a

1214
01:00:23,440 --> 01:00:26,240
Speaker 12: good spot where you're not asking about quarterbacks like other

1215
01:00:26,280 --> 01:00:28,920
Speaker 12: teams in the division or in the league that the

1216
01:00:28,960 --> 01:00:31,880
Speaker 12: Bengals are going to be competing with. But to me,

1217
01:00:33,320 --> 01:00:38,000
Speaker 12: it's high level. Did the Bengals do enough to address

1218
01:00:38,760 --> 01:00:42,600
Speaker 12: their obvious weaknesses? The weaknesses that you've been discussing for months,

1219
01:00:42,680 --> 01:00:45,560
Speaker 12: whether it's at the combine or a head of free agency,

1220
01:00:46,120 --> 01:00:47,840
Speaker 12: all the way now through the draft, in mini camp,

1221
01:00:47,920 --> 01:00:50,600
Speaker 12: when training camp is looming and we're still talking about

1222
01:00:50,600 --> 01:00:53,440
Speaker 12: the pass rush. Will they have enough pass rush? Did

1223
01:00:53,520 --> 01:00:57,000
Speaker 12: they do enough to protect Joe Burrow from an interior

1224
01:00:57,080 --> 01:01:01,160
Speaker 12: offensive line standpoint? And so those are the the major

1225
01:01:01,240 --> 01:01:03,960
Speaker 12: weaknesses that we've spent so much time talking about. You

1226
01:01:04,040 --> 01:01:06,600
Speaker 12: mentioned the content. I mean, I think everything I've talked

1227
01:01:06,600 --> 01:01:09,800
Speaker 12: about has had to do with protecting Joe or something

1228
01:01:09,880 --> 01:01:11,760
Speaker 12: with Al Golden's defense, and I think it starts with

1229
01:01:11,840 --> 01:01:12,480
Speaker 12: the pass rush.

1230
01:01:12,600 --> 01:01:14,000
Speaker 1: So did they do enough in.

1231
01:01:14,040 --> 01:01:19,200
Speaker 12: Those two areas to get by, not only get by,

1232
01:01:19,320 --> 01:01:21,600
Speaker 12: but be much better in both spots this season?

1233
01:01:22,760 --> 01:01:24,439
Speaker 1: All Right? Topic two?

1234
01:01:25,040 --> 01:01:28,840
Speaker 2: Who is James Rapines breakout player in twenty twenty five?

1235
01:01:30,040 --> 01:01:32,240
Speaker 12: I don't think this is going to surprise many people,

1236
01:01:32,280 --> 01:01:37,000
Speaker 12: but I might be the biggest Dax Hill stand outside.

1237
01:01:36,520 --> 01:01:38,360
Speaker 1: Of maybe a few people in the front office.

1238
01:01:38,560 --> 01:01:41,480
Speaker 12: And I don't think he would even be eligible for

1239
01:01:41,560 --> 01:01:43,400
Speaker 12: this had he not gotten hurt last year because he

1240
01:01:43,560 --> 01:01:46,600
Speaker 12: was breaking out and it was it was happening right

1241
01:01:46,680 --> 01:01:50,720
Speaker 12: before our eyes. And the fact that this team picked

1242
01:01:50,760 --> 01:01:53,439
Speaker 12: up his fifth year option something that I'm not sure

1243
01:01:53,520 --> 01:01:55,960
Speaker 12: I would have done, honestly, and I'm I'm a big

1244
01:01:56,400 --> 01:01:58,520
Speaker 12: because it's just a lot of money to commit to

1245
01:01:59,160 --> 01:02:02,520
Speaker 12: and you don't have an extension in place, And yet

1246
01:02:02,640 --> 01:02:05,120
Speaker 12: I think that tells you exactly how they feel. You

1247
01:02:05,240 --> 01:02:07,640
Speaker 12: talk to the coaching staff and they're will really bullish

1248
01:02:07,680 --> 01:02:11,240
Speaker 12: on Dax. So I would expect Dax Hill to break

1249
01:02:11,320 --> 01:02:12,840
Speaker 12: out this year and be a big part of not

1250
01:02:13,000 --> 01:02:15,959
Speaker 12: just the twenty twenty five Bengals, but their future.

1251
01:02:16,360 --> 01:02:18,440
Speaker 1: And if it's up to you, is he playing on

1252
01:02:18,560 --> 01:02:20,800
Speaker 1: the outside or is he playing in the slot.

1253
01:02:22,160 --> 01:02:25,200
Speaker 12: I would play him on the outside some and then

1254
01:02:25,200 --> 01:02:26,840
Speaker 12: I would kick him into the slot some and I

1255
01:02:26,880 --> 01:02:28,640
Speaker 12: would put him on the edge and have him blitz,

1256
01:02:28,680 --> 01:02:32,840
Speaker 12: and I would use him as this versatile weapon that

1257
01:02:32,960 --> 01:02:34,680
Speaker 12: can do a little bit of everything, because I'm not

1258
01:02:34,800 --> 01:02:38,280
Speaker 12: expecting him to be a shutdown number one corner, not

1259
01:02:38,400 --> 01:02:40,320
Speaker 12: that he can't be your number one corner, but I

1260
01:02:40,400 --> 01:02:42,680
Speaker 12: don't know if he's going to be Drell Reevis, but

1261
01:02:42,800 --> 01:02:45,640
Speaker 12: I think he can be a really high end player

1262
01:02:45,880 --> 01:02:48,800
Speaker 12: in your secondary that does a bunch of different things.

1263
01:02:49,720 --> 01:02:52,720
Speaker 12: And so hopefully that's what they can do, is get

1264
01:02:52,800 --> 01:02:54,520
Speaker 12: the most out of him, whatever that is. And maybe

1265
01:02:54,560 --> 01:02:57,280
Speaker 12: that is just playing outside. I think it's doing a

1266
01:02:57,320 --> 01:02:58,880
Speaker 12: little bit of a few different things.

1267
01:02:59,240 --> 01:03:02,320
Speaker 2: Al Golden was moving corners around a lot during the

1268
01:03:02,400 --> 01:03:05,560
Speaker 2: OTAs and the mini camp practices that we saw. Can

1269
01:03:05,640 --> 01:03:06,520
Speaker 2: you do that in games?

1270
01:03:07,440 --> 01:03:10,400
Speaker 8: I think so with a guy like Dax, you definitely can.

