Bengals Booth Podcast: Getting Closer

already like Pete Prisco, you will after our conversation. Then Dave Lapham joins me for nearly forty minutes to wrap up training camp as we'll answer questions like who were the biggest stars, the biggest surprises, the biggest disappointment, and much more. The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Prime Sport,

the official hospitality partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. And here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or

pod Bean. It's the greatest thing since a handwritten note, the greatest sports broadcaster of all time, Vin Scully has decided to auction off his memorabilia to take care of his children and grandchildren, as well as contribute toward medical research. There are three hundred five items up forbid online, including a handwritten note that Peyton Manning sent to Scully on the occasion of Vin's retirement. It reads as follows, Dear mister Scully, I just wanted to congratulate you on your

unbelievable broadcasting career. To perform at the highest level for as long as you have is truly incredible. I know that I speak from millions of sports fans when I say thank you for coming into our homes and calling so many memorable games. I wish you all the best in the post broadcasting chapter of your life. I hope our paths cross someday. Congratulations again, sincerely Peyton Manning. How great is that? I love Peyton Manning and Vin Scully.

And by the way, the current bid for that handwritten note, at least as of this podcast, is a pretty reasonable one hundred forty nine bucks. If you would like to check it out, just google Vin Scully Hunt Hunt Auctions. Now let's get to football. One of My favorite NFL writers in broadcasters is Pete Prisco from CBS Sports, mostly because he offers smart opinions, but also because he doesn't fall for the usual lazy national narratives that are used

to take shots at the Bengals. He's critic call of the team when warranted, but he'll also give the Bengals credit when credit is due, and he certainly did that when we spoke this week. Pete. Back at April, you tweeted the following, I love Joe Burrow's game. He will be a star. What do you love? Well, it starts with the attitude. And I'm a big believer and a guy having a swagger and he has it. And you know, just spending the previous amount of time I've been with him,

I just love the way he handles himself. He's got a chip on his shoulder. I mean, he's the first guy to tell you, look I did I didn't come to conventional way, and I'm gonna play that way, you know, And I think that's the most important things. And having talked to guys and we had Zach Taylor on this week, and listen to how he handles the huddle. That tells you acts like a veteran, so I think he had

it all together. You remind by the way, one more thing he reminds me of Tom Brady, the way you maneuvers a pocket, and that's a really good trait to have in the NFL. He's a little more athletic to tom Brady, but he can maneuver of that pocket make plays. I would think that's about the highest praise you could give to a rookie quarterback to mention him in the same sentence as Tom Brady. Yeah, it is. And I'm

not comparing him to tom Brady. Yeah, I mean I I remember watching him at LSU last year and I sent that tweet out and everybody got all over me. No, he's not tom Brady. He just reminds me of tom Brady the way he handles a pocket. He's much more athletic than tom Brady and doesn't have the arm that tom Brady has, but but he just reminds me of him in terms of getting away from pressure, stepping up, feeling it, feeling comfortable to pocket, and keeping his eyes

down the field. And and that's a big thing for a young quarterback. We're chatting with Pete Prisco from CBS Sports. When other national reporters pushed the narrative that Joe Burrow is going to try to pull an Eli Manning to avoid coming to Cincinnati, you push back and said that was dumb. What did you see that so many others didn't? Well, I mean, what is he gonna do? Sit out a season and not play, you know? And it didn't make any sense. And I remember asking him about that at

the comp. We were just having a conversation about it. It It wasn't for all the record or anything. He said, I don't know where that ever came from. I said, And I told him. I looked him in the eye. I said, you know, if i'm you, I say, I'm going in there and I'm going to change the culture. It's going to be entirely different when I leave. And he said, that's exactly how I feel. And so I don't know where that came from and why that even, you know, people ran with that. It made no sense

to me. He had no other option but to play for the Bengals, and he's from up there. Why would he not want to play for the Bengals. Did it feel like clickbait to you? Oh? It was clickbait. It was, and you know when one does it, too does it? Four does it? Eight does it? And then it's sixteen and then it's a story and you know, you know how that goes. And guys ran with it, and guys in the national media ran with it. I don't understand why they did. He was always going to play there.

We're talking to Pete Prisco. You can follow him on Twitter at Prisco CBS. What did you think of the Bengals off season in general? I don't get a good offseason. I mean, it hurts that Trey Waynes isn't there. You know that that's you know, one of the positions they wanted to upgrade, and that hurt. But I think getting Reader in the middle of that defense so will be or on that line, will be a big addition for him,

you know, with Gino in that group. And I think Sam Hubbert might be one of the most underrated players in the league. I think the front is gonna be good. I worry about the young linebackers, but I like the guys they drafted. I think Logan Wilson is going to be a big time player. I think they drafted well at that position. They're going to be very young, as you know, you know, Pratt the only guy with experience there. And then I think, you know, you got a factor

in a couple of other things. One you get aj Greenback, he's you know, and I still think he can play at a really high level. Two you get Jonah Williams, which is an extra first round pick. And so I think you add all that up, and I think they've had a very good offseason. What did you think of Jonah going into last year's draft? Really good player. He's going to be a solid left tackle for a long time.

