CINCINNATI – It’s out with the old and in with the two as Chase Brown and Zack Moss are primed to handle the running back duties for the Cincinnati Bengals this season following the release-turned-trade of Joe Mixon.
On the first day of the voluntary portion of the offseason program, Brown officially introduced himself to Moss, his new locker neighbor in a snug, no-frills auxiliary locker room where the players are being housed as the main locker room undergoes massive renovations.
Brown, the team’s fifth-round pick in 2023, is fired up for the increased opportunity, but he also took time to check in on Mixon after the seven-year veteran was blindsided by the team’s decision to move on from him.
What’s Next for Cincinnati Bengals RB Chase Brown in Year 2?
“He’s [Mixon] done so much for this team, the city, the fan base, we’re going to miss him,” Brown said. “I gave him a call just to see how he was doing, what his mindset was. He’s definitely in a good place. The Texans are going to be a great [team] for him. He’s gonna kill it there.
“I’m excited for him in that sense,” Brown continued. “But it opens a lot of opportunity here, and I’m excited to get back to work with Chris [Evans] and Tray[veon Williams] and Zack and just kind of mold this running back room into something new.”
Brown showed the kind of explosiveness the Bengals want from the run game during limited action in 2024.
With his rookie season interrupted by a hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve, Brown logged 58 touches in 2023 — 44 rushes and 14 receptions on 15 targets.
Five of Brown’s carries went for 10 yards or more. Five of his 14 catches were good for at least 10 yards, while another three totaled 19 or more yards.
CHASE IS ON THE CASE❕#Bengals rookie RB Chase Brown scores his first #NFL touchdown 💨#RuleTheJungle
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 10, 2023
While the overall load was light, the impact was not. That’s why the Bengals are expecting big things from Brown as he prepares to move into a split workload with Moss.
Head coach Zac Taylor talked about this season being big for all the 2023 draft picks as they settled into an offseason regimen that will become routine as they progress in their careers.
“(The rookie) offseason is the most unique offseason they’ll ever go through in their entire life,” Taylor said. “They’re playing in all-star games, they’re going away and they’re training for an unknown. They don’t know what city they’re going to live in. They’ll never do this ever again. And so obviously that doesn’t set you up for the most success your first year as opposed to your second through your 20th.”
Brown said he already felt the difference on Day 1.
“The playbook’s not new, the coaches aren’t new, the guys in the locker room aren’t new, so you feel like you’re at home. That’s how I feel right now,” he said. “What I want to do most is build on what I did last year, kind of turn it on more than last season and help this team win games in any way possible and be a complete player.
“Coming off a great offseason and going into Year 2, I’m in a great head space, and my body feels really good.”
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