1271
01:03:10,680 --> 01:03:14,520
Speaker 12: I think the thing that impresses me most about him,

1272
01:03:15,320 --> 01:03:18,640
Speaker 12: as much as it's the athleticism and all of those things,

1273
01:03:18,680 --> 01:03:23,160
Speaker 12: it's he never gets too high or too low. Didn't

1274
01:03:23,280 --> 01:03:26,080
Speaker 12: really get rattled when they moved him from safety to corner.

1275
01:03:26,440 --> 01:03:31,000
Speaker 12: Has handled all these situations he's been put in pretty well,

1276
01:03:31,080 --> 01:03:33,800
Speaker 12: I think, and it hasn't really impacted his confidence much.

1277
01:03:33,880 --> 01:03:37,120
Speaker 12: So I think, yeah, you could put him on the outside,

1278
01:03:37,200 --> 01:03:39,480
Speaker 12: kick him inside, move him all over, and if you

1279
01:03:39,640 --> 01:03:42,440
Speaker 12: have a guy that can do that well, then it's

1280
01:03:42,480 --> 01:03:44,160
Speaker 12: going to allow you to move some of those guys

1281
01:03:44,360 --> 01:03:46,240
Speaker 12: around as well. And I think Cam Taylor BRIT's another

1282
01:03:46,240 --> 01:03:48,320
Speaker 12: one that we saw in mini camp move around and

1283
01:03:48,480 --> 01:03:51,680
Speaker 12: that's certainly noteworthy in something I'll behind going into training camp.

1284
01:03:52,120 --> 01:03:54,080
Speaker 2: All right, We are visiting with the president of the

1285
01:03:54,200 --> 01:03:57,600
Speaker 2: Dax Hill Fan Club, James Rapine, also from bengkalstalk dot

1286
01:03:57,680 --> 01:04:01,280
Speaker 2: com and the Lockdown Bengals podcast. Topic number three is

1287
01:04:01,440 --> 01:04:04,360
Speaker 2: the defense. It will be better if.

1288
01:04:04,440 --> 01:04:09,479
Speaker 12: God dot God Al Golden is who Zach Taylor thinks

1289
01:04:09,480 --> 01:04:13,440
Speaker 12: he is, and based on all my interactions with Al,

1290
01:04:13,960 --> 01:04:16,280
Speaker 12: Zach is going to be right. But that's what the

1291
01:04:16,320 --> 01:04:18,600
Speaker 12: Bengals are saying, That's what Zach Taylor is saying is

1292
01:04:19,160 --> 01:04:21,280
Speaker 12: Al Golden is going to be a difference maker on

1293
01:04:21,400 --> 01:04:22,960
Speaker 12: defense for us. It's going to be a lot of

1294
01:04:23,000 --> 01:04:25,640
Speaker 12: the same faces, but we are going to get more

1295
01:04:25,680 --> 01:04:27,120
Speaker 12: out of these guys. We're going to put them in

1296
01:04:27,160 --> 01:04:31,040
Speaker 12: position to succeed. We're also going to get a big

1297
01:04:31,120 --> 01:04:31,960
Speaker 12: nose tackle in TJ.

1298
01:04:32,120 --> 01:04:32,440
Speaker 1: Slayton.

1299
01:04:32,440 --> 01:04:33,320
Speaker 4: That is going to matter.

1300
01:04:33,440 --> 01:04:35,480
Speaker 12: Having a guy like that is going to impact things

1301
01:04:35,560 --> 01:04:39,040
Speaker 12: and change the way you have some of those lineups

1302
01:04:39,080 --> 01:04:39,720
Speaker 12: in the trenches.

1303
01:04:39,800 --> 01:04:41,000
Speaker 4: But that's it.

1304
01:04:41,120 --> 01:04:42,840
Speaker 12: That's what it's going to come down to, is Al

1305
01:04:42,920 --> 01:04:46,240
Speaker 12: Golden being exactly who Zach thinks he is. And I

1306
01:04:46,280 --> 01:04:48,280
Speaker 12: think Zach thinks he's one of the best defensive minds

1307
01:04:48,360 --> 01:04:51,480
Speaker 12: on the planet, and so we'll see if it rings

1308
01:04:51,520 --> 01:04:52,280
Speaker 12: true this season.

1309
01:04:53,200 --> 01:04:56,760
Speaker 2: I respect it, Admirer lou Anarumo. I'm sure you do too,

1310
01:04:57,280 --> 01:04:59,480
Speaker 2: But it seems to me that Al Golden is the

1311
01:04:59,600 --> 01:05:02,120
Speaker 2: right guy for what the Bengals have to be on

1312
01:05:02,360 --> 01:05:06,040
Speaker 2: defense with the amount of money they're spending on offense.

1313
01:05:06,680 --> 01:05:07,120
Speaker 8: No doubt.

1314
01:05:07,200 --> 01:05:10,240
Speaker 12: And I think that when you look at a guy

1315
01:05:10,400 --> 01:05:15,480
Speaker 12: like Dax Hill or Miles Murphy or whoever else, it's

1316
01:05:16,000 --> 01:05:20,040
Speaker 12: finding how they fit in making sure you get something

1317
01:05:20,160 --> 01:05:23,040
Speaker 12: out of them. You can't go two years, Let's use

1318
01:05:23,040 --> 01:05:26,280
Speaker 12: Shamar Stewart for as an example, two years and not

1319
01:05:26,440 --> 01:05:29,880
Speaker 12: really know what Shamar is. And we're kind of that

1320
01:05:30,000 --> 01:05:33,040
Speaker 12: way with Miles Murphy and hopefully we get some answers

1321
01:05:33,080 --> 01:05:33,400
Speaker 12: this year.

1322
01:05:33,440 --> 01:05:34,600
Speaker 1: But I think that's it is.

1323
01:05:34,640 --> 01:05:37,640
Speaker 12: Al Golden isn't going to look around and say, well,

1324
01:05:37,640 --> 01:05:40,120
Speaker 12: why is my cupboard empty? He's going to say, all right,

1325
01:05:40,200 --> 01:05:42,400
Speaker 12: this is what's in the cupboard. Let's try to make

1326
01:05:42,440 --> 01:05:43,360
Speaker 12: the best meal possible.

1327
01:05:44,440 --> 01:05:44,840
Speaker 1: All right.

1328
01:05:45,000 --> 01:05:48,400
Speaker 2: You have jokingly been referred to from time to time

1329
01:05:48,440 --> 01:05:52,360
Speaker 2: as hot take James, So this question is ideally suited

1330
01:05:52,440 --> 01:05:55,440
Speaker 2: for you. Give us James Rapine's hot take about training

1331
01:05:55,520 --> 01:05:56,840
Speaker 2: camp or the upcoming season.

