CINCINNATI (AP) — With franchise stars Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Dexter Lawrence earning large salaries, the Cincinnati Bengals need to count on some young players to assemble their 53-man roster.
Several are finding their roles so far. Even in a rookie class that doesn’t include a first-round pick because Cincinnati traded it for Lawrence, the Bengals appear to have some first-year players who can help right away.
The headliner is second-round pick Cashius Howell, a defensive end out of Texas A&M.
“Coach (Mike) Elko did a good job getting me ready,” Howell said. “A lot of stuff in this specific defense, I did most of that stuff at A&M. I’ve gotten a taste for it, so I can come in and hit the ground running. I can definitely come in this year and make a positive impact. My role is a bit cloudy at this point. Whatever the coaches ask me to do, I’ve proven that I can go out there and play the highest level I know how to play.”
In a 16-14 win over Detroit in the preseason opener last Thursday, Howell showed a variety of pass rush moves. His speed, ability to chase down the line of scrimmage and quick first step all stood out.
While many rookie pass rushers need time to hit the ground running, Howell’s extensive college experience and prolific production in the SEC have him believing he can accumulate stats right away.
“Don’t complicate it,” Howell said. “A lot of guys come in and get complicated. They make it harder than what it actually is. You lock in on your keys, be instinctive and play your games.”
Third-round pick Tacario Davis missed the preseason opener with an undisclosed injury, he the cornerback has returned to practice and is getting an extensive chance to show what he can do in man-to-man coverage.
Davis has good length for the cornerback position, and the Bengals expect him to be able to help in specific matchups this season.
Cincinnati has a joint workout against the Chicago Bears on Thursday before its second preseason game on Saturday.
Fourth-round pick Connor Lew and sixth-round pick Brian Parker expect to be factors in the Bengals’ offensive line depth this season. Lew projects to be the backup center, and Parker could be the first guard off the bench while also offering the Bengals valuable flexibility.
Parker had an impressive game against the Lions.
“It was some good (stuff) out there,” Parker said. “For my first NFL preseason game, I feel pretty good about it. We were doing a great job in pass pro. We’re starting to gel.”
Fourth-round pick Colbie Young, a wide receiver out of Georgia, seems to make a splashy play in each practice. He also had some nice moments in the preseason opener and caught two passes for 28 yards. He’s competing with Mitchell Tinsley to have a role off the bench.
“He has been a sponge,” receivers coach Troy Walters said. “He wants to be great. Anything little or anything he does wrong, he wants to be coached and corrected. The first (preseason) game was OK. He made a couple of plays but had one drop. He understands it. He knows that he’ll improve from this game to the next game.”
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