You know, I don't know if he's ever going to be Anthony Munio is good, but I think he's gonna be a good, solid left tackle for a long time. And that, you know, that's solidifies two important positions because the center is a good player. You know, people don't realize how good he is where he's going in his career. So I think that was important to get that line back on track again. And I think Mixon is going to really be the guy who benefits from it in

a big way. Well, let's talk about Joe Mixon. Pete analytics say you don't pay running backs the Bengals gave him forty eight mill for four years. Good move or bad move. I normally would say bad move, but he's only about twenty four years old, and I don't think that contracts that much out of whack. I think that contracts in line with what the value of the position is. So good move. And I think he only saw hints of what he's going to be last season in the

second half. They had a hard time figuring out how to use them exact Keller even said that, And they figured it out in the second half of the season. And what he went for one one in three games, in three of the final four games. So I do think that in this case it's warranted and it's not a crazy contract. I think it's a fair contract for both sides. He every over one hundred yards a game over the last eight so you're right, they figured out

what was working best with him and this line. Yeah, And I think that's only the scratch of the surface with him. I really believe he's got, you know, leading the league type potential in him, and I think what he does in terms of running the football will be enormous to help take the pressure off with Joe Burrow, and let's face that their offense is loaded with playmakers, and aj Green comes back that kicks boy down to two, and then it keeps kicking other guys down. And I

think that, you know, dates flashed at times. You know, if Roskin you saw Rows in Seattle in that big game, I think if he could say on the field, he's got ability. I like what they you have on offense. I like what they have in the front seven. I worry about the linebackers. Although I liked the players. I just think the youth might show up there. And you know, I think the secondary will be revitalized because I think Jackson's going to play better than he did what he's

hurt last year. A few more questions for Pete Prisco from CBS. You mentioned the recent interview with Zach Taylor. Did anything really jump out from that conversation. Well, I played for a clip that I that I had of myself saying they were going to win one or two Super Bowls and then next to heat in the next decade, and he kind of said, well, let's slow down a

little bit. But I appreciate you saying that. I really believe that I think they're building something there, and and it takes a big time quarterback to have sustainable success in the NFL. You have to have that guy, and they have that guy, at least in my mind. I think he's going to be a star player and he will cure your ills. If you have ills, the great quarterbacks cure him. If you don't have that guy, you're gonna get exposed. And I think he's gonna cure whatever

ills they have in the long run. So yeah, I think that was interesting he said that. Then. I also liked what he said about him in the huddle. I mean that he never acted like a rookie, and I think that's big and important for a young quarterback. Do you think the Bengals get a bad rap for how they go about their business? Absolutely, I don't think there's any question about that, And there's been year is where

the rap was deserved. But you know, the whole cheap and you know they don't do things the right way. They have a limited scouting department. I think I think that, you know, Tope has done a really good job and that Scott part probably way too underrated for what he's done. And so yeah, I do think they get a bad rap. And remember back they used to be the Bungles and they used to get guys get in trouble and then

you know, but that's not what they are anymore. And I think that culture has changed there and I think it's a good thing. And as they get better, that culture will continue to change. Pete assessed the AFC North going into twenty twenty. See that's the problem. I think the Bengals are gonna be that much better. That's a tough division. I think Pittsburgh getting Roethlisburger back makes them to me. I think they're gonna win a division. I

think their defense is outstanding. Most people will pick Baltimore. I think they might have a little regression to the norm this year. I think it'll be Pittsburgh one, Baltimore two, Cleveland three, and Cincinnati four. But I wouldn't be shocked if Cincinnati somehow finished ahead of the of the Browns. I think they're gonna get to six, seven, eight wins this year and then next year they're going to be a playoff team. Where are you on Baker Mayfield. I

think last year is hard to grade him. I think it's one of those situations where he had a bad coach bad tackles. He ran for his life. He confidence Wayne when he took too many shots. I think he's got a chance to be a bounce back player. He's got a lot of weapons. They improved the tackle spots signing Conklin and drafted Wills. I think he'll be much better, He'll be more He'll be much more closer to what he was in the first year than what he was

last year. I think have you been pleasantly surprised by how things have gone so far in NFL training camps considering the pandemic that we're all going through. Yeah. Absolutely, And you got to give a lot of credit to a the owners who spent a boatload of money to make those facilities you know, safe and you know maybe so the protocols were all in place, because that's not cheap to do with the plexi class and adding extra

lockers and the whole deal. They spent a lot of money and they're not going to be making a lot of money, so that's that's udos to them, but also

kudos to the players. I figured when this thing all started that player number seventy five on every roster would try and go out and show everybody he's in the NFL, even though he knows he's not going to make the team, and you know, go to the bars and go to the restaurants and have people buying him drinks and getting in the middle of parties and stuff, and then he bring it back to the facility. Well, that even hasn't happened. So yeah, kudos to the NFL owners, but also kudos

to the NFL players. Did I see correctly that the Chiefs are your Super Bowl pick? They are, indeed, And you know, when you get all those starters back and you have the best player in the league and you have Patrick Mahomes throwing that football around, it's hard for me to pick against it. It's it's kind of been one of those things where I've you know, I used to pick the Patriots all the time. I picked the Taggers.

