Bengals Booth Podcast: Stuck Like Glue

Hi, get everybody on Dan Hoard and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast. The Oh Oh's the Clue. Addition, as the Bengals reached long term contract extensions with Jamar Chase and t Higgins coming up, we'll hear from the NFL's best receiving duo. Then Dave Lappham joins me to discuss that news and answer your ask Lap questions. After that, it's my conversation with a newcomer who has played in

You know, those discussions are ongoing, and I'm confident that I think we're going to be able to do what it takes to bring Tea back. You know, I know that I'm going to do what it takes to get him back, and so is he. We've had those talks, so you know, those are those are going to be off season discussions. But I think we're excited about that opportunity.

I can tell you that the reporters in that room, myself included, we're saying, did Joe really just say what I think he said? I think most of us always assume that the Bengals would find a way to keep Jamar Chase, but that seemingly out of nowhere comment from Joe about t changed the narrative about the possibility of reaching a long term extension with both.

A few days.

Later, Burrow made the case for keeping Tea.

It's very important.

I think you just look at Simon just his production, it's his presence, It's Howry comes to work every day. It's how the defenses have to play us when he's out there. You know, he plays such a big part in what we do here and has for for five years now that I don't think you can quite put a value on that.

I would say, if the final office has been able to make that work, would you be disappointed in him?

I'd be very disappointed in that.

Yet, we'll see after the season and talk have those discussions about, you know, what we feel needs to happen and the things everybody has to do to to do what we want, keep the guys around that we need and bringing the guys that we to fill some holes that we need. So those discussions will will be had, you know, at the end of the year.

Need, Yes, nobody wants to win more than Joe Burrow. He didn't advocate for keeping Jamar and Tea because there is buddies or he wants to put up numbers. He did it because he believes it's the best path to winning a Super Bowl ring. It basically guarantees that the Bengals going to be one of the top scoring teams in the league. Now they have to build the defense through the draft, player development, and shrewd free agent acquisitions.

We believe, That's all I can say. We believe we can get it done.

And I mean anybody that you know that has doubts, we're gonna try to you know, you know, flip they mind and believe in us just how just how we believe in ourselves.

I mean, honestly, that's the whole goal behind signing this at the end of the day, you know, signing both of us together, that's the whole goal for us to push this team, push each other, you know, as far as we could go. And you know that one goal is to be the best in AFC. First that's going to give us the easiest shots to get to the super Bowl, and if we win that first, then we're going to take the next step.

Jamar got a four year, one hundred and sixty one million dollar extension that's forty point two five Mili a year and it kicks in after this season, so he's actually under contract for five more years. T got a four year, one hundred and fifteen million dollar deal that's twenty eight point seven to five milli a year, And while the Bengals have been criticized for not getting a deal done with Te earlier by tagging him last year and extending him this year, they do wind up having

Man.

I grew up a Bengals fan, and to have the opportunity to sign a four year deal with my favorite team that I grew up watching is I mean, that's a that's a dream come true, you know what I mean? And then you know, once I guess the announcment was out. My favorite player I grew up watching, Congratu laying and congratulating me on that is it's even more crazy. So I couldn't be at a better place for me.

I like Cincinnati because it gives me the opportunity to come here and focus. You know, I'm not distracted out here. It's not too much too many things to get me, you know, off pace out here, you know, and it's strictly what I'm focused on. That's really tunnel vision for me to play football. So I mean, at the end of the day, the food's not the best. We could work on that. But the Orleans I'm not used to

If Jamar needs to run down on great Cincinnati restaurants, I can take care of it. For more on Today's news and to answer the questions you submitted on X, it's time to bring in my broadcast partner, Dave Lapham. I want to start with something simple that I think is not being emphasized enough. Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, and t Higgins want to be here. Sure, they got paid, but they like playing in Cincinnati. They believe they can

It's very important. You know, I do think that. You know, individual performance is rewarded by money, but money does not win championships. And these guys understand that it is a business. So when you perform at the level that they perform, the expectation is you're going to get compensated. And they have been handsomely and the Bengals have realized that they

Eight, did we kick some tailor?

What?

Man?