1332
01:05:57,640 --> 01:06:00,400
Speaker 12: So in typical hot take James fashion, I have two,

1333
01:06:01,200 --> 01:06:06,120
Speaker 12: So I'm I'm bringing the flamethrower one that yeah, might

1334
01:06:06,240 --> 01:06:09,000
Speaker 12: not be that taky for those that believe in T Higgins,

1335
01:06:09,080 --> 01:06:10,720
Speaker 12: but I think T Higgins is about to have the

1336
01:06:10,760 --> 01:06:13,440
Speaker 12: best year of his career. And he had ten touchdowns

1337
01:06:13,520 --> 01:06:17,880
Speaker 12: last year I think twelve hundred plus yards. I think

1338
01:06:17,920 --> 01:06:19,800
Speaker 12: by the end of the season we're talking about him

1339
01:06:20,200 --> 01:06:23,919
Speaker 12: as a top ten wide receiver. My biggest fear last

1340
01:06:24,000 --> 01:06:25,640
Speaker 12: year at this time, or one of them, at least

1341
01:06:25,680 --> 01:06:28,720
Speaker 12: from a Bengals standpoint, is letting T Higgins walk after

1342
01:06:28,760 --> 01:06:31,400
Speaker 12: the twenty twenty four season and then watching him play

1343
01:06:31,440 --> 01:06:34,360
Speaker 12: his best football elsewhere. I think that's what would have

1344
01:06:34,440 --> 01:06:35,600
Speaker 12: happened had they let him leave.

1345
01:06:36,040 --> 01:06:37,600
Speaker 1: They didn't. They paid him.

1346
01:06:38,040 --> 01:06:40,840
Speaker 12: I think they'll reap the rewards of that and see

1347
01:06:40,880 --> 01:06:43,040
Speaker 12: them this year. Obviously, health is a factor, but I

1348
01:06:43,160 --> 01:06:45,800
Speaker 12: think he's going to maybe have the healthiest season of

1349
01:06:45,840 --> 01:06:50,320
Speaker 12: his career. Knock on wood. The other one in this

1350
01:06:50,680 --> 01:06:52,400
Speaker 12: I think is going to be considered the hot take.

1351
01:06:53,480 --> 01:06:55,640
Speaker 12: Shamar Stewart is going to have more sacks as a

1352
01:06:55,800 --> 01:06:59,240
Speaker 12: rookie than he did in his entire college career.

1353
01:07:00,160 --> 01:07:03,840
Speaker 1: It now, that's not setting the bar all that high,

1354
01:07:03,960 --> 01:07:04,920
Speaker 1: but still I like it.

1355
01:07:06,360 --> 01:07:09,200
Speaker 12: So if he ends up with five sacks and it's disruptive,

1356
01:07:09,320 --> 01:07:14,440
Speaker 12: and you know, I think what's interesting is the dialogue

1357
01:07:14,520 --> 01:07:17,720
Speaker 12: about everything contract wise, and I can't wait to see

1358
01:07:17,800 --> 01:07:20,760
Speaker 12: him on the field because he is going to matter.

1359
01:07:20,960 --> 01:07:23,320
Speaker 12: And I do think he's still going to be the

1360
01:07:23,400 --> 01:07:26,080
Speaker 12: favorite to start alongside Trey Hendricks and not that that matters,

1361
01:07:26,800 --> 01:07:30,720
Speaker 12: but yeah, I think five plus sacks and maybe I'm

1362
01:07:30,760 --> 01:07:32,439
Speaker 12: going a little light there, maybe he gets to seven

1363
01:07:32,560 --> 01:07:32,800
Speaker 12: or eight.

1364
01:07:32,880 --> 01:07:35,960
Speaker 1: You never know. Well, I really like that take.

1365
01:07:36,560 --> 01:07:39,680
Speaker 2: Joseph Osai expects to be the guy that starts on

1366
01:07:39,760 --> 01:07:42,000
Speaker 2: the opposite side of Trey Hendrickson, and that might be

1367
01:07:42,120 --> 01:07:45,560
Speaker 2: the case because of his because of his experience, but

1368
01:07:45,840 --> 01:07:48,240
Speaker 2: Shamar Stewart is certainly going to play a lot, and

1369
01:07:48,400 --> 01:07:51,080
Speaker 2: I'm with you, I expect him to have a very

1370
01:07:51,160 --> 01:07:54,600
Speaker 2: productive season. Hopefully he's practicing from day one of training camp,

1371
01:07:54,960 --> 01:07:56,680
Speaker 2: which would help. I don't know if that'll be the

1372
01:07:56,760 --> 01:07:59,360
Speaker 2: case or not, but I do think that he is

1373
01:07:59,440 --> 01:08:02,600
Speaker 2: going to be a significant part of this defense from

1374
01:08:02,680 --> 01:08:03,040
Speaker 2: day one.

1375
01:08:04,320 --> 01:08:07,320
Speaker 12: Yeah, and they need him to be. And that's when

1376
01:08:07,360 --> 01:08:11,320
Speaker 12: they drafted him. The first hour or two it's like, man,

1377
01:08:11,480 --> 01:08:13,440
Speaker 12: is he going to be ready? Can he contribute? And

1378
01:08:13,720 --> 01:08:15,440
Speaker 12: the more I looked at that room and looked at

1379
01:08:15,440 --> 01:08:19,120
Speaker 12: what he brought, he's going to give them something that

1380
01:08:19,600 --> 01:08:22,559
Speaker 12: these other guys have pieces of. But he's just such

1381
01:08:22,600 --> 01:08:25,680
Speaker 12: a freak and he's so physically imposing, and I think

1382
01:08:25,720 --> 01:08:28,960
Speaker 12: he's going to matter. Even if he doesn't start, that

1383
01:08:29,400 --> 01:08:31,080
Speaker 12: to me doesn't matter. You know, as long as he's

1384
01:08:31,120 --> 01:08:34,040
Speaker 12: getting twenty five naps or something like that a week,

1385
01:08:34,439 --> 01:08:36,000
Speaker 12: you're going to notice him on the field.

1386
01:08:36,479 --> 01:08:36,800
Speaker 1: All right.

1387
01:08:36,840 --> 01:08:39,280
Speaker 2: Our fifth and final question has to do with your

1388
01:08:39,320 --> 01:08:42,280
Speaker 2: prediction for the upcoming season. What will the Bengals record

1389
01:08:42,400 --> 01:08:45,559
Speaker 2: be and where will they finish in the AFC North.

