Bengals Booth Podcast: Mr Big Stuff

of solid gold from my broadcast partner, Dave Lapham. The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Prime Sport, the official fan, travel and hospitality partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. And here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitch, your Google Play, Spotify, or pod Bean. It's the greatest thing Magic for Humans.

I love magic, and my fourteen year old son and I have recently started watching the show Magic for Humans on Netflix. It features a magician and comedian named Justin Willman as he performs magic tricks for people on the street and it's amazing. Each episode is only twenty to twenty five minutes long, and there are some short segments on YouTube if you want to sneak peak, so check out Magic for Humans. You won't be disappointed. Now let's get to football. I probably don't have to tell you

that the Bengals were last in the NFL. It's stopping the run last year, giving up nearly one hundred fifty rushing yards per game. In the immortal words of Madmen's Pete Campbell, not great, Bob. Now, let's take a look at this year's schedule. It includes NFL rushing leader Derreck Henry, two games against the league's second leading rusher, Nick u, two games against Lamar Jackson, two games against mark Ingram, plus games against Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, Marlon Mack and

Saquon Barkley. You know what those eight guys have in common. They all ran for more than one thousand yards last year. When you take all of that into consideration, it's easy to see why the Bengals made free agent DJ Reader the highest paid nose tackle in the NFL when they signed him to a four year, fifty three million dollar deal. According to the website Pro Football Focus, of all the interior defensive linemen in the NFL last year who were on the field for at least fifty percent of their

team's defensive snaps. Reader ranked number four in the league at defending the run, behind Calais Campbell, Cam Hayward and Aaron Donald. That's like being the fourth member of the Beatles. He's ringo. Reader is sixty three, slimmed down to about three hundred and twenty five pounds, and just twenty six a month ago. I spoke to mister big stuff this week, DJ, I want to start with something I bet a lot

of Bengals fans don't even know yet. Back in twenty thirteen, there was one two sport athlete on the Clemson football team. It wasn't Sammy Watkins, it wasn't Shack Lawson. It was DJ Reader, defensive tackle on the football team, first baseman and potential pitcher on the baseball team. It sounds like you were quite the all around athlete coming up, Yes, sir, plenty of a lot of sports growing up was home

schools those six mos. I spent a lot of time outside, a lot of time and a basketball player as well, right, yeah, in high school. You know, my parents real competitive. My mom played college softball at a bunch of cousins and play sports in college. So most of them females, but they're just really competitive. And Dad told me a lot of just about ball, use my rickball coach and things like that. So you know, always just was around sports ball life. What did you hit on the radar gun

as a picture? I think I topped out like ninety fives overhead, probably sat around like ninety ninety one into high school, like towards my senior year, so I was slinking pretty good. I'm trying to picture how intimidating it must have been to have a man your size throwing that hard to high school kids. Yeah, I think I think. Um, I retwittered to picture somebody I treated out the other day on my Twitter about it was um none of

my child was talking about my son, just me. It is me at thirteen, throwing a fastball and in Cooperstown, New York. It was kind of crazy just to look back and see it, just the picture of the pitch, just like how you know how big I did look compared to other kids. I you know, I just just I mean, I never really noticed how big I looked

towards other kids. Had a really big team at that time, so I just didn't ever think about So you played in some sort of youth tournament in Cooperstown, So there was a twelve another tournament that usually playing cooperstowns about ninety six teams. It's always a good top and the kid's gonna stay in the beards and things like that. So it's a fun little event. Learned a lot about the district baseball go down to the Hall of Fame. I still that's cool. DJ. I'm gonna hit you with

one more baseball reference. This week, defensive coordinator lou Anna Rumo was asked about you, and he said, we hit a home run as an organization. Can you sense how thrilled your new coaches and teammates are that you signed here? Definitely, um, you know, and it's different for me. You know, I'm real reserved guy obviously, just trying to come in and sit in and be one of the guys. So it's it's always just been, I mean, always been that, you know.

I've never really had like a lot of hype around me growing up being a kid who's a three star recruise. It's not really sure if I was gonna play baseball or football or went to college, and you know, fifth round pig. Nothing really kind of went the way I expecting and then this is kind of it's different. It's definitely different, but you know, just trying to stay with them myself, and you know, I like coach Lu loves the system that we're in, and so I'm excited. We're

chatting with DJ Reader. Your coaches and teammates in Houston obviously knew how good you were. J. J. Watt publicly said you were the best nose tackle in the NFL. But now that you have signed as a free agent with the Bengals and became the highest paid nose tackle in the league, do you think that validates just how good you are. I don't know. I think I gotta go out there and still improve it. Man, you know,

you gotta stay hungry. Um. I think it's It's also it's nice to see that people who think that you're there good and you know they're warding for it. But so you gotta go up there improved. Now that I got this, dal, I gotta go out the improve it again and go out there every year. This feel I mean, I feel like I'm the best nose tackle in the league. But you know, I gotta go out there improved. I can say that all I want you in my head.