Did we get it done? Look what we did and look what the team did. The individual stuff is great, and again you're gonna get compstated based on that. But man, the team, folks, winning that championship is what it's really all about.

Let's turn the clock back to December ninth, after the Dallas game. That was the first time that Joe, Jamar and T walked out together for the coin toss and when Joe was asked about it after the game and how it felt to, you know, savor a moment like that, he made headlines by saying that he thought that they would be able to retain Tea. He was confident that T would be back, and then a few days later

I think it was the beginning, I really do you know, I mean, I think, uh put it out there, geez, I wonder what Joe's thinking about this. Joe put it out there. Joe left no doubt what Joe was thinking about this. And when you look at it, that Trio is is so much fun to watch, you know.

I mean when you when you.

Watch a a ballet that's the top of its top of its profession and you look at those people performing, it's like, oh my gosh, man, these there's they're the best in the world. That's what these guys are. These three guys are really the best in the world at what they do. And they compment each other so well. You know, T Higgins skill set Jamar Chase the skill set is different. They're both different, but they're both equally effective. And man, they feed off each other so perfectly.

You know.

It's like, man, it's you couldn't go out and and and and find a pair that compliments each other. It's like peanut butter and jelly. I mean, separately they're good, but together, man, they're really good. They're better together. And and that's what that's what Jamar Chase and t Higgins are. They're they're the peanut butter and Jelly in the NFL.

I guess since the news broke that the Bengals were able to get this deal done, I found some of the commentary coming from the national media to be laughable. But it's not unfair to ask if it's wise for a team to spend that much money on two wide receivers. What is your response to that argument.

You know, when the three of them have been healthy since they've been in the league together, what are they like thirty four and eighteen, I think it is or something like that. It's almost two wins for every defeat when all three of them are on the field together. They are a dynamic force. You know, there's no question about it. And right now, you know, I feel like with Brown and p Ryan in the backfield, you know,

He was key.

I mean, Joe mentioned him too, that Mike is Sticky is an important part of what they're what they're getting done, and he is and and they I think Mike Gisiki probably took a little bit of a hometown discount. I think t Higgins took a bit of a hometown discount. I think guys basically said, look, I will leave money on the table as such for the for the the the right and the pleasure of playing with each other. You know, we want to get back and do what we did last year. Run it back, and run it

Uh.

With that, with that long body, he can sink his hips, get in and out of cuts like a guy much smaller, like a guy under six feet tall, and he's almost sixty six. He can separate when he gets in and out of cuts and gets some separation, he can make the contested catch because of his his height and uh you know, his his length in his hands like t Higgins. I mean they have two of the better contested catch guys on the same football team. And then of course

You know, he led the league as we know catches, yards and touchdowns.

The fourth area was yards after catch seven hundred and eighty seven yards after catch. There are receivers in the NFL would love to have seven hundred and eight seven yards receiving and he got that after the catch of the football man and as a result, you know, since he's been in the NFL, the big play eighteen touchdowns are forty yards of more thirteen or fifty yards of more, twelve or sixty yards of more.

Are you kidding me? That's freakishly good.

Yeah, those are some crazy numbers. My feeling on this subject has evolved and changed. I don't think it's ideal to spend that much on two wide receivers, but the bottom line is keeping your best players. Yeah, Jamar is the second best player on the team, behind behind Joe Burrow. T is probably in the top four or five certainly, so you have to go cheaper somewhere else. But that's

Yeah, I agree with you, Dan, In a perfect world, would you love to have you know, like it may be a little bit more balanced from a position group where your best players exist. But if your best players to have them exist at the same position group in today's NFL, you got to pay them both. I mean, that's the bottom line. Let's face it. The list I saw, T Higgins was the number one free agent a wide receiver. Mike Kasiki was the number one guy at tight end

You know.

