Bengals Booth Podcast: Go Big

Hi, get everybody on Dan Horden. Thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast. The Go Big, Go Big, Go Big, Go Big. Addition, as I introduce you to the new very large man in the middle of the Bengals defense, TJ Slayton. Then it's my final interview from the NFL Scouting Combine as we hear from Charles Davis from CBS Sports.

North, no doubt, especially with the running attacks that we'll see. I haven't looked at the schedule yet. Overall, that's something we'll do in the off season. But obviously if you can stop the run, and more importantly than that is you can't always play an out number box in this day and age in the NFL, and so you need some guys that can gap in half or get the ball on the ground without having an out number box.

Slayton certainly has size and strength, but he's also an athletic freak, and that's where I started our conversation. TJ. You are six four three point thirty, but I looked up some footage on the internet and saw you doing a windmill dunk just a few years ago. Can you still dunk at your size? Yeah?

Yeah, I mean because I'm still working out all the time, so the body is still able to do those things. So you know, I don't think I ever really lost it. It's just every now and then you just slow down, but you know, you got to pick it back up. So usually in the offseason I play basketball.

So what are the some of the freaky athletic things that you've done at your size that have made other people go, come.

On, no way, I've did a I've done a couple of things, handstands, bat flips, headstands, spin around on it like on the ground on your back.

It a lot, so backflip every now and then.

I try to stay away from the bat flips, but they could be done.

All right, I'd like to see it. That's pretty incredible. So I think people listening to this know that you spent four years with the Green Bay Packers, and for the first three of those seasons, Jerry Montgomery was your defensive line coach. He's now here with that job in Cincinnati. How big of a factor was that connection?

Uh? It was big. It was pretty big. Uh. I was one of the I was one of the guys that didn't want to see him go. But now that we and we're both in a place where, you know, we feel good about one another, So I think it's gonna be great.

He's a young guy. He almost looks like he could still play. He played your position, he played tackle. Yeah. Uh does that help you connect with him? Uh?

Most definitely, because then he he understands the ins and outs. Uh, he understands, like if something was going wrong in the game, he he can get it, cause like, well, we played the same position, So I understand what exactly what you're going through, what you're seeing, so I can I know exactly what you need for me to help you get better at the position. So that's good.

So your eyes kind of light up as you describe that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Cause it's as I'm saying, as a football player, you always want to get better, you know, you always want to try and find some knowledge or find some something in the game that helped you play faster, or you knowing the formation or knowing where the running back's going to help you play faster so you can be successful.

We're visiting the TJ. Slayton. The Bengals have struggled at stopping the run the last couple of years. You are known for your ability to stop the run. Do you take run stopper as a compliment?

I take it as that's what I do because at the end of the day, I know I'm not the best pass rusher. I'm not saying I can't pass rush, but stopping the run is my number one on when it comes to the list of things to do in the game, I gotta stop the run before I can rush the passer or play a screen or whatever. I got to stop the run first.

ESPN graded you as the number one defensive tackle in run stopping win rate last year. I assume that you've heard that or saw that stat what's a take. What's it take to be the guy that does the dirty work and stops to run.

It's all in the technique. Come out your hips, use your hands, knock the guy back and shed them off and make the play.

How much of it is want to.

Every play, every player that you see, you want to make. You want to make it. You want you want to play to be yours. So at the end of the day, like you going as hard as you can to try to make that play. So I feel like i'ma be able to trans I feel like I'm gonna be able to transition pretty well.

Here. Defense takes all eleven. But how much of a difference can one guy make at stopping the run in the middle of the defensive.

Line, Because it's like it's it's like it gets repetitive, it gets like frustrating for the running back, like he keeps trying to run the ball in the A gaps, keep trying to run the ball in the B gaps, and it's not working.

Like what's going on.

It's gonna it's kind of demoralizing for offense that they can't run the ball. So it's like, that's that's good for my confidence, and I'm pretty sure that's gonna be good for it nobody else confidence around me. It's like, we're doing our job, so that's something we should, you know, we should feel good about.

We're chatting with TJ. Slayton, one of your most impressive traits in your four NFL seasons is that you've never missed a game regular season or postseason, and the Packers went to the playoffs three times in your four years. You had to play through a lot. I mean, nobody stays completely healthy through seventeen eighteen nineteen games, whatever it was in a season. What were some of the thought some of the things you gutted through.