I picked them again. I'm a big Rogers guy. I don't think there's any you know, regress in his game, and so yeah, I'm picking the Chiefs again to win it all. But I also saw you say that if you are just doing a hey the odds are too good to pass up, bet you'd throw one down on the Bengals at the ridiculous odds. It's crazy twenty thousand and one, correct, Yeah, I mean if quarterback is as good as I think he's going to be in that front place like I think it can play, then you know,

twenty thousand and one isn't crazy to take a shot. Absolutely, I would take that. You can read Pete Prisco's articles and find his video content at CBS sports dot com. The Bengals have basically concluded training camp on Saturday. They have to cut the roster down to fifty three players and then next week it's all about getting ready for the season opener against the Chargers on the thirteenth. On Thursday, I got together with my broadcast partner Dave Lapham to

take a comprehensive look back at training camp. Lap Training camp basically ends tonight with a mock game. They will be in game preparation mode next week to get ready for the Chargers. So this is the wrap up training Camp edition of the podcast. So we're going to go through a wide variety of categories. We will each give our picks in these categories, and we're to start with the offensive star of training camp. Who's your pick, Joe Burrow?

I'm going to finally pick him for something because and it's I mean, his performance, his physical performance has been extraordinary at times, really really top shelf, and then he's had moments that aren't. And he'll be the first to tell you that it's you know, he's got to do better, it's got to be better than that. But it's it's never just him. It never is just one guy. You know, they've been drop some of things, but he's had some things that he needs to clean up and he knows that.

But the thing that he has been consistent about every single minute of every single day is dedication, preparation, working to get better. Don't waste a moment, don't waste a second, don't waste a practice. And I asked him at one of the you know zoom conference calls about that, you know where does that? And he said hey. His answer was the best thing a training camp. In my mind, there are offensive and defense or the defensive coordinates out

there every day trying to get better. There are defensive players out there every day trying to get better. I don't want to waste any time. I don't want to waste a day. I always have to try to get better. I'm thinking this guy gets it in such a high level.

I mean, he really is a He reminds me I have the opportunity and the good fortune to meet Peyton Manning when he is an eighteen year old freshman at Tennessee and this eighteen year old kid had twenty two and twenty three year old red shirt seniors falling him around like puppy dogs. He was the king and they were the court. And that's what Joe Burrow is doing. Every single guy that you asked dan on the team, you know what about oh Man, he took over the handle.

He's leaders. This is that every single player. So the tangibles you know, have been there, but the intangibles are ridiculously off the charts, ridiculously all right, since he's your offensive star of camp, I'll save him from a different category. It is thank Havans. I'm gonna choose Audent Tate in this category. I think Tyler Boyd probably caught the most passes from Joe Burrow during training camp, and I think Tate caught the biggest ones touchdown passes in the red zone.

That fourth down play to end one scrimmage period one day, third down catches to extend drives. He's had a great camp and I think it underscores for me. Also the strides that he's taken since he got here. Four catches his rookie year, forty catches last year and he only started ten games. He averaged more than fourteen yards a catch last year. So he's not this yeah, he'll get you seven yards kind of guy that people think that

he is. He is a legitimate weapon, and I honestly think that by the end of this year he will be third on the team and catches. I tend to agree with you, Dan, And the thing that summation from me about Auden Tate last year scrimmage, he was in every snap and they were load managing other people. This year scrimmage, he was one of the ones that was load manage. That's how far he's come. You know. His his placed on the totem pole. He's climbing it. Man,

There's there's no doubt about it. And I give him a lot of credit because, um, last year. I'm not saying he was one trick pony, you know, but the contested catch thing is obviously off the charts. I mean, his his ability to catch the ball over his head to time it, the body control all that, all the you know, the vice hands, the long arms, everything. I mean, he's a he's a you know, huge catching radius guy. But in the offseason, in my mind, looks like you

get a little faster, a little quicker. His body lean is better. He's getting in and out of cuts better. He's not telegraphing routes. You know, the big body guy tends to telegraph. I mean, tate age. These guys don't telegraph routes. They get up on the toes of the defensive back. And the dB has no audum taste. Sometimes you could you know, this is what his body's telling me. He's going to do this, And he was kind of upright, you know. Now he's running with a better lean and

he's quickly. Definitely respect your choice. Audent Tatis had a hell of a camp. I should clarify when I said third in receptions. Joe Mixon might be ahead of him if they use him in the passing game the way I think they will, but third among the receivers and receptions after a healthy AJ Green, I'm knocking on something.

And Tyler Boyd, all right, your defensive star of training camp, you know, I'm gonna go with Sam Hubbard because when I watch Sam Hubbard, you know, you watch him in every every drill, one hundred thousand percent every time they run team. You know, he's hustling. And then in the scrimmage, who got the sacks? The critical play sacks? You know, Sam Hubbard always gives you a consistent performance at a

very very high level. His bar is high, and he always tries to, you know, at least reach that bar, if not go over it. And I do think that that his play does get contagious, not just amongst the defensive linement. I think it gets contagious, you know, up and down, you know, the line of scrimmage at all levels. So I just, you know, I guess I liked the guy so much, you know, and I like the way

he plays. I really think that from a consistency performance, you know, he's just he's a grinder man, and he grinds at such a high level of energy. I really respect the guy. He would he reminds me of Edge Tim crum Right. Crum Rye was a pain in the butt to work against in training camp because he only had one speed. You know, coaches say this Drill's half speed. No such animal. Tim can be like that, you know, and he's he's got a lot of the Tim crumb

right attributes. All positive. I'm not saying anything negative about it. It's all positive, for sure. On the edge a little bit. I could go with Geno Atkins in this category. He's had a very good camp. But I'll go with Will Jackson as my defensive star of training camp. Two reasons. He's healthy. You know, he had torn laborham and his shoulder last year, so he got that fixed. He's healthy. And secondly, my man wants to get paid. He's going to be a free agent at the end of the year.