I think the other thing Dan that strikes me about all these guys, you know that the Bengals have resigned the resigning their own before worrying about other people's players. They do that. And then also the second component is the versatility. All these guys play more than one position. You know, they're capable of doing multiple things for you. Jamar Chase can line up anywhere and run any route and not make mistakes and decipher coverage is just on

No doubt about it. You know, it's kind of an odd twist to this whole thing, and the Bengals retaining T Higgins. If you are thrilled about that, you love te, you're excited that he's going to be a Bengal for at least four more years. You should probably thank Jermaine Burton for being immature as a rookie, because if he came in last year and was a total pro and looked like he was the guy that was going to be able to replace t in twenty twenty five, this deal probably doesn't get done.

Right.

That's a value, that's a valid point, There's no question about that. I think that you'd have to put Jermaine Burton's performance in the disappointment category, you know, as far as the organization is concerned. You know, not to say that hopefully he finds himself both as a football player and continues to mature and develop as a player as a person, not only a player, because the guy.

Does have a skill set.

But yeah, there's no way that they could they could justify to the fan base in their own minds, to anybody that this wasn't the way to go, you know T Higgins. And the thing is, both guys went out and proved it. Both guys went out and had seasons that Okay, franchise tagged me.

Yeah, all right, I'm gonna put up numbers.

And you know, the numbers combined from these two guys are ridiculous. Two hundred catches, two six hundred and nineteen yards, twenty seven touchdowns. I mean, that's that's crazy, it really is. And he's eighty nine yards short of a thousand and missed five games. And that's that's the thing with Tea. Now, you know a lot of people, I know people that I've talked to, why would you pay a guy like that that kind of money.

It's like, what are you talking about? Man?

His skill sets phenomenal. Yeah, but he's hurts so much now he does. He has the quad problems, the hamstring problems. I mean, he's a he's a big, big human being with you know, long muscles in those in those muscle groups. Got to figure out a way to, uh to maybe prevent prevent some of that. But this guy, when he's on the football field, I'm telling you, man, he is. The Bengals have so many ways that they can create mispatches. You know, they're they're they're such a difficult group to

So the most significant free agent additions off other rosters so far have come on defense linebacker Orrin Burks and defensive tackle t J. Slayton. Any thoughts on the addition of those two.

Guys obviously have a need for that that big body guy and that that's exactly what they got by signing this, uh, this this massive defensive tackle. Now this this guy, he's uh, he's a force, and he's he's a He's not a stiff, you know what I mean, He's he's got some athleticism to him, he's got some ability ability to move.

But he will he'll stuff it up. Now, there's no doubt about that.

This this guy, he will uh he will he will cause uh cause problems for the opposition when they're trying to establish that running game on the inside. There's there's no two ways about that that he is. He's a factor and need need help it linebacker. I mean, you lose a team Davis Gather who is a pretty you know, versatile guy to Arizona. I think they found one to uh to fit right in there and and take the place of So I think both of those signings are legit.

Uh.

My understanding is that that both of these guys are are very intelligent people, you know, I mean they they not only in general just raw intelligence, but football IQ and coaches are going to love that, you know. It's I think I think both signings are are going to help this football team. So I do think they did a pretty good job obviously of keeping their own, but then when they went out and had to had to make some moves and and get somebody else's they went

Better, especially TJ. Slayton. They have needed that gigantic, immovable run stopping force in the middle of their defensive line and and I think that's exactly what the doctor ordered. He's not going to get after the quarterback much, but you got to have somebody, particularly in the AFC North, that prevents teams from just stuffing it down your throat in the run game.

Absolutely.

I mean, fans are still moaning about the loss of DJ Reader, you know. I mean, and rightfully star. I mean DJ Reader was a force in the division stopping the run. And like you said, everybody can run the football in the AFC North TJ. Slayton will give you that close the closest thing to that body type with those type of movement skills. To think DJ Reader, it was unbelievable watching him with the athleticism he played with.

This guy.

Look you look at him and you think, oh, man, this he can't move? Are you kidding me? This guy was an athlete. Man, he could move. I mean he was hard to get off his feet. He he had he had sweet feet. Man, he had great balance. I mean he was hard to he was hard to get off his pins. And Slayton has has that kind of ability too. I mean he's hard to get on the ground.

Which way is it? Moving or is it moving at all?

T J.

Slayton will make sure that it's not moving at all, or if it's moving, it's moving in the uh negative direction. For the offense, he'll make sure he's knocking guys back and holding down the fort all right.

