CINCINNATI — With 12 practices down including Thursday’s first session inside Paycor Stadium, the first-impression phase for the Bengals’ 2024 rookie class has concluded.
They have been hard to miss.
They’ve been loud and large, fast and frustrating.
Not every one of the 10 draft picks has found a role — or many reps — on starting and backup units overflowing with established, returning players. Outside of first-round pick Amarius Mims, cracking the starting group even for one day has been a notable badge of honor.
With three games and two joint practices in the next 12 days, the real test begins seeing who carves out a role on the 2024 Bengals and who slides to the back burner — or off the 53-man roster.
That starts with their NFL debut on Saturday against Tampa Bay.
“I’m excited to watch this class,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “I think it’s a class that has real edge to them. And all these guys have really shown flashes of what we hope to see in training camp. So far I think the class is on pace with what he hoped to get out of them when we drafted them.”
Taylor said he’s looking for elimination of repeat mistakes and carrying over the competitiveness he’s viewed as a strength of the rookies to this point.
The first impression for each pick has been made — good, bad or indifferent. Before entering the game phase, here’s a look at what we learned from every draft pick over the last three weeks from their role, best plays, key quotes, analysis and first-impression grade.
OT Amarius Mims (Round 1/pick 18)
Role: Starting right tackle since Day 1. Technically in a battle with veteran OT Trent Brown, who was cleared off NFI earlier this week.
Play that stands out: The first 11-on-11 reps in pads where Myles Murphy attempted to bull rush Mims but was swallowed up by his massive, powerful frame. You see it walking around, but in action on the field, his rare size, power and movement are startling.
Key quote: “My feeling on that guy’s pretty good right now. His mindset, his athleticism, his size, his willingness to be coached, grow and learn is all an A-plus.” — Joe Burrow on Mims
GO DEEPER
Amarius Mims becoming the biggest story in Bengals camp
Analysis: Mims’ first impression has been the story of camp and suddenly he’s gone from the inexperienced rookie to, perhaps, the safer option to start on opening day over Brown. He’s not perfect. He makes rookie mistakes and we’ve seen him get beaten. But the enthusiasm, attitude and physicality suggest he’s in a great place to hit the ground running.
First-impression grade: To quote Burrow, A-plus
DL Kris Jenkins (2/49)
Role: Originally running with second and third teams at the interior defensive line spot, but with recent injuries shifted into first group in practices.
Play that stands out: There would be far more plays that you notice Jenkins standing out for getting washed out with a double team in the run game than breaking through. He’s flashed playmaking, but when most runs end in a two-hand tap and a running back breaking through, it’s hard to know how much credit he deserves at the point of attack.
Key quote: “He’s got a good background. They did a great job with him coming out of college. He understands it. He’s done it. And he’s a strong dude. He gets himself in some bad situations, but he’s strong enough to work out of it.” — defensive line coach Marion Hobby
Analysis: We have not seen the instant impact to this point. As always, in the trenches, the games will be a better judge, but he hasn’t produced a buzzy first three weeks. You can always follow the snaps for insight and Jenkins has mostly worked in the second rotation and even the third group when more defensive tackles were healthy early in camp. He’s been fine, just OK. There’s plenty to like about his foundation of technique and power but he needs to show some progress in the coming weeks to carve out a more significant role early in the season.
First-impression grade: C
Role: Rotating predominantly with the second- and third-team receivers groups at both slot and outside spots with far more reps on the outside in recent practices.
Play that stands out: Burton was running up the seam in a 7-on-7 in a practice early in the second week. Burrow ripped a pass off the line of his route that skidded off into the distance. Immediately after the play, Burrow motioned to Burton he should have taken a different route against that coverage. These are standard missteps for young receivers learning an NFL offense on the fly, but the type of thing you’ve seen early in camp as he’s tried to get acclimated to the details.
