Brian Callahan on Bengals’ Offense, Joe Burrow, Backup QB Battle and More
Brian Callahan on Bengals’ Offense, Joe Burrow, Backup QB Battle and More
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00:00 Has either backup quarterback distinguished themselves to be the guy you consider the number two yet?
00:05 Or is it still a line up?
00:06 Ongoing. Ongoing.
00:08 We've got one other week and one other game that those guys are going to get a chance to compete.
00:12 They were kind of under the impression the whole time that this was going to go all the way to the end of it.
00:17 We'll let it play out.
00:19 They both had good moments.
00:20 They both had moments that we'd like to be better, just in general, from practice to games all the way around.
00:26 But relatively pleased with how the development's gone, but there's always room for improvement for those guys,
00:32 particularly at that position.
00:33 The microscope's on them a little bit brighter.
00:35 But, yeah, it'll go through this week.
00:37 If neither guy hits a threshold that y'all are looking for,
00:39 would y'all be opposed to maybe bringing someone in to maybe take that backup spot if needed?
00:43 I mean, I think we do our due diligence at every position at the end of camp.
00:46 If there's players that we think help our team get better, then those things are always open and on the table every year at training camp,
00:53 regardless of position.
00:55 It's part of our job, is our job is to feel the best team we can put together,
00:58 and that's always a possibility for all positions at the end of training camp.
01:03 Up to this point, you guys have split halves amongst the quarterbacks.
01:06 Is that the plan again this week?
01:08 Yeah, the plan will remain the same.
01:09 They'll split reps this week.
01:10 They'll split reps in the game.
01:12 Who starts, who doesn't really doesn't have any bearing,
01:14 but they'll split pretty much evenly throughout the rest of this week.
01:18 Does anybody have a leg up, or do you think it's kind of up in the air?
01:21 I think it's up in the air.
01:22 I think they're competing.
01:23 I think they both had really positive moments,
01:25 and they've had moments that I think that they probably would like back.
01:28 So we're just going to keep on going the way we have it planned and let them compete for the rest of the week.
01:34 I know it was a small sample size, but what did you think of Jonah's debut at right tackle?
01:38 I thought it was very good.
01:39 I thought it was very good.
01:41 He's made a pretty seamless transition, truthfully, probably better than a lot of guys might have, and to his credit.
01:47 I think he deserves a lot of credit for that, for his approach,
01:50 and how he's played in training camp and in the preseason game.
01:53 Very excited about where he's at and very appreciative of how he's handled that transition.
01:57 How important was it for him to get out there and get some game reps before the start of the season?
02:01 For him it was important, coming off an injury and playing a new side.
02:04 I think he wanted to get some live action.
02:06 I think we were on the same page.
02:07 Had we not said anything to him, he probably would have come and asked us to play, I would think.
02:11 Just to get your feet underneath you in a stadium game environment I think means something.
02:16 But he looked very good doing it, and he got his reps under his belt, and he feels good about it.
02:21 Behind the scenes of what you can tell us, how is Joe Burrow progressing towards week one?
02:26 Everything to my eye seems like he's progressing the way he's supposed to.
02:30 I don't see him a lot doing things other than I see him probably about as much as you guys do,
02:35 so I don't go watch his rehab or anything like that.
02:38 But I feel good about everything I've heard and seen so far, and that's about all I know at this point, too.
02:43 He's been around for a long time, and so how quickly do you think he can kind of pick things up
02:48 and get things rolling again?
02:50 Pretty quickly, I think.
02:51 I don't know that--he's still able to throw to some degree,
02:54 so I don't think that part's going to be all that difficult for him.
02:58 It'll take a couple days just getting back in the rhythm with the receivers,
03:02 but these guys have played so much football together that that doesn't concern me so much,
03:06 and he's not trying to put weight on like he was last year or anything like that.
03:09 I mean, he's in good shape, so I don't think it would take him very long.
03:13 Jackson, I think, played every snap the other night, flipped sides obviously.
03:16 Was that to get him a bunch more reps at left tackle?
03:19 Because I know obviously he was in the mix with Jonah for a while for the starting spot.
03:22 Was that just for that position or just to get a better evaluation?
03:25 Both.
03:26 I think he needs to be able to play both sides.
03:28 If you're not starting at tackling, you've got to be able to play both positions,
03:32 and so for him to get reps at both sides--a lot of it we don't have as many tackles playing in the game,
03:37 so him and Deontay are flipping sides and taking reps.
03:40 We see some guys out there that probably don't always go out there too later in the game,
03:44 so to have him do that is great.
03:46 He needs the reps on both sides to be able to be valuable for us,
03:51 and he is a little bit more natural on the left side.