Earlier today, I shined the Bengals logo into the sky above pay Corpse Stadium and solicited some ask lap questions. So here we go. We've got several questions about the offensive line in general and the guard position in particular. This question from SB eighty five. Are the angles interested in Brandon Sheriff.

I think they should be.

You know, I think he's a guy that, uh, you know, that is on everybody's list. I mean, he's of the guys that are left at the interior.

You know.

I I have Brandon Sheriff, uh you know, rated right up there. I've also, you know, there's there's a couple of guys from the Chicago Bears, Tevin Jenkins. There's mixed reviews, mixed reports on him. There's I guess additional film study that I'm gonna have to have to do on him. But he and Matt Pryor are both there at the

But you know we mentioned Cody Ford.

I think Cody Ford deserves the right to battle inside for one of those guard spots. He's got the position versatility, but I I think he's proven that that he belongs in that in that competition. And and yeah, Dan, I would I would definitely say that if you if you come out of free agency without signing one veteran guard, it would be a disappointment, I would think. I mean, if you him signed too, all the better, But if you don't, that's going to be addressed in the draft as well.

I have not seen any reports about what Sheriff is asking for. His last contract as a free agent was a huge one, so he may be really looking for big bucks. Still, he's not that old. He's thirty three. He was the fifth overall pick in the draft. He was a five time Pro bowler, although the last time was twenty twenty one. His PFF grades last year weren't great, but they were still good. He was number thirteen among guards in pass Pro, number thirty nine overall. That was

Yeah, I agree, Dan, I mean, I think he obviously is a salary cap casualty with Jacksonville, and you know Jacksonville, they're moving on from some of their interior players and they're signing other people's interior players, and it's it's just kind of a kind of a shift and a lot of its economically driven. And I guess you know that's that's one thing that that we know the Cincinnati Bengals, uh, they always try to try to get done, is the fact that they don't let their cap get out of whack.

Jarno and Chuck have both asked questions about Matt Lee, the center out of the University of Miami that the Bengals drafted last year. Jarno asked, what is the status of Matt Lee could be? Could he be in the mix at guard? Chuck asked, is matt possibly the next center with Ted Karris moving to guard? What are your overall thoughts about Matt Lee and the possibility that he has a more prominent role this coming season.

Yeah, I think I think Matt Lee is is probably another guy that if I'm an offensive lineman that was a member of the group last year, the offensive line coast and the assistant line coach have moved on and

You know, Matt Lee has he has as good a chance as.

Anybody of securing more playing time or maybe winning a job at the in the teri of the offensive line.

I do think that.

That is an area of improvement that is is very obvious in terms of keeping that pocket from collapsing. The protection pass protection has to be firming the pocket up. And I remember Paul Brown and Tiger Johnson first to my first year in the league.

Men give ground grudgingly on that inside. You know, don't don't get bull rushed, don't get knocked back, give ground grudgingly, make a stand.

And that's you know, you have a guy like Joe Borrow, a quarterback you just want to keep people out of his face. Quarterbacks at any level, high school, college or the NFL will tell you if you ask him, what is the biggest the biggest problem to deal with pressure in my face when I can't see down the football field, and then you have the yips potentially about following through and you know, having an injury on somebody's helmet, be it your teammates or the opposition. So give these guys

Mark has a question about Cordel Volson. Cordell, by the way, was graded fifty fifth among guards last year out of eighty three according to Pro Football Focus. Here's the question. Scott Peters says he thinks he can help Cordel Volson. What exactly can he help him with?

You know, Cordell Volson has got some length and h Coach Peters is real good with that long arm, you know, and foot placement's a little bit different.

Maybe it's a little more.

Parallel than staggered, and it length lengthens the arm, and and Cordel Volson has some long, strong arms to work with. The biggest thing I think that he has to do is is uh is is bend get his pad level lower. You know, he has to he has to bend at the knees and not at the waist. He has to get get get that body down a little bit and and you know, get his his targets everything lower and player play at a lower plane. Because I think he does have ability. I think he does have athletic ability.

And again, you wipe a slate clean.