I've had my knicks, uh, thumbs, fingers, turf toe, ankle ten and night is shoulders. It's not easy, you know, but I love the game and I don't want to miss a game, so I always try to. I don't know, I fight through a lot of stuff and that that's good and a bad thing, but I don't view it as a bad thing because I want to be out there. Uh. I probably mostly one hundred percent of the time, I'm will tell the Chrainers however, I feel I'm still going to play.

Uh.

But it's just like I think, I honestly believe, like it's me not growing up with like brothers. So I always want to, you know, be out there playing with my brothers, and I always wanted to. I don't want to miss a game because I know how they feel when they miss a game, So I don't want that feeling. But at the end of the day, like, that's how that's how I see it.

That means a lot to the people in the room. How much respect do you think you've gained for your teammates in Green Bay from never missing a game in four years.

I'm pretty sure they can look back on it and be like, he's solid, he ain't gonna miss a game. He always gonna play through whatever he got going on, or at least he's gonna try. I think one thing they can probably say, it could say is about me, is like I play I played hard when I was out there.

You were a high school All American as an offensive lineman. I know you played both, but you're graded as the number three guard in your high school class. How did you become a defensive lineman full time at Florida?

Uh? I just switched, just switched over. I asks the coaches, like, you know, could I play defense?

Uh?

They was like, and they said they needed some help. They agreed to it, and that's how we ended up on the defensive side of the ball.

Do you like that side of the ball more? Having played both?

I like defense?

Better.

I like defense better. Offense was fun in high school, you know, blocking for Tony Mitchell and Isaiah McKinsey and all that. That was fun, but it was like when I was chasing back then, I was chasing like individual success. So once I got to college, that kind of defense showed me, you know, what it all was about. And on defensive side of the ball, it takes all the living.

Jerry Montgomery is not your only connection at Cincinnati. Your former high school and college team. Marco Wilson is here, Money mac Evan McPherson is here. Does that add to your comfort level knowing that you'll walk into a locker room with some guys that you've already played with.

Yeah, you know, I trained with I trained with cam Uh, So that was fun. You know, it's always, you know, fun to be around people that you've known before, So it brings you some comfort, so you don't feel like you're all alone in a new place. So that's good. That's that's actually great for me because I mean I wouldn't say it like it gets to me. But it's good, you know, to have people around that.

You know Cam Sample when you said you trained with Cam, Yeah, because there's Cam Taylor Britt as well, so just.

Check it is Sample the Detagler.

So you had it good in Green Bay. The team was good, you had individual success. I know you weren't necessarily looking to leave, but football is a business. Did this underscore or that aspect of the career?

Oh, I wouldn't say underscore. It was just like, you know, I got drafted there, four year deal. You know, it came to it and you thought you did enough, you know, to stay, or you did enough to deserve to stay, but you know that just wasn't the case. So no hard feelings, you know, it's just it's just time to move on.

Your rookie year, the Bengals went to the Super Bowl. The next year, they went to the AFC Championship Game. Obviously the last couple of years haven't gone quite as well. But since you've been in this league, the Bengals have been considered to be a contender. Yeah, what's that mean to you? Joining the team now.

That means they have the guys, That mean they have the vision and they have the mindset to go out there and execute and get to the dance. So like realizing that, how can you not say though, you got people around here, even people upstairs, who understand what it takes to get to the most important game that we all dream of playing in. So it's just like, no

I think if you ask a lot of people around the league about the Bengals, they would say, as long as you got a quarterback like Joe Burrow, you got a chance to win the whole thing.

He got pieces. I think the offense is great, especially with the receivers him the running back all the way down to Olamas. So I know from watching them from TV, I know that he got it under control, you know, And I know from the TV that, like, you know, you could tell from his eyes that you know, he want to play, He want to win the championship. He wanted to continue to be a you know, a great quarterback.

You're an established bro, You're not a fan boy. But is there anybody here that you're kind of excited to meet, whether it's Joe or Jamar or anybody else on the steam?

Uh, I think, I think, I think I have fun, you know, chopping up with bj like for the first time. I mean, I've watched highlights and I've seen him, but I ain't really get to see him. I ain't really get to speak to him or like understand like you know, where his football game comes from or whatever whatnot, so that it's gonna be interested.