1390
01:08:47,040 --> 01:08:50,080
Speaker 12: When the schedule came out, you always play the schedule game,

1391
01:08:50,160 --> 01:08:52,560
Speaker 12: and I did, and I'm sure everyone did, and you

1392
01:08:52,640 --> 01:08:54,840
Speaker 12: look at it, you go win loss loss, win, win loss.

1393
01:08:55,600 --> 01:09:00,200
Speaker 12: And i'd been in Those that have followed me know

1394
01:09:00,320 --> 01:09:02,320
Speaker 12: that I've been a bit underwhelmed with what the Bengals

1395
01:09:02,320 --> 01:09:05,760
Speaker 12: have added from a talent standpoint this offseason and have

1396
01:09:06,000 --> 01:09:08,960
Speaker 12: questions about the pass rush and offensive line and things

1397
01:09:09,040 --> 01:09:11,840
Speaker 12: like that. And yet when I played the schedule game,

1398
01:09:12,600 --> 01:09:15,160
Speaker 12: and I look at prime Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase

1399
01:09:15,240 --> 01:09:18,200
Speaker 12: and I'm expecting Trey Hendrickson, and I mentioned how bullish

1400
01:09:18,240 --> 01:09:20,920
Speaker 12: I am on T Higgins. I got to twelve wins.

1401
01:09:21,760 --> 01:09:24,280
Speaker 12: I got to a team that is going to be

1402
01:09:24,439 --> 01:09:27,040
Speaker 12: in the thick of it, not just in the AFC North,

1403
01:09:27,680 --> 01:09:31,240
Speaker 12: but in the AFC. And part of it is because

1404
01:09:31,400 --> 01:09:33,840
Speaker 12: I think the defense is going to be better with

1405
01:09:33,960 --> 01:09:37,479
Speaker 12: Al Golden, better with what they have, and I think

1406
01:09:37,560 --> 01:09:39,920
Speaker 12: Joe Burrow is just that darn good that even if

1407
01:09:39,960 --> 01:09:44,519
Speaker 12: the offensive line on the interior isn't above average, he's

1408
01:09:44,560 --> 01:09:46,360
Speaker 12: going to be able to make it work. We've seen that,

1409
01:09:46,920 --> 01:09:50,200
Speaker 12: we know what Jamar and t bring and heck Mike

1410
01:09:50,280 --> 01:09:54,640
Speaker 12: Gasicki in his second season, Chase Brown settling in as

1411
01:09:54,680 --> 01:09:58,800
Speaker 12: he enters his prime. I think that this offense has

1412
01:09:58,840 --> 01:10:00,799
Speaker 12: more to it and it's not just about the defense.

1413
01:10:01,720 --> 01:10:03,400
Speaker 12: I expect them to be really darn good. And so

1414
01:10:03,479 --> 01:10:06,120
Speaker 12: I got to twelve and five, first in the North

1415
01:10:06,760 --> 01:10:09,760
Speaker 12: and probably battling for a one seed. If they're winning

1416
01:10:09,800 --> 01:10:10,360
Speaker 12: twelve games.

1417
01:10:10,560 --> 01:10:14,280
Speaker 2: I like the sound of that finishing a game ahead

1418
01:10:14,320 --> 01:10:17,400
Speaker 2: of Baltimore a couple of games, winning a tiebreaker. What

1419
01:10:17,479 --> 01:10:19,720
Speaker 2: do you think in terms of that first place in

1420
01:10:19,800 --> 01:10:20,280
Speaker 2: the division?

1421
01:10:20,320 --> 01:10:20,519
Speaker 8: Pick?

1422
01:10:21,400 --> 01:10:24,720
Speaker 12: I had them sweeping Baltimore both. I think they're I

1423
01:10:24,840 --> 01:10:28,519
Speaker 12: think they're due. Everyone's talking about, oh, Thanksgiving and Thursday

1424
01:10:28,680 --> 01:10:32,360
Speaker 12: Night in one. I think Joe, yeah, he wants one

1425
01:10:32,400 --> 01:10:35,560
Speaker 12: of those here, but he's going to love that on

1426
01:10:35,760 --> 01:10:38,439
Speaker 12: that that that wins. Like the mindset of going in

1427
01:10:38,600 --> 01:10:42,120
Speaker 12: there and trying to slay the Ravens in Baltimore. He's

1428
01:10:42,120 --> 01:10:44,880
Speaker 12: played really well there over the past couple of years,

1429
01:10:44,960 --> 01:10:47,439
Speaker 12: so I obviously the one year he got hurt but

1430
01:10:47,600 --> 01:10:48,920
Speaker 12: was playing well and they had the lead when he

1431
01:10:48,960 --> 01:10:52,360
Speaker 12: did get hurt. So I think that they they could

1432
01:10:52,439 --> 01:10:53,720
Speaker 12: absolutely sweep them.

1433
01:10:53,760 --> 01:10:54,519
Speaker 8: We'll see if they do.

1434
01:10:55,439 --> 01:10:57,720
Speaker 12: But there's a reason teams haven't won the division three

1435
01:10:57,760 --> 01:11:01,240
Speaker 12: straight years, and I think it's Bengal and Ravens clearly

1436
01:11:01,360 --> 01:11:03,559
Speaker 12: ahead of the Browns and the Steelers in the North

1437
01:11:03,640 --> 01:11:06,879
Speaker 12: from a talent standpoint, and so I think the Bengals

1438
01:11:06,920 --> 01:11:08,720
Speaker 12: get it done and make sure that the Ravens don't

1439
01:11:08,760 --> 01:11:09,599
Speaker 12: make history in the North.

1440
01:11:10,479 --> 01:11:14,559
Speaker 2: Great stuff, no surprise from James Rpaine. I appreciate your time.

1441
01:11:14,840 --> 01:11:17,800
Speaker 2: Look forward to seeing the en camp of course. Thanks

1442
01:11:17,880 --> 01:11:21,799
Speaker 2: Dan Richard Skinner. Are you ready to tackle five.

1443
01:11:21,720 --> 01:11:23,600
Speaker 1: Questions on the Bengals Booth podcast?

1444
01:11:24,200 --> 01:11:26,320
Speaker 13: I'm honored to tackle five questions, Dan Horden.

