Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp Practice Report Day 1: Tee Higgins Returns, Joe Burrow Sizzles, Ja’Marr Chase Sits

CINCINNATI — Day 1 of Cincinnati Bengals training camp was sans No. 1.

Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was on the field but did not participate in anything other team stretch.

Cincinnati Bengals Practice Report July 24

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said before practice it was a planned rest day for Chase and that wide receiver Tee Higgins, who made his return to the team following a contentious offseason, will not do much Thursday.

“Joe (Burrow), Tee, Ja’Marr, they’ve been doing this for a long time. They can handle a lot,” Taylor said. “My communication with those two (receivers) is early we’re going to let a lot of young guys get these reps, get their feet wet.

“I’ve got a plan for Ja’Marr, a plan for Tee, and have done a great job communicating with those guys,” he added. “Those guys will each have their time where they’re minimized and other guys get the opportunity.”

Chase watching the other WRs go thru an early drill pic.twitter.com/Wm8IzzpOc5

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) July 24, 2024

Injury Report

Two players who were limited to side rehab work were able to participate in Wednesday’s first practice of training camp.

Safety and special teams stalwart Tycen Anderson, who tore his ACL in late October, was participating in position drills, while rookie tight end Tanner McLachlan, the team’s sixth-round pick, participated in individual and team drills.

The other absences were cornerback DJ Ivey (ACL) and defensive tackle Devonnsha Maxwell, who were placed on the physically unable to perform list on Monday, and offensive tackle Trent Brown and rookie fourth-round tight end Erick All (ACL) who are on the non-football injury (NFI) list.

Taylor said before practice Brown’s placement on the NFI list is due to “tightness.”

“Just trying to be smart, especially with some of these veteran guys,” Taylor said. “Give him a chance to be with the trainer. Who knows how many days? It could be a couple of days, and then see where he’s at.”

Quarterback Report

Burrow isn’t all the way back from the wrist injury that ended his 2023 season, but he looked much stronger and healthier than the last time we saw him throwing passes at half speed during minicamp.

Burrow missed two of his first three passes, both of which were intended for Higgins, before finishing the day 6-for-10 in 11-on-11 drills, with one of the incompletions being a pass fired into the dirt as the defensive pressure was in his face.

FREE: Subscribe to PFN’s NFL Newsletter

On the next play, defensive end Trey Hendrickson got to him for what would have been a sack.

Backup Jake Browning, whose surprise rise was one of the team’s biggest storylines last year, had a rough start to camp. Browning threw two interceptions and had a fumbled exchange with backup center Trey Hill.

Browning finished 2-of-7.

Stock Up

• Andrei Iosivas said he took every snap in the slot, and he had a couple of nice catches in the practice. There’s a long way to go in determining who will get all of Tyler Boyd’s slot snaps, but one day in it looks as though Iosivas will have plenty of chances to be the guy.
• Rookie safety Daijahn Anthony came up with the first interception of camp Browning missed wide receiver Shedrick Jackson. Anthony has an uphill climb in a crowded safety room, but a splash play early on Day 1 is a good start.
• It’s next to impossible to gauge offensive line play before the pads go on, but first-round pick Amarius Mims’ stock continues to rise with the veteran Brown missing the start of camp after being away from the team most of the voluntary portion of the offseason.

Stock Down

• Trent Brown. See Above.
• Browning’s job as the backup quarterback is more than secure with his performance last year, but it was a poor start to 2024.
• Undrafted rookie tight end Cam Grandy had a starring role in one of the splash plays of the day, and it wasn’t the good kind. Grandy had a Browning pass go off his hands, enabling cornerback Allan George to make a diving interception.