Yeah, you guys will hit it off famously, I'm sure. Uh, you are exactly what this defense needs, a big immovable object in the middle of the defensive line. We're happier here. I appreciate your time. Look forward to seeing you play this year.

Thank you.

Appreciate it. With Slayton in the middle of their defense, the Packers finished third in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per attempt and seventh and rushing alloweds per game. Last year. The Bengals were sixteenth and nineteenth in those

I agree with Duke that they are championship caliber team.

I think what we've got to look at, though, is they didn't make it two years ago, and that was an easy reason why Joe.

Burrow was hurt last year.

Not making a little more problematic so I think, based off of what I'm seeing, what Duke's saying is, we have pieces, we have players. What he's expecting is players to play better and new staff, especially on the defensive side of the ball, that they will be better that way.

And if so, they're right back in the mixing, back in the fight.

I think that he is saying that to make sure everybody knows this organization doesn't plan to go anywhere, and behind the scenes, I think he must to make a few moves.

He also expressed confidence that they can extend the contracts of Jamar Chase t Higgins and Trey Hendrickson. It's obviously a lot of money. Do you buy it? Do you find yourself skeptical? Where do you stand on that?

I buy it?

And the reason I buy it is that quarterback. You know, when you have him, you gotta figure it out. Okay, I realize he said the windows always open if I'm here. That's great confidence, and in most cases he's probably right.

But he can't do it by himself.

He's got to have that help and you have to have your core. And Dan, we've seen wherever the best teams are, their core kind of stays intact. And you have to build into pieces around them because of free agency and how people move, but that core goes with you.

That's a pretty good core right there. Best pass you know, number.

One sat guy last year, number one receiver with the triple crowd quarterback dead in any other year was an MVP.

You better take care of everyone.

Oh, by the way, T Higgins, Reggie Wayne, and Marvin Harrison. Harrison was the one, Wayne was the two. Harrison retires, Wayne became the one seamlessly. This is one of the few places where you could envision that as well. If Jamar Chase isn't there, you have a one and is.

T Higgins and no issue with spending that much money on one position.

Group is always an issue, but you've got to figure it out because that's how you score points, that's where your identity is, that's where your team is. So if you're going to put the money in there, you may not be able to put the same money in your defense.

But your defense has to play to a minimum level.

Last year they didn't for whatever reason. They did not surprise me as much as problem with anyone else out there. But if they just play to a minimum level with that offense, you.

Like your chances.

Have you been at all surprised by how public Joe Burrow has been, beginning with about a month ago in the season, for what he would like to see the Bengals front office do.

With most people, I'd say yes.

With Joe Burrow, I say no, because that's to me, that's the core of who.

Joe Burrow is not going to talk a heck of a lot. You know that better than anyone. He's not. You know, like when we do our production meetings with him, he.

Comes in, he shakes hands, he sits down, he looks at the comp does't he like, time's yours?

What do you want? And I think that we're very good with at our crew.

We believe that we are, and we hope that Joe would agree with us, ask our questions. Don't linger. We're not trying to play hail fellow. Well met He doesn't care about that. He's not rude, but that's not what his business is. His business winning football games. That's why I'm not surprised he said something. He knows he's the franchise, he knows he's the guy, and he knows what he wants out of his team and his offense, and there's a loyalty in that statement as well.

These guys are produced for me. I want them taking care.

Of Charles Davis is our guest. I've heard from several NFL draft gurus that if you are looking for defensive linemen, this is a good year to need them. Do you agree?

I agree totally.

And you know my colleague Daniel Jeremiah, who is the best in this business of this draft stuff from our.

TV side, He's called a meat and potatoes draft, so I don't see any reason to try and term it anything else.

I think that he is right about that. They're defensive lineman all the way through. Big guys inside edge Rusher's not quite the same, but still guys who can make plays like Landon Jackson is this big monster guy from from Arkansas. Love the way he plays, will battle you, get the extra effort and all probably not double digitsat guy though, even though he's gonna probably play on the edge, but he'll beat you.

Up all day long. All right, Can you move inside?