1445
01:11:28,520 --> 01:11:31,200
Speaker 2: That is overstating it, but I appreciate your time. Here

1446
01:11:31,280 --> 01:11:34,719
Speaker 2: we go, Question number one, what is your biggest question

1447
01:11:35,240 --> 01:11:36,320
Speaker 2: going into training camp?

1448
01:11:37,240 --> 01:11:37,360
Speaker 1: Now?

1449
01:11:37,400 --> 01:11:39,400
Speaker 13: As we record this, it has to be what's gonna

1450
01:11:39,400 --> 01:11:41,640
Speaker 13: happen with Tray Anderson and Shamar Stewart. I mean, I

1451
01:11:41,840 --> 01:11:43,920
Speaker 13: think until that gets resolved, that's going to hang over

1452
01:11:44,760 --> 01:11:47,679
Speaker 13: everything in camp, and we'll continue to hang over everything.

1453
01:11:47,840 --> 01:11:50,040
Speaker 13: So as you record this, my hope would be it's

1454
01:11:50,520 --> 01:11:52,840
Speaker 13: who becomes the two starting guards, because then we're talking

1455
01:11:52,880 --> 01:11:54,840
Speaker 13: about what's happening on the field and not what's going

1456
01:11:54,840 --> 01:11:56,840
Speaker 13: on off the field. So as you record this, there's

1457
01:11:56,880 --> 01:12:00,080
Speaker 13: no doubt in my mind it's the contract issue with

1458
01:12:00,200 --> 01:12:02,759
Speaker 13: Trey Henderson and Jamar Stewart. But if they get resolved,

1459
01:12:03,040 --> 01:12:05,040
Speaker 13: then it would be who evolves as the starting guards,

1460
01:12:05,080 --> 01:12:07,439
Speaker 13: and the hope would be who takes the reins and

1461
01:12:07,520 --> 01:12:09,320
Speaker 13: takes the job at starting guards, not that they have

1462
01:12:09,439 --> 01:12:10,880
Speaker 13: to give two guys starting spots.

1463
01:12:11,640 --> 01:12:14,040
Speaker 2: Before I move on to any of the other questions,

1464
01:12:14,120 --> 01:12:16,519
Speaker 2: and you may tackle this in questions to come, but

1465
01:12:16,800 --> 01:12:21,360
Speaker 2: is it your feeling that Stuart and Hendrickson will ultimately

1466
01:12:21,560 --> 01:12:23,400
Speaker 2: participate in camp and or play.

1467
01:12:24,560 --> 01:12:27,400
Speaker 13: Stuart seems awfully dug in that he won't participate until

1468
01:12:27,560 --> 01:12:29,439
Speaker 13: he gets that contract sign and it doesn't sound like

1469
01:12:29,479 --> 01:12:31,439
Speaker 13: he's gonna get that contract signed until they change the

1470
01:12:31,520 --> 01:12:34,719
Speaker 13: language to the way he wants it. I can also

1471
01:12:34,840 --> 01:12:37,280
Speaker 13: see Trey not participating in camp, but I'll save one

1472
01:12:37,320 --> 01:12:39,519
Speaker 13: of my takes for down the road here, I think.

1473
01:12:39,760 --> 01:12:40,080
Speaker 8: All right.

1474
01:12:40,240 --> 01:12:44,160
Speaker 2: Question number two, who is Richard Skinner's breakout player in

1475
01:12:44,320 --> 01:12:45,360
Speaker 2: twenty twenty five.

1476
01:12:46,520 --> 01:12:49,120
Speaker 13: I'm gonna go Chase Brown based on that great finish

1477
01:12:49,160 --> 01:12:51,479
Speaker 13: from last year. He had nine hundred yards from scrimmage

1478
01:12:51,479 --> 01:12:54,960
Speaker 13: in the last eight games. If he keeps that pace up,

1479
01:12:55,000 --> 01:12:56,600
Speaker 13: and I think he actually add to that because I

1480
01:12:56,600 --> 01:12:58,200
Speaker 13: think they're gonna try to find ways to get him

1481
01:12:58,200 --> 01:13:00,600
Speaker 13: even more touches in dynamic ways. I mean, Dan, he

1482
01:13:00,680 --> 01:13:03,760
Speaker 13: could approach two thousand yards from scrimmage, that's probably a reach,

1483
01:13:04,760 --> 01:13:06,400
Speaker 13: but based on what he averaged last year over a

1484
01:13:06,439 --> 01:13:09,400
Speaker 13: seventeen gamespan, that's that's almost nineteen hundred yards. So I

1485
01:13:09,479 --> 01:13:11,960
Speaker 13: don't think that's all that far fetched. And if I

1486
01:13:12,040 --> 01:13:13,760
Speaker 13: go one guy on defense and you're asking for one

1487
01:13:13,800 --> 01:13:16,519
Speaker 13: guy overall, I know that. But I think Joseph Osai,

1488
01:13:16,640 --> 01:13:18,120
Speaker 13: I mean what he did down the stretch of last

1489
01:13:18,160 --> 01:13:19,639
Speaker 13: year a half a sack and six of the last

1490
01:13:19,680 --> 01:13:22,439
Speaker 13: seven games five sacks overall in that span, he just

1491
01:13:22,479 --> 01:13:24,840
Speaker 13: seemed to finally get it, and I would think the

1492
01:13:24,960 --> 01:13:27,320
Speaker 13: double digit sack season is in the realm for him.

1493
01:13:28,080 --> 01:13:29,800
Speaker 1: Hello, that would be significant.

1494
01:13:29,840 --> 01:13:31,880
Speaker 2: And as for Chase Brown, if you go back over

1495
01:13:31,960 --> 01:13:35,000
Speaker 2: those last eight games, as you mentioned, that computes to

1496
01:13:35,120 --> 01:13:39,360
Speaker 2: one nine hundred and seventy six yards combined rushing and receiving.

1497
01:13:39,520 --> 01:13:43,120
Speaker 2: So saying two thousand as a possibility is certainly not

1498
01:13:43,680 --> 01:13:46,639
Speaker 2: far fetched, all right. Question number three for Local twelve's

1499
01:13:46,720 --> 01:13:51,559
Speaker 2: Richard Skinner, the Bengals defense will be better if dot

1500
01:13:51,720 --> 01:13:52,479
Speaker 2: dot dot.