GO DEEPER
Three topics with Bengals OC Dan Pitcher: Joe Burrow’s progress, Ja’Marr Chase’s absence
Key quote: “Jermaine is very talented. Jermaine’s got tremendous ball skills. Jermaine is working through what most rookie players work through as rookies. They’re figuring out how to be consistent and it’s really not … I wouldn’t say it’s an effort thing. He’s just working on the consistency and the nuances of the offense and being able to make the right decision every time. And that’s not easy. We don’t take that for granted and he’s gonna get there because he’s very, very talented and we’re gonna help him get there, but it’s gonna be a process and he’s in the middle of it and all we ask of him is to give great effort every day and don’t repeat mistakes, be coachable. He’s showing that he can be all those things.” — offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher
Analysis: Burton’s merely going through a standard process of figuring out the NFL. That’s kept him in a reserve role and slightly off the radar considering the overwhelming hype that followed him into this camp. He’s made his fair share of impressive catches but is very much learning. Tackling the learning curve may become more important if Charlie Jones’ injury is considered serious.
First-impression grade: C
Jermaine Burton makes a catch in the end zone during training camp practice. (Kareem Elgazzar / USA Today)
Role: Rotational nose tackle, taking on a portion of snaps left behind by DJ Reader.
Play that stands out: Jackson went down in the mass of men during a play on Monday, waved for the sideline and hobbled off. He eventually left on a cart and moved to the rehab field with a knee sprain. With a rash of injuries already among the defensive tackles, it took away an opportunity to soak up a load of extra snaps in the coming weeks.
Key quote: “He’ll be week-to-week,” Taylor said of Jackson’s injury on Thursday.
Analysis: His injury comes at an unfortunate time because so many of these defensive tackles will be properly evaluated by the preseason games and Jackson will see no shortage of action when healthy. He’s been fine so far. There hasn’t been much to note about his time on the field. That can often be the case for 330-pound nose tackles, but he hasn’t been a terror and also hasn’t looked like a liability. When he can get into games and joint practices, that will offer a better perspective on how his size and power are holding up.
First-impression grade: N/A
TE Erick All (4/115)
Role: Just over nine months after tearing his ACL, he was cleared to practice one week in and has been strategically sprinkled into all aspects of camp.
Play that stands out: His first catch with the team. In a red zone 7-on-7 session, All pulled down a high pass in traffic from Jake Browning near the goal line while taking a hit from behind. It was an impressive contested catch and an eye-opening first impression in his initial practice.
Key quote: “I feel real good. I just want to do more. It stinks doing the beginning of practice and then being done. Hopefully, I show the trainers that I’m good and they put me in more things.” – All early in camp, he would soon show he deserved much more.
Analysis: The sample size has been limited as the team eases him back off the ACL. What we have seen is notable. The athleticism and versatility show up. The fact he’s cleared, which sets him up to land on the initial 53-man roster and not have to worry about starting the year on PUP, served as an encouraging development. His play grew the encouragement exponentially. There’s hope to work him into preseason games at some point. It will merely be a matter of seeing more from him as his rehab and full integration continue.
First-impression grade: N/A (mid-term grade: B)
GO DEEPER
How Tee Higgins endured — and emerged from — an offseason of constant controversy
Role: Learning both outside and slot corner. Sprinkled in with the first team depending on the health of the starters, but predominantly running with the backups.
Play that stands out: In Wednesday’s practice during a notably competitive 11-on-11 session, Browning tested Newton one-on-one on a deep shot to the end zone against Charlie Jones. Newton stayed with Jones step for step up the sideline with ideal technique and there was no window for the pass to find as it was batted away incomplete. The celebration was loud — as it often is with Newton — but deserved as he showed exactly why he’s winning people over in this camp.
Key quote: “He’s not timid. He’s competing his tail off. Like all the rookies, there will continue to be highs and lows, but I love his energy. The guy loves football, and he’s here for a reason.” – Taylor
Analysis: Nobody would call Newton quiet, certainly not on the field where he’s unafraid to talk trash following a good play. His solid camp has been getting louder, though. There’s a significant amount of positive reviews following him around even as Mims and Burton grabbed most of the headlines. His tenacity, physicality and stickiness in coverage are notable. Every day he makes a play or two. He’s certainly arrived playing at a level higher than the fifth-round slot he was selected out of TCU. If his practice contributions translate to the preseason game and joint practices, he could be carving out a role for himself as a reserve corner this year.
First-impression grade: A-minus
Role: Third-string tight end.