And you know you got Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant from Michigan. I don't know how anyone move the ball on that duo. And that's just a couple of guys that we're starting with. We could go out all day, but I think he's right.

I don't think i've seen Charles Davis's mock draft one point oh yet. It's not out there yet. Any thought though, what position group or where you're likely to have the Bengals choosing.

Boy, I hadn't even thought about that part of it yet.

I have to wait and see, Dan, We'll see where we go.

I'm gonna end up doing three, all right.

I'll do one probably right after probably about the week after the combine, be my first one, and then there'll be a second, probably mid March, and then a third one right before the draft, and we'll just see where it all goes.

But I know this, We're not.

Gonna have to wait to number fifteen pick to get our first defensive player this year.

The Philadelphia Eagles are the reigning Super Bowl champions. They've done a phenomenal job in team building. Howie Roseman gets all the flowers, and it's well deserved. Is there anything Philly is doing that Cincinnati can steal or can try to emulate from a team building standpoint?

I think they're doing what all teams talk to us about they're just doing it really well, and that is you take care of your lines, your offensive and defensive lines, and.

You work your way from there. But they've hit, you know they've hit.

It's not just drafting people and hoping. You're always hoping when you draft, they've really hit. Like Jalen Carter was not supposed to be available at the number nine pick. He was the best player in the draft, and then he got in trouble right before the draft. So now he goes into play and when he got to a certain range, Philadelphia said go and they jumped up and got him. And I think they had to go what two spots to get him because at ten he was

He go another three.

So they put Cam Jurgens a guard and told that, so he's gonna get experienced. He moved over seamlessly. This year, they're still running that quarterback lead and he's the one snapman and pulling.

If you didn't see a sixty te right, if you didn't see his number, you'd swear Kelsey was back out there doing it again.

That was how he roseman, seeing future, getting ahead of it, and already backfilling off of it.

About Mackay Beckton, Remember the T shirt you wore. I am a.

Left tackle, and okay, you may think your left tack, but you're on your last stop here, dude, all right, because you're gonna compete to be the swing tackle.

And then one day someone was.

Out and Jeff Stoutlin, the great Offensilza, take some reps at guard. Oh and then he said, okay, guess what, You're not competing for the starting guard job with Tyler Steve wins the job.

You think you could get Mackai beck Dion to want to be a tackle again. No, his whole career is transformed.

They do a great job drafting, they do a great job developing, coaching, all those things that go along with it. To me, the lesson is you have to have it all. You can't just have the draft, you can't just have the coaching, can't just have the talent.

Philadelphia maximizes it, every bit of it.

You have had the good fortune misfortune. I don't know of calling the Bengals season opener in recent years, and clearly this is something that's got to be fixed. Yeah, well they got to find a way to fix it. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and hoping for a different result, So they've got to mix it up. Any theories, I wish.

I had one, because I thought we had it last year.

Dan.

Truthfully, I thought the theory was very simple, that Joe Burrow had been hurt right or coming off of injury the year before, so his preseason wasn't full on.

Remember what was it happened Deck to me? One year?

Right, he's coming off in acl one year, all those things. Last year we didn't have that. He was able to practice full I thought, boy, they are primed now to get out of the gate and go.

No one more surprised. Listen, I know Cincinnati fans were stunned.

No one was more surprised than us in the announcementoth watching that New England opener, none of us like, in no way anyone saw it. I think we go into every game knowing anything can happen, but we're human. No one that like, WHOA, what just happened here? So my theory's out in the window. Now I've got nothing because I thought the theory was just get Joe healthy and have a good preseason. That wasn't it either.

Well, we'll see if they play guys in the preseason what else they might try. I'm sure they're gonna try something different. We'll see if it produces a better result. In any case, you're crazy busy here in Indianapolis. I really appreciate you getting us some of your time. Look forward to a seeing you next year.

Hey, no busier than you are. Thanks a lot. It's always great to see you.

Since that conversation, Charles has released his first mock draft. He has quarterbacks Shador Sanders, cam Ward and Jackson Dart going one, two three, and has the Bengals selecting Texas A and m Edge rusher Shamar Stewart seventeenth overall. Stuart is six' five just under two hundred and seventy pounds and ran the forty yard dash in four point five nine. Seconds his vertical, leap again at nearly two hundred and seventy,