1501
01:13:53,280 --> 01:13:57,680
Speaker 13: Mar Stuart and Trey Henderson's sign. I mean, I think

1502
01:13:57,720 --> 01:14:00,800
Speaker 13: it'll be better if they if they signed for sure,

1503
01:14:01,800 --> 01:14:04,720
Speaker 13: and if Al Golden does things tactically to get some

1504
01:14:04,840 --> 01:14:07,360
Speaker 13: strengths out of guys that needed seasons last year they

1505
01:14:07,360 --> 01:14:09,719
Speaker 13: didn't have. I mean, get more out of Geno Stone,

1506
01:14:10,200 --> 01:14:11,840
Speaker 13: get more out of the corners. You know, you saw

1507
01:14:11,840 --> 01:14:14,080
Speaker 13: the up and down play of Cam Taylor Britt. I'm

1508
01:14:14,120 --> 01:14:15,920
Speaker 13: not asking to come into a schematic genius. I mean,

1509
01:14:15,960 --> 01:14:18,360
Speaker 13: there's only so much you can do schematically. It's still

1510
01:14:18,479 --> 01:14:20,280
Speaker 13: I mean, sports all across the board is about the

1511
01:14:20,320 --> 01:14:23,920
Speaker 13: Jimmies and Joe's and so I just want to see

1512
01:14:24,000 --> 01:14:26,120
Speaker 13: if he can get more out of those guys. I mean,

1513
01:14:26,160 --> 01:14:28,760
Speaker 13: he certainly was optimistic the day we talked to him

1514
01:14:28,760 --> 01:14:30,080
Speaker 13: at the end of mini camp. It's kund of like

1515
01:14:30,160 --> 01:14:32,519
Speaker 13: this defense had no cares in the world. They were

1516
01:14:32,560 --> 01:14:36,320
Speaker 13: all world players. But I think, to me, it's if

1517
01:14:36,439 --> 01:14:38,560
Speaker 13: Al Golden can get more out of some guys that

1518
01:14:38,680 --> 01:14:39,720
Speaker 13: he needs to get more out of.

1519
01:14:41,000 --> 01:14:44,200
Speaker 2: Give me Skinny's hot take about training camp or the

1520
01:14:44,240 --> 01:14:45,559
Speaker 2: twenty twenty five season.

1521
01:14:46,920 --> 01:14:48,680
Speaker 13: We will say this, and I guess I'll tie to

1522
01:14:48,720 --> 01:14:51,400
Speaker 13: Trey Henderson at the moment. I will say that Trey

1523
01:14:52,400 --> 01:14:54,439
Speaker 13: will hold out if he doesn't have an extension, But

1524
01:14:54,479 --> 01:14:56,880
Speaker 13: I don't think he misses a single solitary game check.

1525
01:14:56,920 --> 01:14:58,840
Speaker 13: I think when push comes to the shove, he is

1526
01:14:58,920 --> 01:15:01,160
Speaker 13: going to capitulate and un nderstand that he has to play.

1527
01:15:01,560 --> 01:15:03,479
Speaker 13: He has to play well. He has to put up

1528
01:15:03,560 --> 01:15:05,679
Speaker 13: sack numbers if he wants to get paid next year.

1529
01:15:06,479 --> 01:15:08,640
Speaker 13: You know, Other than that, there's not much to be

1530
01:15:08,720 --> 01:15:11,040
Speaker 13: hot taking on. To be honest with you, Dan, I mean,

1531
01:15:11,080 --> 01:15:12,519
Speaker 13: I guess I could say a hot take would be

1532
01:15:12,520 --> 01:15:15,080
Speaker 13: we're gonna see a cam Taylor Britt blossom into the

1533
01:15:15,080 --> 01:15:17,720
Speaker 13: player we think he can be in his bin. He

1534
01:15:17,760 --> 01:15:19,760
Speaker 13: had that obviously, that flash moment the one day during

1535
01:15:19,840 --> 01:15:22,960
Speaker 13: OTAs or that diving interception along the sideline. He seems

1536
01:15:23,000 --> 01:15:25,840
Speaker 13: to be rejuvenated, refresh and rate a role. But to me,

1537
01:15:25,960 --> 01:15:28,320
Speaker 13: the hot take would be Trey Andandrickson will sit in

1538
01:15:28,400 --> 01:15:30,120
Speaker 13: camp if he doesn't have an extension, but he ain't

1539
01:15:30,120 --> 01:15:30,920
Speaker 13: missing a game check.

1540
01:15:31,800 --> 01:15:34,920
Speaker 2: Joseph o Side double digit sacks was already fairly hot

1541
01:15:35,000 --> 01:15:35,320
Speaker 2: as well.

1542
01:15:35,560 --> 01:15:36,639
Speaker 4: That's pretty close.

1543
01:15:36,680 --> 01:15:38,840
Speaker 1: That's a good point, all right.

1544
01:15:38,920 --> 01:15:41,880
Speaker 2: Our fifth and final question for Richard Skinner from Local twelve,

1545
01:15:41,920 --> 01:15:44,799
Speaker 2: the host of the Skinny podcast, what will the Bengals

1546
01:15:44,920 --> 01:15:48,280
Speaker 2: record be and where will they finish in the AFC North.

1547
01:15:49,240 --> 01:15:49,400
Speaker 1: Yeah.

1548
01:15:49,479 --> 01:15:51,640
Speaker 13: When the schedule came out, we all do this exercise, right,

1549
01:15:51,720 --> 01:15:53,479
Speaker 13: we picked the record of we just go down the

1550
01:15:53,560 --> 01:15:56,040
Speaker 13: list of why it's a win. I always put games

1551
01:15:56,080 --> 01:15:59,400
Speaker 13: in three categories, likely wins, likely losses, and swing games.

1552
01:16:01,200 --> 01:16:03,599
Speaker 13: Every year I've done that exercise, likely win turns into

1553
01:16:03,640 --> 01:16:05,840
Speaker 13: a loss, a likely loss becomes a win, and really

1554
01:16:05,880 --> 01:16:07,600
Speaker 13: the season is always decided by the swing games. Of

1555
01:16:07,680 --> 01:16:09,720
Speaker 13: the last year, a lot of likely win categories like

1556
01:16:09,800 --> 01:16:13,120
Speaker 13: New England and Washington turned into losses that you didn't expect.

1557
01:16:13,320 --> 01:16:15,000
Speaker 4: I went eleven and six when they did it. I'll

1558
01:16:15,000 --> 01:16:16,120
Speaker 4: stick with that for right now.

