3 Cincinnati Bengals players who need to shine in joint practice session vs Chicago Bears
The Cincinnati Bengals will have joint practices in each of the next two weeks, with the first being against the Chicago Bears a couple days before the preseason Week 2 matchup. Recent years have shown the Bengals value joint practices as the setting for starters to get valuable reps instead of the actual preseason game. Head […]
The Cincinnati Bengals will have joint practices in each of the next two weeks, with the first being against the Chicago Bears a couple days before the preseason Week 2 matchup.
Recent years have shown the Bengals value joint practices as the setting for starters to get valuable reps instead of the actual preseason game. Head coach Zac Taylor is keeping with this strategy as the first-team offense and defense will see plenty of the practice field, but not on game day this weekend.
With that in mind, there are three players who could use a good day of practice against another team, all for unique reasons.
CB DJ Turner II
In the battle for the second starting cornerback job, Turner's arrow is pointing down while Dax Hill is trending upwards. Hill had an impressive first preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which he came off the bench after Turner started the game. Hill then took reps with the 1s during Monday's practice to give him more exposure to the role.
What Hill does is out of Turner's control. All the second-year player can do is play lockdown defense against a Bears offense led by first-overall pick Caleb Williams to swing the pendulum back to his favor. If Hill outperforms him this week, the battle might be entering the closing stage.
WR Jermaine Burton
Burton doesn't seem to be battling for a starting job like Turner, but advancement up the depth chart is absolutely in play. Shedrick Jackson, Kwamie Lassiter II, and Kendric Pryor all took the field before Burton last weekend, which was very surprising considering Burton is a roster lock as a third-round pick. Burton immediately made an impact when he finally entered the game, leading all receivers with 82 yards and a touchdown.
That performance will earn him more reps in-between the games. Again, he's still behind the likes of Trenton Irwin and Andrei Iosivas, but there's no reason why he can't surpass Jackson, Lassiter, and Pryor thanks to making a good impression against the Bears.
DT Zach Carter
The clock should be ticking furiously for Carter, a third-year player who hasn't appeared to have grown as a player. He vastly underwhelmed as a starter in last week's game as the Bucs ran right at him with success. In the scenario where he makes the 53-man roster again, he's the weakest link along the defensive line by far.
Carter needs to put good tape out as soon as possible. Making Williams' day difficult in practice would be a great start.
Bengals Roster Breakdown: Zach Carter has many doubts to erase in the preseason
The clock is ticking for Carter to prove his worth in Cincinnati.
