Three Cincinnati Bengals players who lowered their stock following mandatory minicamp
When NFL teams practice in June, July, August, or really any month outside of the season, there are no real winners or losers. There's just the healthy and unhealthy. Fortunately for the Cincinnati Bengals, health is at an abundance throughout the roster, which has given plenty of players chances to make first impressions in positional […]
When NFL teams practice in June, July, August, or really any month outside of the season, there are no real winners or losers. There's just the healthy and unhealthy.
Fortunately for the Cincinnati Bengals, health is at an abundance throughout the roster, which has given plenty of players chances to make first impressions in positional battles. Where there's a player out in front, there's the player behind him in the race as well.
As we move on from OTAs and minicamp, these three players have some work to do when training camp ensues.
RT Trent Brown
In all likelihood, Brown will be the starting right tackle for Cincinnati in Week 1 of the regular season. He's arguably the club's most proven offensive lineman, and his skills as a pass protector are what the offense desperately needs against the best edge rushers of the AFC North.
On the other hand, Brown missed all of OTAs unexpectedly, which gave first-round pick Amarius Mims all the reps leading up to minicamp. Mims did not waste those reps either as he made a positive impression on the coaching staff.
Brown starting over the rookie Mims would be an ideal scenario, but it's not as if Brown's contract grants him an automatic starting gig. If Mims proves to be the better option of the two, there's just as much incentive to grant him the job and have Brown become the emergency swing tackle. This battle, if it even is one, is far from over.
CB DJ Turner II
As previously mentioned, when one player like Dax Hill sees his stock go up, there has to be an opposite reaction with someone else. That is Turner in this case.
Hill and Turner are in a legitimate battle for starting cornerback duties alongside Cam Taylor-Britt and nickelback Mike Hilton. Word from minicamp is Hill got more than enough reps with the starters to indicate he's been given a real chance to supplant Turner, who started 12 games there as a rookie last year.
Minicamp reps hardly compare to fully-padded reps in camp and preseason action, but Hill has momentum to take the job if he limits mistakes. Turner will need to bank on his experience at the position to fend off his former collegiate teammate.
S Jordan Battle
While there's a real battle happening at cornerback, the "battle" at safety between Vonn Bell and Battle might not actually exist. Bell was the first to get starter reps this offseason next to Geno Stone as his experience within Lou Anarumo's defense became the most critical factor in the decision. Bell is back to being the veteran in charge of communicating within the secondary, something he can't do from the sidelines.
That's a big positive for the defense as a whole, but for Battle, it's a setback. The third-round pick from last year's draft showed much promise as a starter during the back-half of his rookie year.
There was still a rotation between Bell and Battle throughout offseason program and that should continue next month. But if a game were played tomorrow, Battle would be on the bench.
Three Cincinnati Bengals players who raised their stock following mandatory minicamp
A few young Bengals were turning heads last week before summer vacation began.
