Things just keep getting more interesting at Cincinnati Bengals training camp.
Joe Burrow, for example, did some light throwing with his receivers as his comeback from appendix surgery continues.
There was also Alex Cappa continuing to get back in the mix with the offensive line, Tee Higgins starting to put in some work in one-on-ones and some key names of note continuing to make some noise as they work toward pulling off an upset and making the final roster.
Here’s a look at the biggest notes and takeaways from the day’s practice as the Bengals gear up for Friday night’s preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
Joe Burrow update
Burrow worked through the paces with his receivers on Monday while most of the team worked on other drills. It was the first major occurrence of him attending a practice without the golf cart, let alone the first time he’s thrown the ball since his operation. Zac Taylor didn’t want to put a timeline on his return, but he’s moving as expected through what is typically a two-week process.
O-line update
Still no word on La’el Collins but Alex Cappa continues to ramp up for the upgraded offensive line. One of the bigger question marks right now is D’Ante Smith, who coaches consider day to day with a back issue that popped up two practices ago. They’d like to see him during Friday’s game but that’s seeming unlikely now.
Dax Hill to start
The Bengals will indeed throw first-round rookie Dax Hill out there as the starting free safety in place of Jessie Bates on Friday night. No word on how long he’ll play, but considering he’d been working with the linebackers on getting calls in from the sideline and getting guys into position, he’s certainly prepared.
Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins 👀
(🎥 @BengalsCaptain)
pic.twitter.com/0CtWvUwFuf— PFF (@PFF) August 8, 2022
Tee Higgins looks…great. He’s been slowly ramping up after having a labrum operation and the above highlight says a lot about where he’s at right now. The latest report is that he’s ahead of schedule.
Stars shining
It almost sounds silly to spotlight this but it’s worth a mention every now and then — some of the defensive stars are outright dominating camp. Chidobe Awuzie is having a stunningly good camp considering who he’s lining up against. And Trey Hendrickson has been the MVP outright, just dominating the offensive line and wreaking havoc. Good signs that hint the Super Bowl defense is right on track.