03:53 I thought he played a lot better this game.
03:55 He did the last game too, so that was good to see.
03:57 When you're looking for offensive linemen at the back end of that roster,
03:59 what are the key traits you're looking for when it comes to keeping guys from that?
04:02 Versatility is a big part of it.
04:04 If you're an interior backup and you can snap, that's a big plus.
04:09 If you can play guard and center.
04:11 If you're a tackle, you've got to play both sides.
04:14 Those are the things you look for.
04:16 You look for guys that are smart because you're not going to get a lot of reps during the week.
04:19 You're going to be a lot of scout team stuff.
04:21 So all those things factor in as far as being able to adapt on the fly,
04:25 play different positions, multiple positions.
04:28 That's where the value comes in for those guys, especially on game day when you get eight guys up.
04:33 You need guys that can play multiple spots and play them well enough to play in the game.
04:37 What have you seen from Sharping?
04:40 It's been good.
04:41 For a guy that hasn't really played center in his career, I've been really pleased with that.
04:45 There's a lot more to playing center than the snapping part.
04:48 It's getting everybody lined up and making calls and getting protection set.
04:52 It's a whole job unto itself, the mental part of it,
04:55 and that's always the one that holds guys back.
04:57 So to see him be able to handle that has been really positive.
05:00 Snap-wise, he's been good as far as snap accuracy.
05:03 He's probably had one or two hot ones that haven't been disastrous,
05:06 but they're off the body and all that.
05:08 But I've been pleased with him.
05:09 He's done a nice job playing center for a guy that really hasn't played center in his NFL career.
05:14 You tried forward at some spots that he hasn't played, at left and at right.
05:19 How did he come out of the game?
05:21 Good, good.
05:22 He's really proven that he's played a lot of football at guard.
05:26 You see his strengths there.
05:28 He's done a nice job.
05:29 He's a really awesome tackle in those situations as well in the preseason games
05:32 because, again, if you've got guys that can play multiple spots, you feel really good about it.
05:36 So I've been happy with Cody and what he's shown, and I think he's done a nice job.
05:40 [Inaudible] Mike Hilton had another pick today.
05:42 He's had a bunch in camp.
05:44 He forced one the other night.
05:46 What stands out to you about his camp?
05:48 He's such a good football player.
05:51 He's savvy.
05:52 He's understanding.
05:53 Those interceptions come from him being a really intelligent player
05:58 on top of having the skill set to play the position.
06:00 I think he's the best nickel in football.
06:02 I felt like that before he came here and we had a play in Pittsburgh.
06:05 But the pick he made today was probably, I think Lou would tell you,
06:09 is like 600-level type communication, execution.
06:14 I mean that doesn't happen very often, the way that he and Jermaine passed that off
06:17 and fell right into the window.
06:19 The quarterback thinks he's running with it, and then Mike peels off and picks it off.
06:22 It's outstanding football, and that's what you get when you've got a guy like Mike
06:26 in that position is he knows how to do those things and does them really well.
06:29 He's got a nose for the ball.
06:31 It looks like A.D. is making a bid to be active when the games start.
06:36 How much of a surprise has he been?
06:39 You know, surprise is probably the wrong word.
06:42 I was curious to see what he would look like coming from an Ivy League school
06:47 and not playing at his level that some of these guys play at,
06:50 to see where his football knowledge and his ability to play against NFL-style
06:54 coverages and players.
06:57 He's certainly shown very well for himself and happy with what we've seen.
07:00 He's done a nice job.
07:02 Whether he's going to be active or not, I can't make that call now,
07:04 but he's definitely shown very well for himself.
07:08 He's made plays in games.
07:09 He's made plays in practice.
07:10 You see his size and speed, and that part of it is, you know, that's half the battle.
07:14 And he's learning as he goes.
07:16 He makes plenty of mistakes that he gets coached up on, especially in his last game.
07:19 There's a lot of really good tape to teach off of for him.
07:22 I think he gets better every time he comes out here,
07:24 which is really all you can ask for for those young players is improve every time
07:27 they come out, and he's done that.
07:28 How was pass protection for Chase and Chris the other night?
07:31 I would say good.
07:32 It was good.
07:33 I think Chris had one that I think he probably could have executed better.
07:37 But overall, been really pleased with Chris.
07:40 I think he's really stepped up in the absence of having one more back to compete with.
07:45 He's gotten a lot of work, and it's looked really good.
07:47 I'm happy for him.
07:48 I'm proud of him.
07:49 It's been a good camp for him.
07:52 He's earned a lot of trust in how he's performed, and, you know, again,
07:54 he's got to keep going with it.
07:56 But he's done a nice job and had a good camp.