Play that stands out: He’s yet to stand out as a lack of opportunity and being behind the big three of Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson has limited his exposure.
Key quote: “I knew it was going to be a process when he came in here — it’s every rookie tight end, Erick, Cam Grandy — it’s tough to learn everything. Tanner has been doing a great job. Typically, like in all camps across the league right now there are rookie tight ends that are jacking things up. They run the wrong direction because they have so much stuff they got to know. Just don’t make the same mistakes twice and learn from it.” — tight ends coach James Casey
Analysis: There’s just not much to analyze with McLachlan. He missed OTAs with a core muscle injury and missed some time in camp working his way back. The tight end room is crowded in front of him so there haven’t been many opportunities to show himself. He also hasn’t shown himself. You’d like to take more notice of a player, but he’s blended in. That can change quickly over the next two weeks, but in terms of practice impression, he’s stayed in the shadows. With a crowded space, he’ll need to make an impact in the games to land a spot on the 53.
First-impression grade: C-minus
Role: Reserve edge rusher, fighting for one of the final roster spots.
Play that stands out: He got an opportunity to run with the first team Sunday in different spots and showed his speed, even sneaking around Orlando Brown Jr. on one play off the edge.
Key quote: “He’s a fast kid and strong, young. He’s good and raw just like you like them. You can either mold them or mess them up. I’m going to try not to mess him up. I found out he likes that right side a little better, he’s a little bit more natural over there.” – defensive line coach Marion Hobby
Analysis: Cam Sample’s injury made a clearer path for Johnson to stick on the roster. He needs plenty of development for his impressive physical traits that originally drew the Bengals’ scouts to him. He’s shown speed to burn coming off the edge. As Hobby mentioned, they’ve focused him on the right side, but any action he sees on the field this year would probably come on special teams for Darrin Simmons.
First-impression grade: C-plus
Tight end Tanner McLachlan is pursued by safety Daijahn Anthony during camp. (Albert Cesare / USA Today)
Role: Versatile defensive back, playing safety as well as nickel corner. Even earned some run with the first team for a few days.
Play that stands out: You could choose any of his three interceptions, but what stood out was his interception of Burrow in 7-on-7. He drove on a pass to the outside for Gesicki and snatched it away for the first pick of QB1 this camp. An impressive play from a natural safety, who took coaching about the route from earlier and applied it in real-time against the first team.
Key quote: “You don’t want to just have little splash plays every now and then. You want to come to work every day and show up 100 percent.” — Anthony
Analysis: One pick by the seventh-rounder and it happens to be the first of camp? Nice. A second interception, this the first of Burrow in camp? Even better. A third interception, this time falling off your assignment reading the quarterback in a passing lane? OK, we have a trend. Anthony might be a seventh-rounder out of Ole Miss, but he’s made a big impression in the early portion of camp. He’s versatile and has been rewarded with snaps at different positions and up in the rotation. His knack for finding the football has been hard to miss.
First-impression grade: A
Role: Third-string center.
Play that stands out: There aren’t many plays that stand out with Lee. What did stand out was the discussion of how he handles the lack of reps he’s received in 11-on-11. He pointed out he might wish he was out there more, but has focused on visualizing what he should be doing at every play and ensuring he understands what his job would be if he were out there.
Key quote: “Once we got going in camp, everything has slowed down where I have a good grasp of basically everything. Mentally, I like where I’m at and understanding the playbook. To get there, a lot of it will grow rather than sitting in the meeting room getting out there on the grass and doing it.” — Lee
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Analysis: In past years, we’ve seen competition show up at the backup center position. Trey Hill had to fight for — and lost — his job behind Ted Karras last camp. There’s been no sign of any such thing this camp with Lee. He’s not cracked reps with the second team with Hill getting all the work when the twos take over. You don’t often see rookie centers start games (shout out Russell Bodine) and you especially don’t see a lot of seventh-round centers do so. That said, you would have liked to see a touch more momentum for Lee in the rotations. The good news for Lee is he’ll get plenty of opportunity in the preseason games to prove himself and unseat Hill.
First-impression grade: C-minus
(Top photo of Kris Jenkins Jr.: Albert Cesare / USA Today)