You know, there's if he ended up going the year ended up going tough for him last year, Frank Pollack, who drafted him, ended up sitting him down. And you know, Frank's not the start that does that lightly. You know, somebody that he drafted make that kind of decision with So Cordell is going to have a bounce back year.

I think he's got it in him.

And with coach Peters, he's got a clean slate, new techniques, new things to learn. And again, everybody's everybody's a square one. It's best man wins. Let's just go compete.

From chastin besides guard, what other position would you like to see the Bengals addressing free agency?

You know, I mean, I think they've already done. They've already gotten a defensive tackle. But I'd go multiple guards. I'd probably go another defensive tackle. I'd like, there's always room for an edge rusher. I mean, if in the secondary market, there's an edge rusher out there that you know that becomes affordable and viable.

And honestly, Dan, when I'm when I'm.

If I'm a free agent out there now, and you know, I haven't maybe my price tag was too high and some of these guys did get the big dollars, but you're still out there. You know, you have to lower your sites. You and your representative of your agent, your lawyer, whatever, or trying to figure out what to do. Why the hell not consider the Cincinnati Bengals. I mean, look what they've done in free agency. Look at the football team

They do, they do have a good roster.

They believe in their roster they brought a lot of that roster back, and they paid them, you know, second contracts in some cases even more than that. But you know, man, I think when when the Bengals did what they did in terms of paying Joe Burrow good money for the long term and then signing both Jamar and t I think you showed the rest of the league we're serious.

Now.

You know we're serious. We're going to try to put together as good a roster as we possibly can, and we're not going to let our stars that we've developed into potential superstars walk. So if you want to be part of this, yeah, let's talk. And I would think that Cincinnati here in this era of the Joe Burrow era, is talked about in the free agency circle as much differently than they were before his arrival. I think it's it's uh, from travel agency standpoint, is probably one of

Let's go from mister B what changes do you recommend to reverse the devastating trend of terrible starts to seasons.

Yeah, man, boy, if I had an answer to that, I mean that that that one it's almost like a self fulfilling prophecy. Now, sometimes you get in that situation and it just, you know, it can it consumes you when you don't even realize it's consuming you. You know,

But man, it was a stark contrast.

From the start of the season offensively to the end of the season offensively.

And you know, I don't know.

Maybe it's as simple as playing biting the bullet and then play more snaps, man, and let them bring people to the ground and start that, start that bond of what it's going to be like at all three levels. Realizing you know how to play with each other, get a feel for each other, get a feel for the guy that you're playing next to, have an understanding what

All right, We've got about two minutes left for a final hard hitting question. It comes from p d y. Are you ready, yes, describe your perfect Sunday morning breakfast.

Perfect Sunday morning breakfast. Man.

You know, I'm really not a huge breakfast guy, but if I had to, it would be some form of steak. Would be in there. I'm definitely a steak.

Guy, steak an eggs kind of guy.

Yeah, steak and eggs would stay, can scrambled eggs with that, dog would hunt. I think I think I'd probably probably lean in that direction. I'm, you know, not necessarily toast, maybe more like an English s muffin or a Danish kind of guy, you know, rather than just toast, you know, get a little a little bit of something like that going. I am definitely an orange juice guy, gonna have that,

Though.

I can describe my perfect Sunday morning breakfast because I feel like I have it about eight times a year. It's on the road at the Bengals game day. It's you, Me, Mike Brown, his close friend Jack Schiff.

Yeah.

I don't really care about the food. It's the conversations that we have on those Sunday mornings on the road. That's the perfect Sunday morning breakfast for me.

What a great call that is, Dan, There's no doubt.

I mean the conversations football and it evolves to evolves to life in general in some cases, but a lot of football chat and uh, you know it is it's very interesting, very interesting.

I think I think the fan base.

Would be very pleasantly surprised to be able to tune into some of those conversations and listen to uh, you know, to Mike and uh and then when Katie and Troy come and when Paul Brown comes and everybody starts, uh starts talking football. It's really pretty enlightening, pretty very interesting, it really is.

If we could make that a podcast, it would be like the Kelsey Brothers. We would sell it for one hundred mil.

You're right, man, I mean I think, uh, I think it would definitely it would definitely uh disproved, you know, I don't know, maybe prove the fact that Mike Brown might be as misunderstood as almost anybody in the National Football League.

But Mike Brown knows his football.

Now he does. And his laugh is tremendous.

It is, There's there's no question about it.

And and as dry a sense of humor as I've ever as I've ever known, and uh at an extremely high intelligence, as we know, Dan, Mike Brown is like that dude is Menza he's mensa in a lot of areas that might be. That might be a smart as smart a human being ron intelligence as I've been around, he's something else.

All right, so I said. The Sunday Morning Breakfast question was our final question, but there was actually one other interesting thing that came in on ask Lap. Somebody wants to know that when the Bengals win the Super Bowl in Santa Clara this coming year, will you add an extra bam to coffin nails? Bam bam bam? Will you go with a fourth for a Super Bowl?

At least I might go for ten? I mean I might just be bamming my butt off.

Man. All right, that's what we got to look forward. Appreciate you time, my man. Hope to see you soon.

Same here. Dan, enjoyed it.

Appreciate your man, you haven't done so already. Be sure to check out Laps in the Trenches podcast presented by First Star Logistics. Recent guests include BJ Hill and Mikeasicki. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider. By Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to a new level and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health

Man, it's been amazing. It's been amazing.

Definitely looking forward to the opportunity here in Cincinnati for me and my family. I feel like it's a great fit for us, and I'm just excited to see what the future holds.

I want to go back before the playoffs began, the final game of the regular season, it was big news nationally when the Eagles rested Saquon Barkley when he possibly had a chance to set the rushing record. Some other guys rested in that game as well. You stepped into the starting lineup and had seventeen tackles to kind of set the stage for the great postseason that came after that. What do you think that game did for you your reputation around the NFL.

For me, it's just a big confidence piece, you know, for the whole year, I hadn't had, you know, a huge opportunity to play, you know, the majority of the game, So just was ready when the opportunity came up to you know, show showcase my talents and that that rang true, you know when I got the opportunity in the playoffs and throughout. But for me, it's always preparing like a starter no matter what my role is and teams has

Nikobe Dean suffered an injury in the first playoff game. You stepped into the starting lineup for the rest of the playoffs for Philly and the defense didn't miss a beat. How big of a source of pride was that for you?

Yeah, it's huge. Like I said, like I prepare like a starter.

That's that's been my point of emphasis, and that's allowed me to play in the league for a long time. This is going into year eight and I played a lot of games in terms of playoff games. You know, I've been on been in the playoffs every year except for my rookie year. And you know that that rings true, Like that experience, you know, speaks for yourself and looking to you know, increase that role and just I feel it's a great opportunity to come here and compete and this this team is.

You look at the roster.

You got talent up and down the roster and two big ones you know yesterday with the war receiver duo, and that's going to help us a lot to win games.

So looking forward to it.

That playoff track record's pretty remarkable. Six straight years with three different teams. Five of those teams went to the league championship Game, the last two teams went to the Super Bowl, and you won the Super Bowl this past year. What have you learned over the course of the last six years about what it takes for teams to make it that far in the postseason.

Yeah, one thing I've noticed the biggest The best teams I've been a part of have been the closest teams in the locker room. So that's gonna be an emphasis for me, you know, just to connect with the guys here.

And I'm a vet now, so like just being able to lead in that role is going to be really important.

But at the same time, just the mentality that it takes to win it all. It takes a lot of hard work, but ultimately you got to be There's a lot of highs, a lot of lows. You got to find a way to stay somewhere in the middle, and I feel like that's where the work gets done. And looking forward to, you know, seeing what that looks like with this team.

I'm sure Philly didn't want to lose you. What appealed to you about Cincinnati?

Yeah, just opportunity, you know, the last couple of years, they haven't you know, gotten over the barrier. I feel like we're right there at it to make a run at it again. So I feel like it was the best opportunity for me and my family and a great fit here. We're in Nashville, so right down the road, so not too far. But yeah, just looking forward to the future here.

What have you been told about the opportunity? What potential role do you think exists for you here?

Yeah, just to come in and compete always.

You know backburner's gonna be special teams, but you know it's coming to compete and play at linebacker here, and I just want to be part of a great defense.

You spent your first four years in Green Bay Jerry Montgummer. He was on the defensive staff. He wasn't your position coach, but obviously you were around Jerry a lot during those years. Did that connection have anything to do with you winding up.

Here, Yeah, it definitely does.

You know, familiarity with somebody on staff, a good relationship with Jerry, and know his kids and his family very well. And I feel like he's going to be a big piece for our d line. And I love playing with great defensive lines man, that makes my job a lot easier. So knowing that they're going to be well coached on that front is a big piece to that.

So I'll look forward to working with him.

The Bengals got close to a Super Bowl title in the twenty twenty one season. You got there last year. You got to experience what it was like when the confetti is falling around you and it's your team Colors. What was that high like for you?

Yeah, it's a surreal experience.

You know, all the work that you put in, you know, your whole life to get to the pinnacle of the sport and just being able to showcase it at at the highest level is a great honor. And just going to war, you know, with guys that you can create a bond with over the year. I'm looking forward to doing that this year with this team.

You've had a tremendous track record on special teams throughout your NFL career. Do you anticipate playing a significant role in that department Cincinnati?

Yeah.

I mean I feel like I always try to find ways to add value wherever I am, special teams or defense, and I take a lot of pride in that, you know, just just being a pros pro and being able to you know, be ready to go when the opportunity comes up.

You overlapped with TJ. Slayton briefly in Green Bay your last year there, his first. What can you tell us about what the Bengals are getting in TJ Slayton.

Yeah, you're getting a young guy with a lot of potential. Man.

I feel like when I was there with TJ, like you just showed so much athleticism and his ability to you know, just replays and get to the ball, and that's to nasty is going to help us on defense. So excited to get back to work with him. Having reunited with him in a little bit.

So you've faced the Bengals each of the last two years, would have been your impressions of Cincinnati being on the opposite side of the ball?

Yeah, Man, a high powered offense obviously, Joe leading the way. I mean, I see him as a great leader, a guy that can get the ball out and get into playmaker's hands, and for me is just.

Just don't know, just a great opportunity.

Like I'm really like seeing this team from the far as the first time being the AFC for me, so a little bit different, but UH known them as a contender the last couple of years. So that's what I was looking for in free agency, is an opportunity to come and compete with the contender.

We joked before I turned on the microphone that based on my research, nobody has played in three straight Super Bowls for three different teams. They're having guys that have played in three for three different teams, but not three years in a row.

What do you think?

I mean, I imagine you joined this team thinking that Cincinnati gives you a legitimate chance to do that.

Yeah, I think it's definitely on the table. And it starts with OTA's coming up here soon. Just building that foundation that leads into the camp and leads, you know, to the to the ultimate, the big one in the super Bowl.

So we got to take it one day at a time. But you know, we got all the pieces that we need.

Who do you know on this roster if anybody?

Yeah, so Logan we have the same Logan Wilson, we have the same agent, so I've kind of known him from that. And Tanner Hudson he trains in Nashville every once in a while, so have good relationship with him. He was with the Niners when I was out there as well, so in Devin Conquering as well as office a lineman that was at Vandy when I was there for a little bit.

Your thirtieth birthday is coming up in a matter of days. You seem like a very young thirty. You've played in a lot of games, but haven't necessarily played a ton of snaps on defense. Do you feel like you haven't been exposed to as much wear and tear maybe as some guys with your experience in the league.

Yes, and no.

I feel like we did physicals earlier today and that was in and out for thirty minutes. So I was joking with them like going into your a if you got a quick physical, that's a great sign. So hopefully I can crank out a couple more years.

Here in the league.

And it's about longevity, you know, like I said, and just find a ways to add value taking care of your bodies and just being a pro, you know, taking care of everything that needs to be taken care of.

Great to have you here in Cincinnati. Hope that Super Bowl Street continues next year.

Let's do it.

N Thanks to Warren Burks, and that's going to do it. For this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by pay Core, Proud to be the Bengals Official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider