Bengals Rookie Amarius Mims Playing Follow the Leader as He Dives Into Playbook

CINCINNATI – When it comes to learning — and retaining — everything he needs to know, Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick Amarius Mims is doubling down.

Not only has the offensive tackle from the University of Georgia been attached to veteran Orlando Brown Jr. since arriving in Cincinnati, he’s writing down everything he can in duplicate.

Bengals Rookie Amarius Mims Taking Notes in Duplicate

“I have two [notebooks],” Mims said after Tuesday’s practice, his sixth with the team. “I keep one in the O-line room because we’re always having rookie meetings after practice, and I keep one with me to take home.”

“I take pride in knowing the playbook,” he added. “Being a young guy, the fastest way to get on the field is knowing the plays, and the quickest way to get off is not knowing. It’s my job. I’ve got to hone in on stuff like that.”

And nowhere feels more like home than at the hip of the veteran Brown, who has two shadows on the practice field when the sun is shining.

Brown made it clear the day Mims arrived in Cincinnati that he wanted to be a mentor, showing up at the rookie’s introductory news conference to let him know he’ll be there for him with whatever he needs.

Is everyone getting bigger or am I just getting smaller? 😅 @ZEUS__57 welcomes @amarius_mims to Paycor Stadium. pic.twitter.com/0xcLTD5VsJ

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) April 26, 2024

And Mims is taking full advantage.

“It’s been great so far,” Mims said. “Some guys don’t have the foundation I have with Orlando and Trenton [Brown] whenever he gets back. I have two veteran guys who have been there, done that at the highest level possible. Why not get up under their wing and learn from them?”

The biggest takeaway from his first two weeks of practice, aside from the importance of studying and re-studying the playbook, is to focus on consistency.

“I know there’s gonna be mistakes, but if I can go out every day and make the least amount of mistakes possible with the right technique, then that’s my goal,” he said.

“It’s not the goal to start right now, to beat somebody out. It’s just to be as consistent as possible and fix the little stuff,” Mims continued. “If I can do that, I can see my game start rising.”

Asked if he’s managed to have a mistake-free day yet, Mims burst out laughing.

“Oh, no. Oh my God. I’m making mistakes before I get on the field,” he said. “I wish.”

With his double-scribbled notes, Mims said he wants to have a clear understanding of the playbook by the time he comes back in late July for the start of training camp.

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That was his goal before he ever arrived in Cincinnati, but he’s been taken aback by the breadth of it.

“At Georgia, we had a lot of plays. But man, here, there’s so many checks, so many plays,” he said. “But that’s the league. You’ve got long nights and long mornings and all that stuff just learning. That’s what you get paid the money for.”

“I’m not going to say it’s ‘overwhelming,’” he continued. “It just gets to the point where I say, ‘OK, I’ve got to devote more study time.’ To be a good pro in this league, you’ve got to devote time.”