I gotta go through that every day, day in and day DJ you have been part of league good teams. You spent four years in Houston. You won the division title three out of the four. You played for a national championship your last year at Clemson. Did anybody close to you question your decision to join a team coming off at two and fourteen season. Oh no, I'm talking to my mom about it. My mom's really bigging her

faith for me. That's that's kind of how I grew up in the church, and my mom told me, you know that she's her big thing was she go, as a man, you don't get to go a lot of places a lot of times and leave your mark on the place and best like, she was like, that's what you have to do. You know, you have to be ready to step up as a leader. What they're looking at you is and go in there and be that.

She said, guy's calling you for a reason. So I was too happy, you know to hear that for my mom and her never questioned her decision and her sit there and pray with me while I was getting ready to make that decision. J anybody knows me, you know, that's that's what I lean on the most. So I had to back end from my family. You know, they were just excited. Do you tall take it as a personal challenge to try to be part of a huge turnaround. Yeah. I mean I wouldn't have came here if I didn't.

I think there's a lot of guys that we got on this team, in the room and things like that just that are really good. I don't think the record shows like the last year's record especially shows like what was exactly going on with the team. I think, you know, there's a lot of factors that go into having a season like that. You know, I've been a part of the four and twelve season. We also want to vision

three out of four times. So it's just that's how the league goes sometimes, and you know, so it's about building a consistently good team. I think that's where we're on the way to do it. DJ is getting Pro Bowl recognition in the near future a big deal to you. It used to be not now I think I kind of fed myself up with that whole Or do you or realize that, you know, people vote for their friends and not for really who they feel like should be in there. Now I don't. I don't really care anymore.

I'm just trying to go out there and play man. Winds are always Trump Pro Bowls and things like that over me. Defensive line coach Nikkison said, the Bengals planned to give you a bigger role than the one you had in Houston. How would you like to be used however, this is said, Man, I really want to use me. I can do it. I'll figure it out. I never had a problem figuring things out before. I'm just excited, man,

to go out there and play football. It spent all spring and summer just trying to be in the dust shape of my life to go out to get out to getting ready to go out there and play the game I love. I've been playing since as a kid. You know, it's a child's game and I enjoy it. So that's really what it is. It's nothing, nothing crazy. I'm excited to see what they have a store and so far overs me going well well. Speaking of being in great shape, you're twenty pounds lighter than you were.

Why and how did you drop that weight? Oh? Just being consistent in your diet and work. And you know, I just wanted to be better and better shape, being able to play more. If I had to all those things fact, then you know, I just wanted to be a better player and better overall. So yeah, I felt like if I lost that weight and just stay stay strong, kept my strength, and I could be the best player

that I wanted to, like the best player. But I've been so far, and I'm just getting older and understanding that I need to maximize this opportunity that I have and this one day to play in the NFL, and I want to do it's the best of my ability. What unhealthy food that you love is now off limits? Cereal. I'm a big Cereal guy. Not that good healthy stuff. No, I'm a kid called Captain Crups, fruity pellows, fruit loops, Reese's posts, all types of cereal and milk. So I am.

I have stopped on the Cereal train. And I'm a big fan of like grits and everybody who tries to tell you old mill and grits were similar than not, so that type of stuff and then I'm from the south, from Greensboro, and there's this thing we do we call Liverpool, and that's kind of like my cheap deal. And I don't really you probably don't want to hear on here what Liverpool is, but you can kind of take your guests.

So but you know, so that's those are really my vices, honestly, as far as unhealthy foods like, those are my vices, like and fancy I eat chilings, which is also probably not the best thing to be doing. I will admit that sugary cereal sounds better than liver pudding. It is objectives. I am definitely going to take your word for it on that one. DJ. You agreed to the contract but couldn't come here right away. Now you're here, what's it like for you to get to town and finally get

to enter the facility. Oh, you know, it's good, um, glad to just be able to go into facility and go to work. Man. You know, it's it's a long time with all the things that are going on in the world, and you know, praying for everybody to be safe and stay happy here in this pandemic. It's been crazy. Then all the things that are going on, you know, with trying to change the world, you know, just understanding

that the innocent lives are being lost every day. So it's just I mean, it gave me time to be sit back and reflect on a lot of stuff that was going on. I'm thankful for that. I got a lot to spend a lot of time around my son, you know, becoming a father and just being able to get that time around my son. It was a blessing,

you know. I'm just glad to be here. Um, still trying to stay safe, you know, we're not in the clear year with all the things that are going on, so you know, just trying to stay safe and just the people are nice. That's the biggest I've noticed that people were very very nice here and that's been that's been awesome. So just getting to a new place, you know, it's always different moving from some place that you've been

for years and then coming to a new place. So I'm just trying to still figure about my way around here. You haven't been around your new teammates for very long, but where do your early impressions of Gino and Carlos and Sam Hubbard and Carl Lawson other guys who have just done it well for a long time, especially though Gino Carlos, they've done it just at the highest level for a long time, saying Carlos and other day said