1559
01:16:16,520 --> 01:16:19,920
Speaker 13: I can see more if Al Golden does get some

1560
01:16:20,000 --> 01:16:22,000
Speaker 13: more out of the defense, if the Trey Hendricks and

1561
01:16:22,040 --> 01:16:25,240
Speaker 13: Shamar Stewart thing is into distraction, if the two starting

1562
01:16:25,280 --> 01:16:28,360
Speaker 13: guards are guys that actually can play and are capable

1563
01:16:28,439 --> 01:16:32,599
Speaker 13: and perform well, Dylan Fairchild Lucas Patrick the front runners there.

1564
01:16:32,840 --> 01:16:33,600
Speaker 4: I'll go eleven and.

1565
01:16:33,640 --> 01:16:35,519
Speaker 13: Six, and they finished second in the division, because I

1566
01:16:35,560 --> 01:16:38,320
Speaker 13: think twelve and five still wins this division. I still

1567
01:16:38,360 --> 01:16:41,240
Speaker 13: think it's Baltimore until you knock Baltimore off. But I

1568
01:16:41,320 --> 01:16:43,240
Speaker 13: can be talked into twelve and five once we get rolling.

1569
01:16:43,240 --> 01:16:44,719
Speaker 13: But I went eleven and six. I'll stick with eleven

1570
01:16:44,720 --> 01:16:45,000
Speaker 13: and six.

1571
01:16:45,600 --> 01:16:47,479
Speaker 1: Pittsburgh third, Cleveland fourth.

1572
01:16:48,000 --> 01:16:50,000
Speaker 13: Pretty simple and for the first time and the Mike

1573
01:16:50,040 --> 01:16:52,240
Speaker 13: Tomlin era of Pittsburgh losing record.

1574
01:16:52,479 --> 01:16:53,360
Speaker 1: Oh well, there we go.

1575
01:16:53,600 --> 01:16:57,519
Speaker 2: Let's add one final hot take before we wrap things up. Skinny,

1576
01:16:57,520 --> 01:16:59,200
Speaker 2: I appreciate your time, see it camp.

1577
01:17:00,080 --> 01:17:00,479
Speaker 4: Thanks Dan.

1578
01:17:01,520 --> 01:17:02,080
Speaker 1: It wouldn't be.

1579
01:17:02,120 --> 01:17:04,639
Speaker 2: Fair to ask my friends and colleagues to answer those

1580
01:17:04,760 --> 01:17:10,200
Speaker 2: questions without sharing my answers, So here goes. My biggest

1581
01:17:10,280 --> 01:17:14,519
Speaker 2: question going into training camp is about camp itself. What

1582
01:17:14,880 --> 01:17:17,559
Speaker 2: exactly is going to be different in hopes of avoiding

1583
01:17:17,640 --> 01:17:21,120
Speaker 2: another slow start. The Bengals have started zero to two

1584
01:17:21,400 --> 01:17:23,880
Speaker 2: in each of the last three years and in five

1585
01:17:24,000 --> 01:17:27,200
Speaker 2: of Zach Taylor's six years as head coach. The record

1586
01:17:27,280 --> 01:17:32,160
Speaker 2: in September under Zach is seven fifteen and one. We

1587
01:17:32,280 --> 01:17:34,599
Speaker 2: already know some of the things that will be different

1588
01:17:34,680 --> 01:17:38,200
Speaker 2: this year. For example, they're practicing in the morning instead

1589
01:17:38,240 --> 01:17:40,800
Speaker 2: of the afternoon. It should be a little cooler, and

1590
01:17:40,920 --> 01:17:44,560
Speaker 2: hopefully that will lead to crisper practices. We also know

1591
01:17:44,760 --> 01:17:47,360
Speaker 2: that the starters are going to play more in the

1592
01:17:47,439 --> 01:17:51,519
Speaker 2: preseason games. Zach has been reluctant to risk injuries and

1593
01:17:51,600 --> 01:17:54,920
Speaker 2: games that don't count, but at some point you have

1594
01:17:55,080 --> 01:17:58,479
Speaker 2: to try something different if what you're doing isn't working.

1595
01:17:58,960 --> 01:18:02,240
Speaker 2: So the question is what else will be different. The

1596
01:18:02,360 --> 01:18:06,360
Speaker 2: practices during mini camp were more physical than in recent years,

1597
01:18:06,479 --> 01:18:09,519
Speaker 2: particularly when it comes to line play, and I expect

1598
01:18:09,600 --> 01:18:12,840
Speaker 2: that to continue in training camp. But will we see

1599
01:18:12,920 --> 01:18:18,200
Speaker 2: periods with actual tackling? Will there be more scrimmaging. How

1600
01:18:18,360 --> 01:18:20,880
Speaker 2: they changed things up in hopes of getting off to

1601
01:18:20,920 --> 01:18:24,599
Speaker 2: a better start is my biggest question going into camp.

1602
01:18:25,439 --> 01:18:28,799
Speaker 2: My breakout player in twenty twenty five is a Marius Mims,

1603
01:18:28,880 --> 01:18:31,880
Speaker 2: and I'm surprised that nobody else picked him as a

1604
01:18:31,960 --> 01:18:35,479
Speaker 2: rookie with limited college snaps. So Marius started thirteen games

1605
01:18:35,520 --> 01:18:38,120
Speaker 2: and played well. And that's despite the fact that he

1606
01:18:38,160 --> 01:18:41,599
Speaker 2: suffered a pectoral injury in the preseason opener that caused

1607
01:18:41,680 --> 01:18:44,880
Speaker 2: him to miss about a month, and then he dealt

1608
01:18:44,920 --> 01:18:48,120
Speaker 2: with ankle and hand injuries late in the season. His

1609
01:18:48,400 --> 01:18:51,920
Speaker 2: eight hundred and thirty four snaps were about thirty more

1610
01:18:52,360 --> 01:18:55,400
Speaker 2: than he had in his career at Georgia, and there's

1611
01:18:55,600 --> 01:18:58,439
Speaker 2: no doubt that he has all pro potential. In the

1612
01:18:58,520 --> 01:19:02,040
Speaker 2: words of Bengals scout and Andrew Johnson, Amrius has a

1613
01:19:02,200 --> 01:19:06,640
Speaker 2: chance to be as special as anybody I've seen. I

1614
01:19:06,760 --> 01:19:09,599
Speaker 2: expect a big step in that direction for a Marius

1615
01:19:09,720 --> 01:19:14,360
Speaker 2: Mims this year. The next question is the Bengals defense

1616
01:19:14,479 --> 01:19:18,599
Speaker 2: will be better if dot dot dot, and my answer

1617
01:19:18,800 --> 01:19:22,680
Speaker 2: is you name it. Last year was rough, as the

