Blog

Oct 26, 2023

Bengals Notebook: Taylor's Relaxed Approach, Replacing Bates and Bell, More

Easy does it is the motto for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason. After their

Easy does it is the motto for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason. After their Super Bowl run two seasons ago, head coach Zac Taylor deployed a scaled-back offseason program. Taylor cut two weeks off the team's offseason program last year to allow his players some extra rest in a historically short offseason. It worked out for Taylor and the Bengals, who were strong down the stretch last year. Cincinnati had a small amount of the usual wear and tear and soft tissue injuries last season. They also won eight straight to close the regular season.

Their strong second half propelled them to an AFC North division title. It worked so well; Zac Taylor is running it back this offseason, according to multiple reports from Bengals camp.

NFL teams are allowed up to 10 practices during the three-phase offseason program. Most teams will reserve a few of them for mandatory minicamp this month. The Bengals only scheduled six practices of the allotted 10.

They’re not alone there. The New York Jets canceled their mandatory minicamp, citing rest before an early start to training camp and the preseason. However, there are more specific details that Taylor and the Bengals are focusing on during their offseason program. In April, the Bengals’ offseason program's first phase consisted of only strength and conditioning drills. That way, no one who opted not to report to the voluntary practices would fall behind the rest of the team regarding the schematic work on the field.

The Bengals have also placed an emphasis on team-building and mental work during their practices. According to SI's Albert Breer, 11-on-11 work is done at a walk-through pace, with only 20 plays of 7-on-7 work at full speed in each practice, giving the big men a better chance to be fresh going into the summer.

The response has been precisely what Zac Taylor wanted: maximum participation and buy-in from his roster. Save for Jonah Williams, who is rehabbing and has requested a trade, and Tyler Boyd, who chose to spend some time with his family, everyone has been in the building since the start of Phase I of the offseason program. Even Boyd has since reported, leaving Williams as the only non-participant.

Taylor is fostering a culture in Cincinnati that allows his players to be treated like adults and give him 100 percent when the time comes to work. The returns from the players have been promising.

Bengals safety Dax Hill didn't play a snap until October 9 last season despite being Cincinnati's first-round pick in 2022. When the Bengals stumbled out of the gates last season, people asked why not? The Athletic's Jay Morrison recalled a moment during the infancy of the 2022 season in which Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo snapped back at that question:

"That kid will get in when I feel it's the right time, the right place, in the right role, in the right game, and that's how that's gonna go," Anarumo said.

Anarumo offered the method to his madness in slow-rolling the first-rounder. It was mainly due to the importance of keeping Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell together at the back of the Bengals’ secondary Anarumo compared Bates and Bell to a middle-infield tandem in baseball. One in which they could turn double plays with effortless synchronization. Anarumo placed immense value on his safety duo's chemistry.

With Bates and Bell departed, Dax Hill and other young defensive backs have big shoes to fill in 2023.

Anarumo and the Bengals will turn to the trio of Dax Hill, Nick Scott, and third-round pick Jordan Battle this season. Hill played sparingly in 2022 save for 167 snaps on special teams. When he did play, he wasn't hugely effective. Hill logged one pass breakup and allowed two touchdowns in coverage. However, the Bengals coaching staff has plenty of faith in the 2022 first-rounder.

Bengals DBs coach Rob Livingston on Dax Hill: Glad some of his highs were high and his lows were low. Start with chip on shoulder and ready to go. "I have a lot of stresses and worries in my life and he's not one of them. He's a first-round pick for a reason."

Nick Scott comes to the Bengals as a free agent this offseason with four seasons of experience with the Rams. Scott logged 56 tackles and two interceptions with the Rams last season. Anarumo will also get rookie Jordan Battle involved. The Bengals took Battle in the third round; however, many had the former Alabama DB graded as a late first, early second-round pick throughout the pre-draft process.

Keeping an eye on how that group comes together will be on my list of things to do during training camp. Trying to replicate the chemistry that Bates and Bell provided will be vital to the Bengals’ defense this season.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals took in a Cincinnati Reds game this week and took part in some pre-game batting practice. Not surprisingly, Burrow was good at that too. The Bengals QB smashed four home runs during BP.

The @Bengals can rake!The Cincinnati Bengals took their cuts at GABP. It was a four-home run day for Joe Burrow in batting practice! 👀Burrow grew up playing baseball and played shortstop, center field, and pitched until he focused on football and basketball. @JoeyB pic.twitter.com/1nBvfGb1Yb

Patrick is the Lead NFL Writer at Bleacher Nation. You can follow him on Twitter @PatrickKFlowers.