I'm in the loving greet. So it's funny, you know what to think about that many years just playing ball, and you know, it's just it's a blessing to be around those guys and just to cheat off the energy and a different intered parts they know about the game. And then you know you got the young guys with carl and Sam who and they're right, have played a lot of good ball in the last couple of years and still learning it. Be here, to be here and watching them hit their stride as I'm starting to hit

my stride is gonna be an awesome thing. A few more questions for DJ reader. You're a Clemson guy. I'm sure you followed the team closely. What was your reaction, Yeah, what was your reaction to the selection of T Higgins in the second round. I'm super excited. You know, I've watched T player cups from just knew what kind of receiver he was. Just very good players, especially like the way they used him at close to them, so I knew.

He's a kid who played multiple sports also a high school so he's very athletic, but just understands the game. He's humble, like he's not a I've never seeing him get out of character. Anybody say anything crazy about meim he's a very humble kid. And you know he's just shows up with that smile and works hum he's a he's a good player and you know, as I was excited to have him. We learned on the NFL network when you were on recently that your nickname going back

to your college days is Barbecue. Have your Bengals teammates picked up on that. I'm not. Yeah, I don't know if anybody real maybe, but not not yet. Nobody. Nobody's picked up on it. And then you don't get you don't hear it too often. That's why you know when I when I hear it, I know you know me like it's not it's not a doubt in my mind that you either know somebody that really really knows me

or you know me yourself. And I always turned every time I hear Geno Atkins was a fourth round draft pick and just turned out to be one of the best defensive players in the NFL. You were a tip, you were a fifth round draft pick. Does that still tick you off? Oh? Yeah, I carry a chip my shoulder about that every day. Um. You know, there's plenty of people who got picked before me, and I didn't feel it better than me. Um, I don't get to talk to you about it. I just put my head

down at work. But yeah, there's I mean, there's plenty of things I could be pissed off about, like just from the respect point of what I get in the league now. So you know, that's just one of them. You know, everybody has their little thing they carried with them that's a chip for them, and so that's really one of the biggest ships that I carry. It's just that a lot of people passed on me, and whatever reason that was that they did not just I knew

that I didn't want to. I wanted to make sure everybody knew they couldn't pass on me again, just so I wanted to go out there and play a roof and every day. Do you have any short term goals for this year personally? Um, just go out there and be a better player, better teammate, Just play hard. Um as a team, just win. That's the biggest thing. Just win, no matter how it comes down. I'm scratching a claw

and to win, straining to win games. You know, go out there and know that the game is what it is. It's always been the same. You're gonna have to fight to win every single time. Just says still. Let of people and everybody getting that. You know, you gotta go out there and fight your golf to win the game. And that's like, that's probably my biggest thing. You know. You gotta go out there every Sunday and feel like

you're the baddest guys on the field. And of course other teams don feel like that too, but you got to impose your rule on them, and that's how you got to go about it. That is music to the ears of Bengals fans. Yeah, that is exactly what folks are craving and we are so excited that you're part of the team. That, sir, If you're not going out there and play the sport that way, you're not playing it. DJ appreciate your time, stay safe, look forward to watching

your practice in the weeks to come. Thank you, sir. I appreciate you. In addition to getting a great player the Bengals are getting a team leader. Reader was the Houston Texans nominee for the Walter Peyton NFL Man of the Year Award in twenty nineteen. This week, NFL teams began with the league calls Phase one of training camp,

consisting of meetings, conditioning, workouts, and daily walkthroughs. That means most of the Bengals got their first look at Joe Burrow as he called out plays and made adjustments during those walkthroughs. Here's offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. I think a lot of guys that had made some comments to the day a bottom and he's just got a great feel for what we're trying to do. His offseason work was outstanding. He worked really hard. I think that part gets skipped

over a little bit. He's such an intense worker that he's put himself in position to know what to do and how to do it, and I think that that's that's rubbed off on his teammates um and obviously his presentation and how he goes about his business has been everything we thought it would be. If there's a rookie quarterback miss not having a preseason game, getting hit for the first time, that's usually that's usually a big part of it. UM. You know, all quarterbacks kind of have those.

They got a little jitters. They don't get touched very often in practice, they don't feel a live rush, and especially for a kid hasn't played NFL football at rookie quarterback, generally, that first time that rush comes live at full speed is a little bit different than college. Now, he was playing against great players in the secats. It's that's as close as you're gonna ever get probably to NFL speed

and tempo. But that first that first pass rush, that first hit, that first time they get jolted around, uh, kind of reminds him that it's time to play football again. So you'd like that to happen obviously before the opener, um, but that we don't. We don't get that this year. So that's one thing. The other thing is gonna be the just being on the field in the huddle on

your own. You know, every practice, guys are kind of behind and coaches are there and interacting and um just and then dealing with the game situations as they come up, dealing with the clock, the play clock. UM. There's a lot of just operational things that come into play that that we're not going to get a chance to do in a live situation. And we can simulate those things, but it's always different when you when you walk out there and it's just the eleven guys on the other

eleven guys and when you're playing football for real. So, um, I think he'll be fine, But I know there's there's a part of there's some things that you're gonna miss without having the preseason games, just getting the getting the jitters out, if you will, um, from from that starting aspect for a young player, and Joe Burrow has generated so much excitement that people see a still photograph of him and they're they're frothing at the mouth around here.

How is he handling that? And is there a lot of good natured ribbing going on with his teammates and coaches about the spotlight that's being shown on him right now? Yeah, I mean it's not anything anything out of the ordin area. I don't think, Um, you know, he's I think he's used to it too. You know, his spot out at LSU last year was pretty bright, to the point where he probably didn't go out much in Baton Rouge without

a lot of people all over him. You know, he was a he became a celebrity down there, and then he became really a celebrity across the country. So I don't think it's new to him. I think he handles it just like he handles everything else. He handles things with with poise and confidence, and you know, knows how to be gracious and knows how to how to respond to people that are in his corner and cheering for

him and excited for him. So I think it's great for the city of Cincinnati and the fans of the Bengals. I know we're just as excited as they are, So um, that's great, you know. Unfortunately, I don't know if we're gonna get to have everybody in the stadium to cheer him on. But um, you know, I'm, I'm it makes me excited that everybody else is excited. On top of it, we'll see Joe Burrow in a Bengals helmet on Wednesday.

Who who when Faced two of practice begins and then padded practices can get underway on Monday, August seventeenth, roughly four weeks before the season opener against the Chargers. Before we get to our next conversation. Here's a quick reminder that you can take your Bengals pride to the next level in twenty twenty with an official Bengals fan package from Prime Sport. Now here's this week's visit with my broadcast partner Dave Lapham. All Right, Lap, let's start with

trying to play under these circumstances. If you were still an active player, would you be comfortable playing in a pandemic? You know, I would have talked it over with my wife first and foremost, because you know, when I was twenty five years old, I was already married with two kids, so we started our family pretty young, so it would

have been an interesting decision. But having talked it over with Lynn, asking her that very question, what would what would you think about, you know, playing through this pandemic? And her response was, I know you would want to play. I know you'd be smart, I know you'd be as safe as you can be, so you know, why not play?

And that would be my reaction obviously. I know as a back in the day, I would want to play under any circumstances I possibly could, and I'd make sure that the team obviously did everything they possibly could to from a protocol standpoint to make it as safe as possible. And I do think it's interesting the guys that have opted out. All I can hold is those guys that have decided to opt out, and I can understand why, but boy, pressures on. If I opted out, I'd have

to live the life of a monk. I'd go nowhere because if I went somewhere and got COVID after opting out for my NFL season, I'd never forgive myself, you know, And now I'd be in danger in the family all the things the reason I opted out, So, man, I'd put myself on a lock and key of Literally, I would be a monk. I would not go anywhere, do anything if that's be a heavy, heavy decision to make,

and that would be a tough lifestyle live. So I probably would play in trust that the team is doing everything possibly can at Paul Brown Stadium and surrounding practice fields and everything to keep everybody's self And it's on me. It's on me when I'm away from the stadium to do the right thing, just like it's on these guys opting out. They have more time to wander and do

other things. And I'm telling you it'd be interesting to monitor the sixty six guys or however many it is they've opped it out, and see how many of them do end up getting coronavirus testing positive would be very interesting. That is a tremendous call, because if and when one of those guys tests positive, the abuse that he's going to suffer is going to be unbelievable, no doubt, no doubt.

Let's look ahead to training camp a little bit. Obviously, they've started with strength and conditioning and some walkthroughs, but nothing really juicy yet. That's still about a week away. But as I said the last time we did a podcast, I thought the next time we got together we would look ahead to some training camp battles. So what training camp battle are you most looking forward to watching. Well,

I've already talked about, you know, the old line. I guess probably a nausea and being a former old line, but I've done that. But I am very interested in the linebacker, you know position. I want to see how these young linebackers come along, how quickly they can come along. I think Josh Binds's role in listening to lou Ana Uma the other day at the presser was his role is to be the example that the young guys aspire

to be the locker room leader. The guy that wasn't drafted coming out of college, made a football team, you know, went to the super Bowl. All all the things that go along with it, high level performer, overachiever kind of thing. Watch how he prepares, Watch how he trains, Watch how he eats, watch how he does everything. And not to say that he's not going to play initially. He may have to be. He may be given them some significant snaps.

But I'm very interested to see how quickly, you know, Logan Wilson, m Keene, Davis Gaither, how how quickly can they work their way in to those sub packages and and make significant snaps because as we know Dan, the linebackers get isolated and they get they get you know, people spread the field, put them in one on ones, and it was a it was a tough, tough dynamics.