1618
01:19:22,680 --> 01:19:25,760
Speaker 2: Bengals lost four times when they scored thirty three or

1619
01:19:25,800 --> 01:19:28,519
Speaker 2: more points and gave up twenty five and a half

1620
01:19:28,680 --> 01:19:32,560
Speaker 2: per game. This might sound like a cop out, but

1621
01:19:32,640 --> 01:19:35,080
Speaker 2: the law of averages tells us that it's bound to

1622
01:19:35,160 --> 01:19:39,040
Speaker 2: be better, right. I always remember something Marvin Lewis told

1623
01:19:39,080 --> 01:19:43,519
Speaker 2: me years ago, you need young legs on defense. Well,

1624
01:19:43,600 --> 01:19:47,320
Speaker 2: last year, Sam Hubbard, Von Bell, Sheldon Rankins, and Jermaine

1625
01:19:47,400 --> 01:19:51,640
Speaker 2: Pratt started to show their age. Fortunately, the Bengals have

1626
01:19:51,960 --> 01:19:54,840
Speaker 2: young legs waiting in the wings, and they're going to

1627
01:19:54,920 --> 01:19:58,280
Speaker 2: get every opportunity to shine under Al Golden, new defensive

1628
01:19:58,320 --> 01:20:02,200
Speaker 2: line coach Jerry Montgomery and new linebackers coach Mike Hodges.

1629
01:20:02,960 --> 01:20:06,680
Speaker 2: Young players will make some mistakes that comes with the territory,

1630
01:20:06,840 --> 01:20:10,439
Speaker 2: but you can't be afraid to play them. Al Golden

1631
01:20:10,560 --> 01:20:14,080
Speaker 2: isn't and the Bengals defense will be better as a result.

1632
01:20:14,800 --> 01:20:19,920
Speaker 2: Now time for my hot take. Ready, the Bengals will

1633
01:20:19,960 --> 01:20:24,679
Speaker 2: have at least two players on the NFL's All Rookie Team.

1634
01:20:25,320 --> 01:20:28,040
Speaker 2: They had one last year in punter Ryan Rico, but

1635
01:20:28,160 --> 01:20:30,840
Speaker 2: the last time the Bengals had two they went to

1636
01:20:30,920 --> 01:20:34,280
Speaker 2: the Super Bowl when Jamar Chase and Evan McPherson were

1637
01:20:34,280 --> 01:20:38,200
Speaker 2: honored in twenty twenty one. Right now, it appears highly

1638
01:20:38,439 --> 01:20:41,599
Speaker 2: likely that second round pick Demetrius Knight and third rounder

1639
01:20:41,680 --> 01:20:45,920
Speaker 2: Dylan Fairchild are going to be Day one starters, and

1640
01:20:46,080 --> 01:20:49,840
Speaker 2: sooner or later, hopefully sooner, Shamar Stewart will sign his

1641
01:20:49,920 --> 01:20:53,360
Speaker 2: rookie contract and play a big role even if he

1642
01:20:53,479 --> 01:20:56,920
Speaker 2: isn't a starter right away. So my hot take is

1643
01:20:57,000 --> 01:21:00,560
Speaker 2: that at least two of those guys will make the

1644
01:21:00,680 --> 01:21:04,240
Speaker 2: All Rookie Team. Finally, it's my turn to predict the

1645
01:21:04,360 --> 01:21:08,479
Speaker 2: record and finish in the AFC North. I've gone game

1646
01:21:08,560 --> 01:21:11,920
Speaker 2: by game through this year's schedule and come away at

1647
01:21:12,040 --> 01:21:16,839
Speaker 2: twelve and five with losses at Denver, Green Bay, Baltimore, Buffalo,

1648
01:21:17,479 --> 01:21:20,719
Speaker 2: and Miami, and I have the Bengals winning the AFC

1649
01:21:20,920 --> 01:21:24,759
Speaker 2: North by one game over the Ravens, thanks in large

1650
01:21:24,880 --> 01:21:28,600
Speaker 2: part to the difference between Baltimore's first place schedule and

1651
01:21:28,720 --> 01:21:33,960
Speaker 2: Cincinnati's third place schedule. Each team has one game against

1652
01:21:33,960 --> 01:21:37,240
Speaker 2: the team from the AFC South. The Ravens play the

1653
01:21:37,360 --> 01:21:42,200
Speaker 2: first place Texans, the Bengals play the third place Jaguars.

1654
01:21:42,720 --> 01:21:47,559
Speaker 2: Advantage Cincinnati. They each play one game against the NFC West.

1655
01:21:47,800 --> 01:21:51,080
Speaker 2: For the Ravens it's the Rams. For the Bengals it's

1656
01:21:51,160 --> 01:21:56,160
Speaker 2: the Cardinals again advantage Cincinnati, and each team also plays

1657
01:21:56,240 --> 01:21:59,599
Speaker 2: one game against the AFC West. For the Ravens it's

1658
01:21:59,640 --> 01:22:02,920
Speaker 2: on the road at Kansas City. For the Bengals, it's

1659
01:22:02,960 --> 01:22:06,439
Speaker 2: on the road at Denver. Both tough games, but again

1660
01:22:06,560 --> 01:22:10,600
Speaker 2: I think you would agree advantage Cincinnati. That's going to

1661
01:22:10,640 --> 01:22:12,959
Speaker 2: do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast,

1662
01:22:13,040 --> 01:22:15,360
Speaker 2: brought to you by pay Core. Proud to be the

1663
01:22:15,400 --> 01:22:20,160
Speaker 2: Bengals Official HR software provider by Alta Fiber future proof

1664
01:22:20,200 --> 01:22:23,240
Speaker 2: fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business, and community

1665
01:22:23,320 --> 01:22:26,679
Speaker 2: to a new level, and by Kettering Health the best

1666
01:22:26,760 --> 01:22:29,639
Speaker 2: care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official

1667
01:22:29,680 --> 01:22:33,360
Speaker 2: healthcare provider of the Bengals. If you haven't done so already,

1668
01:22:33,680 --> 01:22:36,639
Speaker 2: please subscribe to this podcast and if you have a minute,

1669
01:22:36,680 --> 01:22:39,400
Speaker 2: give it a rating or share a comment that helps

1670
01:22:39,560 --> 01:22:43,640
Speaker 2: more Bengals fans find us. I'm Dan Horden. Thanks for

1671
01:22:43,760 --> 01:22:46,240
Speaker 2: listening to the Bengals Booth podcast