Bengals Practice Report: Performance, Passion Not Dipping With Joe Burrow’s Absence

Monday marked a new stage in the Cincinnati Bengals‘ backup quarterback battle between Jake Browning and Trevor Siemian. The duo alternated days taking second-team reps in the two practices Joe Burrow had before suffering a calf strain, and they took turns taking first-team reps Friday and Saturday.

Cincinnati Bengals Backup QB Competition Heats Up

The plan moving forward is to have each quarterback go back-to-back days with the ones, with Browning leading off Monday and set to do it again Tuesday, followed by Siemian on Thursday and Friday.

“That’s the best thing,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “Just give the whole unit a chance to not have to go back and forth every single day, and since we practice in two-day increments this week, that seems to make the most sense. And then we’ll see where we go from there.”

In three periods of 11-on-11 drills, Browning was 11 for 15, while Siemian was 8 for 13. The bulk of both quarterbacks’ incompletions came in the red zone, as Lou Anarumo’s defensive backs continue to perform well.

But both quarterbacks also had impressive touchdown passes. Browning bought time in the pocket with no one open, slid to his right, and found Kwamie Lassiter II racing away from safety Nick Scott along the back line of the end zone.

Siemian topped that on his first throw on the next set of reps, firing a scoring strike to Andrei Iosivas through the tiniest of windows, thanks to tight coverage from rookie DJ Turner.

In addition to the way Siemian and Browning are throwing the ball, the biggest takeaway from the players is how well the offense as a whole has looked despite not having Burrow in charge.

“I haven’t really seen much (disconnect),” Taylor said. “I think the guys have really kept things going in stride. Obviously, Joe’s just on a different level across the league, but I think the two guys that have been getting reps there have done a nice job, keeping us moving forward.”

Burrow was not out at practice, but he was in the locker room afterward, spending some time chatting with center Ted Karras. Burrow’s absence also has a chance to affect the work the defense is trying to put in, but that hasn’t been an issue either.

“For us, it’s still ‘Where are your eyes? Where are you supposed to line up?’ All that stuff,” safeties coach Rob Livingston said. “Yes, maybe some of the pinpoint throws aren’t there, but I can’t say enough about what a great job Jake and Trevor are doing. Opportunity is the key to life in any profession. You can be a 3 one day and a starter the next. That’s why these guys are here.”

Team captain D.J. Reader added there has been no issue with keeping the intensity up on defense during Burrow’s absence.

“We’d be doing him a disservice if we went out there and lollygagged around,” Reader said. “As a leader, he expects that energy to be where it is, and the rest of the team is not gonna let it fall off.”

The Bengals signed Reid Sinnett on Sunday to add a third arm to the reps, but Sinnett did not take any reps in 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 drills Monday.

“He just got here yesterday, and we’re in Day 6 of install,” Taylor said. “So it’s not like it was Day 1 of install, some light easy stuff. It’s the more complex stuff. We’ll let (quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher) and those guys work with him.”

Jackson Carman, Jonah Williams Rotating RT Reps Evenly

Monday was Jackson Carman’s turn to take first-team reps at right tackle while Jonah Williams worked with the twos. Williams took first-team reps in Wednesday’s first practice, and the two have alternated since then, with the exception of Friday, when Carman ran with the ones for a second consecutive day while Williams got the day off.

“Don’t read too much into that rotation,” Taylor said. “Both guys are giving us things we like.”

The competition will intensify Tuesday when the Bengals hold their first padded practice.

“There’s a mental side of things right now and techniques out of things it’s been good to see,” Taylor said. “But obviously, when you get the full pads on, it’s a whole different ballgame.”

D.J. Reader Show Versatility

First, we saw wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase catching punts in practice. Monday, it was Reader doing position drills with the receivers.

“Just trying to see what they do, trying to get my eyes right,” Reader explained. “I don’t ever get a chance to catch passes or see the ball, so it’s just a different thing to work on. I’m very much a ‘get my eyes together’ kind of guy, so seeing the ball this early in practice has really helped me with all types of things.

“It’s fun to get over there,” he added. “I like to give those guys a hard time and tell them they’re not that good.”

Quote of the Day

After a run by Chris Evans that was stretched to the sideline by Germaine Pratt, the linebacker told Karras he couldn’t catch him because he was too fast.

Karras replied with some off-color language.

Asked about the exchange after practice, Karras said that he hoped no kids heard him. Informed that they did because a bunch of them said, “Oooooh,” Karras replied, “Well, then I hope none of the moms heard it.”

Odds and Ends

• Defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who signed a one-year, $21 million extension last week, did not practice Monday. Taylor said it was “nothing — lower body.”
• Punter Drue Chrisman returned to the team after his medical scare last week.
• Cam Taylor-Britt had one of the best defensive plays of the day, breaking up a Browning pass intended for Chase along the sideline. Taylor-Britt immediately went over to the rope separating the fans from the field and started firing up the crowd.

• Rookie seventh-round pick DJ Ivey built on his strong practice inside the stadium Saturday with a couple of nice plays. One came against Chase and led to an incompletion in the back corner of the end zone, and the other was a physical hand fight with Stanley Morgan before ripping the ball free.
• Cody Ford, whom the Bengals signed to a one-year, $1 million free agent deal, looks as though his chances of making the 53-man roster and decreasing every day, along with his reps.
• Backup LB Markus Bailey made two nice plays on back-to-back snaps. On the first, he punched the ball free from rookie receiver Shedrick Jackson on a play that would have been a borderline incompletion/fumble. On the next play, Bailey met running back Chris Evans in the hole for what would have been no gain.
• Bengals legend and Ring of Honor member Ken Anderson was at practice Monday with his granddaughter.