So I think, uh, I think that position group is the one where I'm gonna be watching how the battles unfold and uh, you know, see how Pratt advances in year two, all the things that go along with that position group. I'm very very intrigued by it. I am all about right tackle. Yep, ken Ken Fred Johnson beat out Bobby Hard. I do agree when the coaches say Bobby Hart's not as bad as everybody thinks. I don't think he's the worst tackle, worst right tackle in the

National Football League. But I do think we've seen enough of him at this point to know that he's not among the best and is never going to be among the best. What kind of upside does Fred Johnson have? If you look at the Pro Football Focus rankings from last year, and I know that's not the be all, end all, he would have been several spots ahead of Bobby Hart in a limited sample size. So can he elevate that position from what you know you're going to

get at this point out of Bobby Hart. The thing that I think Fred has to do Dan is physically. I think they feel good about Fred. You know, six or eight long long arms the whole nine yards. Bobby Hart is strawly long too. He's got some long arm blown them. The thing that he has to show is Bobby's had problems with penalties, and now Fred has to show that his poise, composure, those kind of things. And if he shows that he's he handles that a little

bit better than Bobby has handled it historically. That could give him a little bit of an edge. The other thing is Bobby Hart his football IQ and overall IQ has been praised by coach Turner, praised by a very very intelligent guy in Trey Hopkins. So you know, the dude is smart. Coaches and teammates trust and like smart players. So Bobby Hart is not going to make as Simon errors.

Fred Johnson can't make as Simon arrss that I think if if he shows that mentally he can handle it in terms of you know, not making penalty mistakes and mental mistakes in terms of your assignment, I think those are things that you're going to be looking for. Because it was such a small sample size over time, how does that pan out between those two guys? All right? Is there a lesser known newcomer that you are eager

to watch? We're all excited to watch Joe Burrow and some of the high profile free agents that they signed, But is there a lesser known guy that you're eager to get your eyes on? You know, Again, in listening to lou Anna Rumo during his pressor, and I asked him about other cornerbacks or Trey Waynes and McKenzie Alexander they as advertised, he goes, yeah, yeah, but don't sleep on Winston Rose, who led the Canadian Football League and interception.

Don't sleep sleep on less Shawn Simms, who's played a lot of good snaps to the Tennessee Titans, significant snaps, and not only will they give depth to that you know, back end of the defense, it'll increase the production and performance hopefully for Darren Simmons on special teams as well. So I don't think people are even thinking about those guys, and they could, you know, play a significant role. How significant role, It all depends on injury and everything else

that goes along with it. But it sounds like lu Ana Room was very satisfied with him. He's like, they're long, they're athletic. You know. I like him. So for him to come right out and the very first pressor and mentioned those guys made me sit up and take notice. He must have really liked the tape that he saw

those guys before they signed him. Yeah, I'm withy on Winston Row as they signed a two years to two year deal in January, So this is not necessarily a just you know, show up and see if you can sneak on to the back end of the roster kind of guy. Maybe he's somebody who's ready to make the jump from the CFL to the NFL. As you mentioned, led the CFL and picks with nine part of a

Great Cup championship team last year with Winnipeg. The starting quarterback of that team and the Great Crop Cup was former UC quarterback Zach Collaris, So I'll have to reach out to him and see if he gave me them intel on Winston Rose. The other person that I'm going to put on the list, and it really shouldn't count because I asked you for a newcomer that you were

eager to see. But a guy that I'm really interested to watch even more closely going into this year is Darius Phillips, just based on how well he did in such a tiny sample size seventy five snaps in pass coverage, four interceptions, three pass breakups. That's amazing. I mean, that is productivity. That is a most of the football, That is ball skills. When you have an opportunity to make a play on football, you're making a play on football.

And let's face it, you know how many times have we seen guys great courage and great position, Oh can't make a play? I mean the bottom lining, You've got to make plays. And Darius Phillips was showing that, showing people that he's a playmaker. He can make plays. I agree one hundred thousand percent. All right. On previous podcast, we did this and we're going to do it again. And by this I mean the following. If you could pick a player off another team's roster other than Patrick Mahomes,

who would it be? And now that the roster is set, the eighty man roster is set, if you could grab somebody off another team's roster, who would that player be? George Kittle? Because in my mind, with the receiver corps that the Bengals have and hopefully the offensive line improvement, George Kittle is a dominant run blocker as well as dominant receiver. He is the blocks I could tackle, can run routes from catch like a receiver. He is the

epitome of the tight end. And I'll tell you the guy when I the more I watch of him, it's like, man, this dude he loves football, I mean, and he just gets after it. And when I think back then the great Bengals teams that I've played on in the seventies, Bob Trumpy Pro Bowl tight end could block and catch. Getting a little bit later, Dan Ross Pro Bowl tight end block and catch eleven catches in the Super Bowl

was shared the record for a long time. Rodney Holman in the eighty eight Super Bowl team block and catch Pro Bowl, all three of them Pro Bowl caliber tight ends. And I think with the receiving corps around him in the running game, you know, they help in that running game. To me, if I could pluck George Kittle and put him at the end of the line of scrimmage or flex him and you know, let him play, you know, three downs every series, I'd be a happy man. George Kendall, R.

Travis Kelsey yere one. Now this is this is interesting because the last time we did this, we both chose Indianapolis Colts. You chose Quenton Nelson, I chose Darius Leonard. We would still happily take him most lines, but not about it. But now that we're doing it this time around, we are both choosing San Francisco forty nine ers. You chose George Kittle, I want Nick Bosa there you go. And here's my thinking as I look at the roster

right now. Carlos Dunlap played great in the second half of the season last year, but let's face it, he's approaching the end of his career. Hopefully he's got a few more good years left, but he's not going to play forever. I would love for this team to have the dominant defensive line that they had during their run of five straight playoff appearances. And how did the forty nine ers turn it around last year from being one of the first teams in the NFL Draft to being

a super Bowl team. Well, they did a lot of things well, but it all started with that great defensive line. So let's steal Nick Bosa from the forty nine ers defensive line. Ten sacks as a rookie, fifty two hurries as a rookie. We know he can get into Baker Mayfield's head by planting the flag again. So you'll take George Gittle, I'll take Nick Bosa, you know, And that's a great calling. Look at the forty nine ers, Dan all number one draft picks that defensive line. They had

five first round picks, you know. John Lynch said, Hey, it starts up front. I know that's what I have to do to rebuild my defense. Invested five first rounders. The interesting thing is we picked guys from both sides of the ball of a team that had a lead in the Super Bowl seven minutes to play. And I think a big reason why is those two guys, you know, on either side of that football. They were huge contributors.

There's no doubt about it. Let's take all four Quentony Elson, Darius Leonard, George Kittle and Nick Bosa would be a heck of an addition to the roster. All right, Time for ask Lap questions. These are questions submitted from fans via Twitter. We start with Don. Here's Don's question, how big of an impact? Well, no preseason games have I'm

getting ready for Week one, specifically against the Chargers. Yeah, that's that's a you know, everybody's automatic reaction is anybody that has a rookie head coach or a rookie quarterback is going to be behind the eight ball. Well, you know, Zach Taylor is not a rookie head coach. He went through some trials and tribulations, there's no question, but he's got new members in his coaching staff, and he's got a bunch of new players, you know, by free agency

and the draft. So you'd like to have you know, you would have liked had OTAs and a rookie quarterback obviously, you'd like to have all the preparation, all the steps, all the protocols as such leading up to the twenty twenty season to be normal. But it's not. But I will say, if I had to pick a rookie quarterback and I don't know how many years to handle this, you know, with poise and you know, just composure, be

Joe Burrow. And again, you know, we keep saying, uh, Lamar Jackson is unanimous MVP last year, second player in NFLA history to do that. Joe Burrows older than Lamar Jackson and at least as mature. You know, he actually is not. No, I take that back. You're right. He is older than Lamar Jackson. He's not as old as Mahomes. That's great, right, Like Lamar Jackson I think turned twenty three, like a week before the end of the season or

something like that. I mean, but it's you know, it's he's He's had a lot of a lot of experiences, good and bad. You know, he's handled it all, Um, He's He's had a heck of a path to lead him to where he is right now, and I think he can handle it. You know, I think, I honestly believe that Joe Burrow is not going to be the biggest problem in Cincinnati Bengals have in the early stages

of the season. Now, do I think that they're going to be as good in Week one as they're going to be, you know, if they're God willing, they're able to play sixteen games as they will be in November and December. No, you know, I don't think anybody will be without OTAs and you know, training the normal training camp, in preseason games and everything else. And I do believe, you know, teams like New Orleans with a veteran head coach and the veteran quarterback have a huge leg up,

There's no question about it. Um. But you know, everybody's got the same issues. Everybody's dealing with the same problems. Dan, do you think Tyrod Taylor justin Herbert starts for the

Chargers in Week one? The way, when I when I listen to people from the Chargers organization, it really sounds like it's going to be Tyrod Taylor, and that that would would not surprise me whatsoever that Tyrod Taylor's the guy, you know, I and I could see in the first two to four games in the season, depending on how Tyrod Taylor does and how the team does overall, they make a decision accordingly. All right, next question comes from Steven.

With the addition to Joe Burrow and the return of AJ Green and the changes on the offensive line, will we see a vastly different offensive system? You know, I think that I think the running game is going to be carried over from the changes that they made last year. About halfway through the season, everybody knows, traveling to London, it was like, look, we gotta we gotta change. We

can't just do it inside outside zone. We have to pin and pull people, we have to angle block, we have to gap block, we have to change it up and do a lot of things. And the Bengals were the sixth best rushing team in the league, and Joe Mixon was in the top ten and you know, in a bunch of categories. So in my mind, they're gonna they're gonna stay with that system in the running game and try to fine tune it and and develop that. As far as the offense with Joe Burrow at quarterback,

Zach said it, Joe has said it. They're kind of melding what Joe feels real comfortable with. There is there. I think there's not a huge gigantic philosophical gap between what he did at LSU and what Zach Taylor wants to do. So I think from that standpoint, you know, terminology and things like that that every rookie has to deal with. Unlearned some terminology and relearn new. But Joe knows there's only so many ways you can line up and do things. From a football standpoint, it's just vernacular.

It's just terminology. And then he does have things he likes to do and does well, and Zach probably knows them, and Joe wants to communicate those and I think they'll they'll come up with a formula for success. I really believe that, you know that those two equations will mesh what Joe likes to do and does well. Zach has at his disposal on his offense, and he'll just pare it down to what fits and what feels comfortable. Next question comes from Nick, who will be a bigger factor

toward the Bengals having success. Joe Mixon or a J Green and how many yards for each if they stay healthy? Man. You know, that's like peanut butter and jelly. They're both good apart, but they're better together and they both feed off each other. You know. I mean you like a peanut butter sandwich. Yeah, jelly sandwich is okay, but peanut butter, PEBJ it's good stuff. So I think I think Joe Mixon will help AJ Green and AJ Green will help

Joe Mixon. I think it's gonna be one of those deals where you know, Joe Mixon is gonna gonna make life easier for AJ because they left to you know, load the box up a little bit, pay more attention to Joe Mixon. And if they don't and they start paying attention to AJ Green, now Joe's gonna have more running lanes and bigger running lanes in the box. So it's like, you know, it's it's one hand washing the other.

It's like pick your poison. Some weeks, it's gonna be a heavier box AJ has to eat some weeks when it's not the heavy box, Joe has to eat and and you know, make people change what they're what they're went into the game plan with so um, really, i'd love to see him both get fifteen hundred, Joe rush for fifteen and aj catch fifteen hundred. But you know, I think they're obviously both very capable of thousand yard seasons. I'd almost be disappointed that they don't go for a

thousand each. I'm hoping twelve thirteen hundred. Nice, twelve hundred, twelve hundred plus, Yeah, yeah, nice balanced season. Speaking of Pebe and j have you seen that Graders is coming out with peanut butter and jelly ice cream stronger than New Road there as they celebrate there one hundred and fifty of anniversary. All right, next question comes from man. Man asks how would you handle the Red starting pitching?

And he says, Jess kidding His real Bengals question is Ken Rennell ren make a second year leap and help the defensive line. Well you gotta hope, though, hope, so hope that's the case. And he's nicked up a little bit right now, but he's got great potential, you know. And now that Josh Tupau has decided to you know, opt out and it's interesting Dan. Only three teams in the NFL went through this opt out period without any player opting out, the Chargers, the Steelers, and the Falcons.

So the Bengals have three games against team, two against the Steelers, one against the Chargers where nobody opted out of their of their organizations and U and really with Josh opting out it it puts a little strain on the defensive tackle position. And Wren, you know, you hope that he does step up. And I can speak from experience from in a lot of players that I know over you know, many years, a lot of them feel the same way. Year one to year two, the light

really starts to go on. Now year one you think you know, but you really don't know what you don't know. And the year two you start to realize I really didn't know, and now I do feel like I know, and you start to uh, you know, the graph starts to go up, and it's there's not not for everybody, but even the players they had great rookie years. Very rarely do they have a you know, a great rookie or a solid rookiear and then fall off a cliff. You know, So I think, you know, Ren had his moments.

I mean, he's he's he obviously belongs, but there's miles to go before he rests. I mean, there's a lot of development that he can you know, he can go through, and I think in year two he could be a factor. I mean, the dude is a house He's definitely a space eater or an. He's an athletic, big body guy. He's got potential. Hopefully in year two he really starts to elevate that level of play. What would you think of the possibility of bringing back a thirty five year

old Demato Peco for depth? I would. I love domatp peco um, but you know I would that would be my last resort. I mean, if in my mind, if they bring Domata Peco back, it's that wasn't there in their first option they had in mind. And I'm not saying it's you know, it's I shouldn't say a last resort either. I'd have it on my list of options, but it wouldn't be my highest and Dormata he's done an unbelievable job of taking care of himself for a lot of years, and the thing about him, the dude's

a dinosaur. You can't hurt him. He never never had surgery. I mean he's put together. I mean he's like he's indestructible in terms of that type of thing. So I mean he can he can still get in there and take up space and clog things up. But thirty five years old, you know, no matter who you are, you're on the back nine. What hole you pot it out on is the key. The thing I would like about at two things. One, as you mentioned, he's so durable,

you know what you're gonna get. And secondly, he played for cheap last year, so I don't think he would be looking for huge veteran dollars. I think he would play close to the veteran minimum. And Dan you know, over the years, Marvin Lewis Andrew Worth led the offense, Domatopeco led the defense. Those two guys were the unquestioned when when it came to, you know, let's let's put the marbles on the table here, you know, all right,

who's who's gonna who's gonna determine things? Who are the guys that set up the practices and got the team going In two thousand eleven, d the work stoppage Andrew Worth offensively, Domato Pecco defensively, and plenty of players lived at their houses literally when they first you know, young rookies trying to find something we'll take in. I mean

multiple guys at the same time. We're living at their houses and they both have families, so, you know, unquestioned in terms of the type of person leader all the intangibles, Domato Pecco is top top shelf across the board in all those areas. All right, two more ask lap questions. This one is from Ryan. Give me one player on offense and one player on defense that could surprise people this year. I'm hoping since I mentioned Kittle, I'm hoping

Drew Sample becomes George Kittleish. I'm hoping Drew Drew Sample came out of college as the best blocking tight end in college football and you know, capable receiver, and then you know he played decently and then got hurt. So I'm hoping again, from year one to year two, there's a big elevation in terms of understanding everything around you,

what's going to make you successful as a player. I'm hoping that Drew Sample stays healthy first and foremost and took his learning experiences from that rookie year and during the offseason did what he needed to do to make improvements.

And I hope he comes back as a complete tight end that Joe Burrow can rely on, because tight end as a quarterback's best friend normally, you know, unless you are a George Kittle or you know, a Kelsey or people like that, where they're gonna get double teamed even more than the Whiteouts. I mean, if they double teammates Green, you know, and U and T Higgins shows that he's something, you get Tyler Boyd and you have free receivers. Now

you have sample. They can't They're not gonna double everybody can sample win one on ones and make himself an available target for Joe Burrow. And then can he block on the edge? Can he steal the edge in the running game. I'm hoping it through sample offensively, and then I'm hoping it's Jermaine Pratt defensively in that linebacker position. You know, he made strides, There's no question about it.

But again, you know, like all the first year guys, miles to go before he rests um but they you know, they drafted linebackers. If I'm a linebacker, like Pratt, and they draft Logan Wilson in the third round and they draft Davis Gather in the fourth. I'm thinking, oh, that's that's about where I was drafted. Am I good? They think I'm good enough? I mean, I'm thinking I gotta bust my butt here. I gotta get into training camp.

I gotta compete. So I think that drafting those linebackers who justify their pick obviously hopefully it lit a fire under Jermaine Pratt and he's saying, man, I can't rest in any laurels. I don't have anything going here. I'm not a shoe in. I gotta bust my tail. So hopefully he has a breakout season and surprises people this year as well. All Right, our final ask Lap question comes from Maine Bengals. That's like the state of Maine,

m Ai ne. Maybe this is somebody that saw your brothers star at the University of Maine in football and basketball. Here comes the question, Lap. Imagine you're in your prime and you had to line up across from Geno Atkins or DJ Reader. Who would you choose? And why? Oh man? All right, well, now I'm saying DJ Reader is in his prime and Gino is not in his prime prime anymore. So I would say I'm going to put them both in their prime. Though you know it's like prime prime.

You can't say all right, DJ Reader now today in Geno Atkins today, that's there are at different stages of their career. DJ Reader is going to be a snap eater. Gino actions If he's a snap eater, we're in trouble. I mean, they got to monitor his snaps. So they are at different stages of their career, there's no question about it. But when they're both in their prime. I

love DJ Reader. I love watching how he pursues and hustles and Sam Hubbard DJ Reader, I'm telling you Dan, Tim Crumrye when he came to the Bengals practice sucked. I was going against timmy every day. I'm thirty years old, I'm eight years in the league. He's playing every snap like as super Bowl. And I'm like, Tim, Man, I'm thirty. I can't play a thousand games. I can't every Wednesday Thursday. I can't. I mean, man, but you know what, he

made me better? And guys that play like that. I'm watching the tape of practice and it's like we're in a game. We're actually going that that hard that lot DJ reader has that type of reputation where and Sam does. Obviously we've seen it. Sam goes hard. They're gonna you every snaptoget, but Gino and his prime Dan who man, I would not ask for that. I would not ask for you guys that have that low center of gravity

and convention press the world. Man, it is literally like trying to block a bowling ball, a cannon ball, I mean low center of gravity power. Oh my gosh, man, it's it's nightmare just trying to think about it. Gino actions in his prime was unbelievably effective and couldn't single block the guy. As we both know, Geno Atkins doesn't say much, particularly the members of the media, but if I pass this along to him, it actually might get

a response. I'll tell you. Gino stud capital asque capital T capital to U capital d stud Geno Atkins player. All right, that concludes this week's chat for the podcast. Let's pass some COVID nineteen tests and go watch practice sometime soon. I'm with you, coach. Sounds like a plan. Bye, thanks to this week's guests, and that's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by Prime Sport, the official fan, travel and

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 thank you for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast.