The Cincinnati Bengals have a handful of key positional battles unfolding across the roster at training camp right now.
Things have continued to get more interesting now that the team is going in full pads, so here’s a quick rundown of some possible battle highlights to know.
No. 3 WR
Expect a rotation here in an effort to replace Tyler Boyd. The Bengals wanted to get faster here, yes, but they wanted to get more versatile, too. Tight end Mike Gesicki and running backs like Chase Brown could line up in the slot, too. But Charlie Jones and Trenton Irwin present some of that surehanded shiftiness Joe Burrow will like. Training camp breakout Andrei Iosivas, though, could see the most snaps of anyone and is a massive mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses as a third wideout.
RT
Right now, first-round rookie Amarius Mims is running unopposed for the starting job with Trent Brown sidelined. The veteran figures to return to action next week. And while he’s been a very reliable pass-blocker over the years, the veteran is also a newcomer to the team and previously missed some time this summer before camp, too. It’s too early to say Mims will win the starting job, but it’s starting to look more realistic.
P
For those out of the loop, there’s a three-way battle at punter. Brad Robbins, last year’s starter, is currently getting pushed by undrafted rookie Austin McNamara. Ryan Rehkow was one of the team’s three recent signings in free agency, too. While no guy has pulled away this early, Robbins has been consistently receiving the most praise from coaches. Dan Hoard provided a look at one way the team is evaluating the spot:
4. How will special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons evaluate the three punters? You’ll notice after this Ryan Rehkow kick, Darrin reads the hang time, distance, direction, and other noteworthy details into a video camera so that every kick in camp can be logged and evaluated. pic.twitter.com/zFesPXTaU9
— Dan Hoard (@Dan_Hoard) August 2, 2024
