Hyped in the Heat, Messi Mania, and Ja’Marr Mania Highlight Day 16 of Bengals Training Camp

It was a simple route during a routine rep for the second-team offense on another oppressively hot, humid, and draining day, but you wouldn’t know it by the reaction from some Cincinnati Bengals players.

Tanner Hudson Shine in Day 16 of Bengals Training Camp

Tight end Irv Smith Jr. was running, jumping, and waving a towel as if a teammate had just caught a touchdown to win a playoff game. Tight end Mitchell Wilcox delivered a leaping side bump. And running back Joe Mixon jogged over for a congratulatory dap.

The recipient? Tight end Tanner Hudson, who can use every moment like the one he had Wednesday to add to his argument for making the 53-man roster.

“Definitely wanted to support my guy out there making plays,” Smith said. “It’s nice to see him back out there.”

Hudson, whom the Bengals added to the practice squad in December, three days after he was released by the Giants, missed more than a week of training camp after suffering a concussion in the first preseason game against the Packers.

One of the more athletic tight ends on a roster stacked with blocking specialists, Hudson had four catches for 26 yards in less than two quarters against the Packers, but after snaring the fourth one, he tried to leap two Green Bay defenders, got clipped, and his head slammed against the turf when he landed.

“I knew I was concussed right away,” Hudson said. “I tried to get up, wobbled, and fell backward. It was disappointing because I felt real good, felt really prepared, felt like I was having a pretty good game, and then just, you know, things happen. You’ve got to overcome them and work to get back out there and do what you can.”

Wednesday saw Hudson — the only Southern Arkansas University product currently in the NFL — doing what he can. It wasn’t his first day back. That was Sunday.

But catching a simple out-breaking route, “breaking” a tackle, turning upfield, and racing the distance was one of those splash plays that can enhance a case in a crowded chase for what could be only three spots on the roster.

Despite running all the way down the field — and back — Hudson was back in for the next play and made an impressive contested catch with rookie safety Jordan Battle on his back.

After Smith, there are either two or three tight end spots available. Hudson’s competition is 2019 second-round pick Drew Sample, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 last year; Mitch Wilcox, who replaced Sample, had a solid season and just came off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list; and Devin Asiasi, who played 12 games for the Bengals last year.

“In my younger years, it was hard not to think about it — the 53-man roster — but going into Year 6 now, you’ve just got to control whatever you can,” Hudson said. “There’s no point in thinking about rosters spots and this and that. You just have to go out there and try to do the best you can each and every day.”

Messi Mania

There was a bit of a buzz in the locker room after practice as a group of Bengals players were looking forward to traveling a few blocks north to see Lionel Messi and Inter Miami take on FC Cincinnati in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup.

Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins were among the group planning to go.

“I’ve never been to an FC Cincinnati game, and to be honest, I’m just going because of Messi,” Higgins said. “I mean, he’s the greatest in the world. If I’m not gonna go a few minutes up the road to see the greatest in the world, what am I doing?”

Chase Mania

Maybe Messi will do something to top the catch Chase made in practice, but it will be a high bar to clear.

During an 11-on-11 period with Trevor Siemian running the offense, Chase made one of those types of catches that produce audible gasps from even those most accustomed to seeing them.

It’s unclear if Siemian was trying to throw to Chase’s back shoulder or if he was simply off target, throwing high and behind. But Chase can turn even offline throws into catches, as he did Wednesday with a one-handed stab while working against rookie cornerback DJ Ivey.

It’s not clear who says, ‘Oh, my God,’ at the end of the video, but anyone who witnessed it was thinking that.

1️⃣ with the one-handed catch.@Real10jayy__ pic.twitter.com/AC0UyzmuVL

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 23, 2023

Odds and Ends

• Defensive linemen B.J. Hill and Cam Sample, cornerback Sidney Jones IV, and running back Chris Evans did not practice.
• Rookie cornerback DJ Turner continued to work in a limited fashion, only doing individual drills.
• The Bengals started their practice at the indoor facility and then moved outside into the oppressive conditions that spurred a heat advisory.
• On the first play of 11-on-11s, Chidobe Awuzie intercepted a Jake Browning pass intended for Chase.

MORE: Breaking Down the Bengals’ Backup OL Options

• Rookie running back Chase Brown showed more explosiveness and got the edge and some big gains before being touched on a couple of runs.
• Myles Murphy beat Jackson Carman for a pair of sacks.
• Linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither had an interception off a deflection by Ivey on a Siemian pass intended for Trenton Irwin.
• Siemian hit Trent Taylor for one of the easiest touchdowns we’ve seen all camp on what obviously was a busted coverage.