He sees his new teammate Trey Wayne's making fourteen million dollars a year. He knows that that's the kind of money that he can make if he has the kind of season he's capable of having like he did back in twenty seventeen. So Will Jackson's my guy in that category. There's my two names, Sam Hubbard and W. M. Jackson's Sam Hubbard and William Jackson. Those are the two, all right. Your biggest offensive surprise of training camp, Kim Identagy. I

like him. I'm not saying that he's going to be a starter this year, but you know, you know, we talked about it earlier. Six round pick. There's tremendous value there. That was a steal. They did a great job. And I know that they had him rated a lot higher, if not an early three, maybe even a late two. I mean, they were looking at him like that and you say, okay, well, how could he be that high? And he didn't get pick till the sixth They took linebackers,

biggest need, third and fourth round, fifth round. I'm sure he was on the discussion with Notre Dame edge rusher who has turned out to be You got a Kim and Hakim and Hakim he can rush on the edge. Two. That's two good picks. Their fifth and sixth round picks are very good football players who make contributions this year. And Identagy is so fluid in his movement. He's got a great feat. It looks like he's got a tremendous

mind too. I mean, he's got a good brain for the overall intelligence and a good brain for the game of football. I mean, I hope he develops quickly because I think he can help the football team he'd be my biggest surprise in watching him on a day to day basis. My biggest offensive surprise is Mike Thomas, partly because I had no expectations for him whatsoever. Ten catches and four seasons with the Rams. He did miss one

of those years with an injury. But he's a good receiver. Now, if everybody's healthy, he's not going to get a lot of reps at receiver, but I do think he'll make the team. He's a proven special teams guy. And if you go back to his final year at Southern Miss, seventy one catches for thirteen hunt one yards in fourteen touchdowns. He just didn't get that many opportunities with the Rams. Mike Thomas, it's here, he's right there. He's right there. We're all to say, on the same wavelength, on the

same brains wavelength. There. Yeah, I mean the kid has jackhammer feed Dan Man. I'm telling you he has got the quicks and he's he's gonna defensive tackle out of Oklahoma. I think he's gonna make the football team defensive tackle. They got thin quickly tupa opted out glasgall failed as physical. Wren had the quad surgery, so you know they're looking for another guy. You know you have you have three and let's knock on wood, hopefully everybody comes out of

training camp healthy. They can't afford to lose another defensive tackle. If they lose a defensive tackle, I mean the trio they have, you know, Geno Atkins, h Daniels and Reader. I mean, that's that's high cotton right there. But you need a fourth guy, and hopefully all those guys stay healthy. And I think Bledsoe he competes in there, he stays after it. You know, he's so steady, so consistent. That's

what you know, all coaches want consistency. I'm not saying that he has, you know, a big upside, a huge ladder that he can climb, but he gets to where he you know, he gets the most out of his ability. I think on an every practice basis, and I like that. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the team a defensive tackle. I may be showing some recency bias on my pick for the biggest defensive surprise of camp, but I'm gonna go with cornerback Tony Brown, who had the

great scrimmage that we broadcast on the radio. At Paul Brown Stadium, nearly had two interceptions in a span of about three or four plays. But I think he's been pretty solid during camp. We'll see if he makes it. But he's a guy that started in the past for the Green Bay Packers. He was a part of two national championship teams at Alabama ran track was a track

All Americans. So he's got some speed again. A guy that I didn't really know much when the Bengals picked him up, and now I'm thinking that maybe Tony Brown has an opportunity to contribute. All Right, your biggest disappointment of training camp, boy, defensively, it would be Trey Wayne's,

you know, not being able to participate. I mean, you know, you've got a guy that you've given fourteen million bucks a year, two forty two mills for three years and for him to not even be able to have any participation whatsoever, and you might be out for the year. If he comes back, it's going to be maybe for the very end of the season, and depending on where

the team is. I mean, if they're making a playoff push and he can come back, fine, if they're not, and I don't think that that's that he's going to come back. I mean I think, I think defensively that would be my biggest disappointment, and offensively it would be a J. T. Higgins, John Ross not being able to take enough nastal with Joe Barrow, that's a big disappointment to me. You know, it's like you have a rookie quarterback that had no pre season games, no OTAs, you know,

zoom conference meetings. That's been the biggest thing up until training camp starts, and then it's been sporadic at best, I mean limited if any reps. At no time have all three of them been in the huddle at the same time with Joe Burrow. To me, that's a big disappointment. And you know, injuries and other things have contributed mightily obviously, but it's still disappointing. Yeah, I'm there with you. Mine

is aj. It's not his faults. Injuries happened, but I've reached the point now where I'm seriously wondering how much he's going to be able to play this year. And I didn't really feel that way in the off season. Maybe I should have. I mean, he missed six games with a hamstring tear from twenty sixteen seven games, big toe injury twenty eighteen. Every game last year torn tendons in his ankle, kind of like before Tyler Eifert was able to play all sixteen games last year. Where you're like,

is it ever going to happen again in his early thirties. Yeah, I mean the foot all gods have decided to make Aj pay And like we know and three and twenty one in those twenty four games that he hasn't you know, hasn't been able to participate. He is such a big factor, such a big factor in the offense's success, and particularly the offense is success of a rookie quarterback. I mean if if if AJ Green is out there, you know, you know, the defense is going to tilt to him.

So you have other things that you know you can do if Aj is not now they can get real creative, you know. And it's just the ripple effect is enormous on the other receivers, on the quarterback, on the running game, because they can't load the pot the box as readily. I mean, it's it's massive. So you know, AJ Green

obviously is the kingpin. But love to see T Higgins and John I love to see all those guys out there, all hands on deck and totally healthy, with no fear of I'm going to tweak something, pull something, Should I should? I not go one hundred percent, just out there, just laying it all out there, laying it all on the line. I'd love to see that for you know, twelve fourteen, sixteen games. All right. The coach that caught your eye during training camp, Al Golden, because I think he's a

hell of a coach. Al Golden turned Temple around. Al Golden, turned Miami around. Al Golden. This is a head coach. The guy knows how to coach football. He knows how to deal with people. Obviously, that would be you know, at the head coaching level and the college in college football, alumni, coaches, players, fans. I mean, that's ridiculous. So he's a people person obviously, you know, and watching him work with these young linebackers,

it's critical critical. I mean that position got abused. I don't even know if that's a strong enough word, but it was decimated, demolished, whatever it was. It was ridiculous to watch. Now. It reminds me like we talked about before, Mark Dufter, when they drafted Kio Spikes and Brian Simmons, Steve Foley, and they got Adrian Ross as a free agent. You know, same thing this year, you know with with

with the draft picks. Uh, they have Logan Wilson, Uh, Davis Gaither in the in the fourth round, Bailey and then Spears as a free age. I think Spears is probably destined for the practice squad, but I think the other three make it so. Mark Duffner he was like he had these you know, these young linebackers that he was in total control of, and he knew that they were going to have a big impact on increasing the betterment of the football team. Al Golden is I'm looking

at Al Golden. I'm thinking back to Mark Dufton with that linebacker group. Al Golden with this linebacker group. I think this group eventually is going to there's so much upside there. I think eventually it's going to be like, Wow, look at this linebacker group. You know, they're they're kind of uh, they kind of got some swag on this

football team. I mean they're they're they're definitely they're a voice to be reckoned with, you know, and not just a voice there, there is something to be reckoned with on the football field. So I really like what I see what Al Golden's doing with these young guys. How he's molding him. And you know, I'm not saying that it was you know, it was Al Golden's necessarily his idea. But to bring in a veteran like Josh Bines, you know, the mix in the room. I'm sure he contributed to it.

Obviously a lot of people were involved in that process. But bottom line, as they bring Josh Bines in, who's basically his assistant linebacker coach as well as football player, they all all the young guys are talking about the football mind to Josh Bines and they're all in May. So I think Al Golden gets a big tip of the cap. You had me a turn Temple around. I mean that was a minor miracle when he did it, because they've been pretty good ever since and he got

it all turned around. I was tempted to go with tight ends coach James Casey in this category. I think he's a rising star and the coaching profession fascinating guy pitched minor league baseball then went to Rice triple major three point a GPA seven years in the NFL. I mean, anything he does, he succeeds at. But the coach that caught my eye, and I probably could say this every year, Darren Simmons. He reminds me of the best teachers I

ever had in life. At Syracuse University are alma mater, I had a policy professor Robert McClure, best teacher I ever had. And what was it about him, more than anything else, demanded excellence. You just you felt like you were letting him down if you did not go in there ready to go, ready to study, ready to do your absolute best, attention to detail demands excellence. That's Darren Simmons. You're right, And I guess I probably took Darren for

granted as an assistant head coach. The organization knows the value he brings to the table. And Darren Simmons is I mean, year and in year out, Let's face it. I was worried that he was going to be in New England Belichick, Let's face it. And there there were other teams that there are a few teams and uh, when they threw that assistant head coaching tag at Darren Simmons and financially rewarded him like I hope he was rewarded because yeah, he has been solid as a rock.

And you know the thing, the thing that all great coaches have with players. You can respect a coach and then other coaches you can like. But when you have guys that get their respect to players and players like them like a dick lebou And there's there's a few of them down through the years that I've come acrost and Darren Simmons falls into that category, man, And and I think it's because, like you said, Dan, infants and young children craved discipline. They don't know it, but they

craved discipline. They crave the organizational aspect of your life, of their lives that you give them as a parent or whatever. And Darren Simmons treat that's the same thing with a players. I think the players look at Darren Simmons like, where would I be without this guy? Honestly? All right, A couple more category to go, then some ask lap questions after that next category the question you had going into camp that has been answered to your satisfaction.

My two question marks were left tackle and linebacker. And left tackle, I mean it was a five man you know, Merry go round at left tackle. Last year, and multiple contributors aren't even in the league this year, so that tells you where they were. And Jonah Williams, I think, is gonna up the level of play at that left

tackle position significantly. And Jonah is not necessarily a guy that is beastly and will pick the stadium up and move it a block, but he is good a technician and a young player as I've seen in a long time. His footwork is extraordinary, His hands are Extraordinary's hand placement is lineman need to when they're in pass protection, need to keep their chest and shoulders back and out of

the fray. He does a great job of that. So you know, I feel good about the left tackle position, but I haven't played a game yet, and you know, so in his first two games, as we said many times, you know, it's only Joey Boston, Miles Garrett, so we'll find out pretty quickly. And then the other was the linebacker position, and I've I like what I see. It's athletic, can run, they seem to be intelligent, they're not busting assignments. But again, I want to see him playing a game.

They haven't tackled anybody yet, you know, I got to see him against other NFL teams, because you can get intoxicated watching the Bengals. The Bengals have NFL caliber football players. You watch him every day, it's like, these guys are pretty good. Well a bunch of other thirty one other teams around the league or having camp, and they're all

at least as good or better. So, man, until you start playing somebody else and they start doing things against you we haven't seen yet, because you do fall into a little bit of a comfort level, Jonahs, going against the same guys. Although it's good guys, Dan, I mean, you know you're talking about Carlos dunlaugh and carl Lawson giving you edge rush. Look at practice every day. I mean that's that's a that's a good caliber. You're gonna

get better going against people like that. So and uh and you look at the young linebackers having to cover Joe Mixon, Giovanni Bernard in space, Drew Sample, cj Isama Tighten. I mean, those guys are good NFL caliber players where you're gonna get better going against him in practice. But as Alan Ivans said, practice, I'm talking not the game. Let's see him in a game, all right, the question that I had that's been answered to my satisfaction. This is where I will use Joe Burrow. My question was

will he be ready? And that's still to be determined. Like you're saying, I mean in practice is one thing. Games are very different, but it's it's not that he's been perfect, but he's never been overwhelmed. Maybe whelmed at times, but never overwhelmed. He exudes confidence, his teammates are feeding off it. He just sensed that he's going to be fine. There will be growing pains, there are gonna be moments

he'll throw interceptions. Again, I'm not saying that he's ready for the Pro Bowl, but he's gonna be fine, and in the years to come, he's gonna be really, really good. I agree Dan, I think he's going to weather every storm. And Paul Brown had a tremendous sing and I think it applies to Joe Burrow. The game's not too big for you, and the game is not too big for

Joe Burrow. There is no question about it. And you know we talked earlier bringing up Peyton Manning again, I remember talking to Tom Moore, who was with Peyton in Indianapolis, and Tom Moore said, very early in Peyton Manning's career, it was obvious that this guy was Menza football genius and he elevated every because he elevated me. You know, he did a coach and I think, I think it should be like this, Oh you're right, Peyton, you know,

smartest kid in the room type thing. And he said that I had to try to figure out ways to keep him interested and motivated. And he said, it made me a hell of a lot better coach, and it made all the assistant coaches better coaches, made his teammates better. And I think Joe Burrows that has that in him.

I really do, all right, Final category, your biggest remaining concern as camp winds down, My biggest remaining concern is, don't lose any veteran football player that you you know, project to make a significant contribution to injury or anything else. All hands on deck. And I've seen I've seen weird things happen, you know, And I think Zach has done a heck of a job and almost almost bending over backwards, um, you know, with load management stuff. I mean, he his

veteran players. If you're you know, seven years and more in the league, when they have a day off, he gives them a veteran day to boot, so you know, scrimmage day off done another day. So the load management part of it, he is I think obviously AJ Green going down in the first forty five minutes of training camp last year has stayed with him and you can

only control which you can control. But he is absolutely doing everything he possibly can to make sure that when the thirteenth comes, the guys are going to be there ready to play. But look what happened last year with Alex Redmon pregame warmups blows his elbow, oued, I mean, are you kidding me? So you know you think about Aj the first forty five minutes of training camp, Alex Redmond making contributions to the offense line, blows his elbowed in pre game warmups with teammates in their own end

zone here at Paul Brown Stadium. Come on, So all I know is in this game, you never know. So football gods, be kind. Don't take anybody away before this LA Chargers game, because I've seen it happen. And if you do take somebody away, please don't make it a significant player. All right, My biggest remaining concern is the right side of the offensive line. I think center to left tackle, they've got a chance to be good. I think Trey Hopkins is certainly above average, maybe much better

than that. I think Michael Jordan's going to be a very good NFL player, hopefully this year. I think Jonah is going to be fine and hopefully really good in the years to come. He's still not so sure about right tackle right guard. I really thought going into camp that Fred Johnson would beat Bobby Hart out for that position. It was never a contest. Hopefully that says good things about Bobby Hart going into this season. And I thought Xaviers to a Philo would be a significant upgrade over

John Miller. Having watched him in camp, I think maybe they're about the same. Hopefully I'm wrong. I mean, campus camp games are different, but he has not dazzled in my opinion. Agree with you, I will. I will say that watching him in the scrimmage, that was his best effort, and and I'm I'm optimistic that his best st effort

took place in the scrimmage. Maybe he's a gamer, you know, maybe he's one of those guys that you know, just a veteran guy, you know, I mean, just whatever, and and he ends up being a gamer because yeah, I've not been like whoa xaviers to a filo now oo man. And with Bobby looking at Bobby, a lot of people we've talked about have changed their body. Bobby did too. Bobby has uh less than the caboose, lessen the trunk, and he's quicker. And when I see him jumping people,

I think that's when he's at his best. He again, neither offensive tackle are overpowering physical guys. They both have great feet, though Bobby has good feet, So in my mind, they have to go jump people and not let them get started because you know, at the end of past his past sets and plays is when Bobby gets like bold and overpowered. So if you can bring the defense a pass rusher to a complete stop and make him restart, and I think Bobby's capable of that. Now, you gotta

mix it up. You can't do a steady diet anything, but you gotta you know, you gotta change the you know, you can't throw fastballs down the middle of the plate every single snap. So but yeah, I think Fred Fred just has to mature more. You know, I think the one thing about Bobby. Bobby loves football and football is important to him, and hopefully fred gets maybe a little

more or that the importance of football. Football has to be, you know, really really a big, big deal, and I'm not saying that it's not, but I think there's room to grow there for him a little bit more. See, I'm not giving up on him because I think eventually, and maybe this year, who knows if he If he does play tackle or even guard, I think he could be. He and Michael Jordan could end up being the best run blockers in the team because they're so long, they're

so I mean, they're leverage. Their length and strength is so big and that helps you in protection as well. So I'm certainly not giving up on fred Um. I think he could at some point. We have pretty damn good tackle. I think he just needs more seasoning. Glad to hear what you had to say about Xavier Suphilo as well, because he is a sheer delight. I love that guy. I want him to be a big success. I just don't think he's had a great camp, But then again, he's a guy. He had a broken leg

at the end of last year. Maybe he's just you know, getting back to yeah, and when you watch him run, it's it's not a you know, it's not a free and easy, um physical flow there, you know. I mean he's he's got some a little bit of wear and tear on him. But I do know, um that his teammates love him because he's almost like an assistant coach. And coach Turner said that that he take you know, take the young guys and hey, look this is what's

worked for me. Try this. Think about this. Your body type is similar to this guy that I know he did this. Try this. He said that he's been a big, big addition you know, his teammates and offensive line coach Turner said that he has been a big addition to that offensive line room for sure. Eagle scout served others in a two year Mormon mission. I think he's a good man, So hopefully he will line up having a great season all right. Time for some ask lap questions

that were submitted on Twitter. First one comes from breaking the curse? What do you think Marcus Bailey's role will be his rookie year? Probably heavy special teams. I think that you know, I think they put their bat on the ball in all three linebacker draft picks. He was in the seventh round and the others were third and fourth round and they were drafted there, you know, for a reason. And now we got to remember he had

an ACL reconstruction. So like you were talking about Xavier, I think Bailey's just starting to get his land legs under room instead of his sea legs, you know. So I think I think that, um, there's room to grow there. I think there's some upside. And it's not like he hasn't done well. I think he's done well. I think he's played well at linebacker, and they've had him in a full rotation, you know, in a lot of the

sub packages. It's not like there's a there's you know, third fourth round picks and then gaping hole to seventh round contribution to camp. It's right there, it's right there. I like him. I think he's got some some explosiveness to him and I think it's coming back. And I think I think Darren Simmons, he's got some linebackers that can help him on special teams and barely being one of them from Brian. If a preseason trade were to take place, which position group would they be comfortable moving

and which would they look to get back. Well, you got to think, all right, here's here's my assessment of defense. Defensive line above average. You know, if everybody stays healthy, everybody, everybody please stay healthy. Linebacker big upside, big upside below average last year, getting closer to average, and upside to be even better than that. Secondary average, offensive line getting better, closer to average, but maybe a little bit below. Wide

receiver above average. So the two positions of strength wide receiver, defensive line. If you were trade you would want to improve your offensive line or in my mind right now, the secondary. I think they've done a ton with the linebacker position. So those would be the positions I'd shift around, I guess a little bit, and then it would be okay, would you trade your fifth receiver for your fifth for possibly a fifth best lineman? Hell yeah, your fifth receivers

are not gonna be fifth lineman? Is would you trade your fifth receiver for a seventh best lineman? Now you're thinking more, it's more, you know, even Stephen, so you know, and then you're throwing a draft pick to sweeten the pod. But they those positions would be the ones that I position or strength maybe down the line move one of those guys to try to beef up my position of weakness. But I will say Dan that they have the first

crack at everybody that's waived and the final cutdown. Now that's less than four years, four years or more, they're terminated, they go anywhere. But anybody less than four years, a three year corner, that's that somebody, let's go, boy, maybe they have first shot at him. So the Bengals don't have to wait and say, oh, do we do we get this guy? Because if you're the team that is uh,

it's just like the draft. If you're the sixteenth spot in the draft and the twenty second claims them and then the well man the nineteenth, you have to wait till the next day. Well, the Bengals know they would have claim and they know they have a shot at that guy. So I hope and I know they are the scouts in the first innel department. They're trying to anticipate who's going to be in that waived lest people

in the training camps. And is that when you're looking at improving your your final five or six spots on your fifty three man roster, some of those guys may be a little bit better. There may be some movement. If I could trade my fifth or sixth wide receiver for Quenton Nelson, I would do it, all right. Question from Jacob does the offensive line look like they've improved a lot, a little or not at all. Oh, they've improved.

They've improved. It's just a question of how much. And again in the scrimmage, I was encouraged because they did keep you know, pretty much two groups together, the first group, which which was Jonah Williams, Michael Jordan, Trey Hopkins at center, Xavier Suaphilo at right guard, and Bobby Williams at right tackle, Bobby Hart. Excuse me, Bobby Hart. Bobby Williams big, I like that. Bobby Williams back, big old Bobby, Bobby Bobby Hart at right tackle. Those guys I thought they I

thought they ran well, ran the ball. Well, they've got some creases. They did a decent job. So and they did it, you know, ones against ones. It was once against ones, ones against twos and all that. But I think they're improved now, you know how much? Again, I don't know yet. You know, the proof is in the pudding is still out there. It's out there. Against San Diego, it's out there against Cleveland, it's out there against Philadelphia

and everybody else. I mean, I think Dan the first month of the season, I don't think any team is going to be anyone near as good in September as they are on October. Spencer has the next question. I've heard that Drew Sample looks good in camp. What kind of role do you expect him to have this year? I think a significant one. I think that that he's um His first nap was against Jadevian Clowney up there in Seattle, and that was that was an eye opener.

So he can identify with what Jonah Williams might see, you know, work and work against Joey Boston, and that's going to be it's going to be a challenge. But I do think Sample worked with Sam Hubbard. Sample they had the gym and Sam Sample's garage and spilled out into the driveway and they both, you know, worked on their bodies. Sample is not necessarily a ton difference in weight,

but the distribution the weight, it's a lot different. And I think that he could be the true tight end, you know, the tight ends in the league now, even Kelsey as big and strong as he is, he's quite He's known as the receiver. George Kittle is like a third tackle, and he's like a receiver in the passing game. That's what they hope Sample can be. Sample came out

of college as the best blocking tight end. So I went in the second round out of Washington University of Washington, and I thought, I think Dan that his confidence, his route running, his ability to catch it. The tight ends had a tough scrimmage. He dropped when c J dropped, tusually had a tough day. They also had three catches a piece, though they did and that tells you though he was pumping them. Both quarterbacks were feeding those tight ends.

They're going to be important. They're gonna be very important in the offense this year. And I think I think Sample will be a you know, a t two phase player. I think he'll he'll be a factor in the passing attack and I think he's going to be he'll set the edge in the running game. Matthew asks, were you ever interested in becoming a coach, and if so, would you have stuck to the offensive line or would you ventured out to a different spot. Initially I would have

gone with the offensive line. But if you get into coaching normally, you want to try to advance to as high level as you can. So yeah, I mean if I if I had decided to do it, I don't think I would have been in Jim McNally and said I want to just be an offensive line coach my whole career. I think I would have tried to dabble as an offensive corner to be a head coach before Greg, you know some of the other offensive line coaches, Andy Reid, Um,

you know it became. I first met Andy Reid when he was a grand assistant graduate from BYU, A University of Missouri, and I was like, yeah, this guy, this young guy's pretty impressive and obviously it worked for him. I was right, But yeah, I mean I did have an interest for us. Greg inquired about it. Um college coaches like Mac Brown and uh less Miles inquired about it. But as big an interest as I had, my wife had even less. So as they say, happy wife, happy life,

unhappy wife, unhappy life. And I you know, I thought, uh, you know that my kids really love Cincinnati. They really you know, I thought I uproved my family. Maybe hop Scotch a run and pogo stick around. Both my kids. They're here in Cincinnati, They've got kids, they were raising their families here. So from a family standpoint, I feel good about the decision I made, But there's always that what if I always think about it that man, I

think I would have liked it. I know I would have enjoyed it and liked it, And how good would I have been? Who knows? To be determined, I guess so not to be determined, it won't happen now. But here recently there was another thing thrown at me as as as a very very early stages with the raid is, but didn't pursue that. So at the age i'm matt I think I'm going to be a color analyst for the Bengals radio network. Dan, at this point in time, you would have been a great coach, tremendous head coach,

O line coach. Your guys would have loved playing for you. You would have won big. But we're happy at Joe's broadcasting, so I'm grateful that you elected to get into this line of work. All right, final question comes from a different Matthew. We always like to end with kind of a wild card type question. What's the most cheese Coney's You've ever had in one sitting? Oh, my goodness, the most I've ever had? Oh gosh, I mean four went down so fat. I think I think it may I

think it might have been a good half dozen. I could have continued, you know, I think that was it. I think, yeah, I can. I can get those things done quickly. There's no doubt about that. I love them, love him to death. Yeah I don't have I don't think I could compete with you in that category. But you know, I grew up in the Buffalo area. So if you want to go chicken wings for a relatively slender person, I can knock them down. Great. Great chicken

wing story training camp Pete Johnson. He would take a chicken wing, put that thing in his mouth, pull it out, the meat, the cartilage, everything was gone, shiny bone like a piranha, just like in the mouth, pull it out, bare bone, nothing left on that bad boy. Our Bengals radio shows get underway next week with Bengals Game Plan on Wednesday night from six to eight. Then on Today it's the Bengals pep Rally Show from three to six.

We hope you'll tune in on the radio on ESPN fifteen thirty in Cincinnati, online at ESPN fifteen thirty dot com, or by searching for ESPN fifteen thirty on the iHeartRadio app. That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast brought to you by Prime Sport, the official hospitality partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. If you haven't done so already, please subscribe, and if you have a minute, give it a rating or share a comment that helps

more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm Dan Horde, and thanks for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast