Bengals' Zac Taylor reveals surprise roster battle for training camp
Bengals' Zac Taylor reveals surprise roster battle for training camp
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor isn't kidding when he says the team will host competitions at every position this summer during training camp.
Case in point, Taylor made it clear during rookie minicamp that even the long-snapper spot is up for grabs after the arrival of undrafted free agent William Wagner.
According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Taylor says that Wagner will have a chance to push Cal Adomitis for that starting spot.
RELATED: Bengals, Trey Hendrickson contract saga gets another update
A finalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award last year as the top player in the sport at his position, Wagner comes from the Michigan Wolverines and will get to rep alongside Adomitis.
This is a little unexpected for the Bengals, especially considering Clark Harris held down the position for so long from 2009-2022.
Notably, the Bengals had procedural issues on special teams before Evan McPherson's injury last year, so while this isn't as headline-grabbing as other positional battles, it's certainly notable for a team that needs to get right across all three phases.
RELATED: Bengals' Trey Hendrickson, Germaine Pratt standoffs updated
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
3 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Re-entering the draft isn't a viable option for Shemar Stewart
With the Bengals and first-round defensive end Shemar Stewart dug in over a misguided effort by the team to change an obscure potion of the team's boilerplate contract language without offering a corresponding concession, Stewart doesn't have many options. The nuclear option would be for Stewart to sit out the entire season and re-enter the draft. While the NIL era will reduce the urgency of many incoming NFL players to get paid, it's a lot of money to give up. Among other things, Stewart is missing out on a slotted signing bonus in excess of $10 million. And it's unlikely that he'd be taken in the same spot — 17th overall — if he doesn't play in 2025. For starters, he'd be competing with a fresh crop of players who will have played in the upcoming football season. Then there's the question Michael Holley raised on Friday's PFT Live: Would teams shy away from Stewart because he dared to buck the system? On one hand, some teams may relish the ability to stick it to the Bengals, who have a well-earned reputation for putting business issues ahead of football concerns. On the other hand, thou shalt not rebel against the sorting-hat 'honor and privilege' known as the NFL draft. Regardless, it won't be easy for Stewart to walk away from his $10 million signing bonus and total four-year deal in the range of $19 million. Especially since that number would likely be much smaller a year from now. And since he would have to give up playing football for a full year, all in the name of proving a point. Whether that means Stewart eventually will blink and agree to the team's new default language remains to be seen. If he's going to do it, he needs to get any and all gripes about the team out of his system before he puts pen to paper. After he signs, he'll risk his future guarantees if he dares to 'make any public comment . . . that breaches Player's obligation of loyalty to Club and/or undermines the public's respect for the Club, Club coaches, or Club management.' So air your grievances now, Shemar. Once you're under contract, the Bengals will be squatting on your First Amendment rights.
USA Today
6 hours ago
- USA Today
Former Bengals coach already on the hot seat elsewhere in the NFL
Former Bengals coach already on the hot seat elsewhere in the NFL Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor might be on the hot seat in 2025, sure. But what about a former understudy such as Brian Callahan? After one year with the Tennessee Titans, Callahan is already registering on the hot-seat watch from onlookers such as Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus: 'Under Callahan's guidance, Tennessee ended a woeful 3-14 in 2024. Callahan's offensive success with the Bengals hardly translated, as the Titans ended the year 29th in EPA per play, 25th in success rate and 27th in average yards per play.' RELATED: Bengals, Shemar Stewart nuclear option includes 2026 NFL draft route Callahan was fortunate to land with a Titans team that was a little more patient than some last year, considering Jerod Mayo and Antonio Pierce were let go after one season each. But the clock is certainly ticking in Tennessee. Callahan got to play his part in drafting No. 1 pick Cam Ward. If he can work his magic like he did with Joe Burrow, he'll do just fine. If there aren't immediate results, though, it's hard to know just how patient the Titans can be during Ward's critical developmental window beyond 2025. As for Taylor and the Bengals, he could be right there on the hot seat by the end of 2025 if the season doesn't go as planned, especially now that he's re-tooled major parts of his coaching staff, implying better results. RELATED: Bengals standouts after mandatory minicamp includes surprises
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Cincinnati Bengals offseason has devolved into a mess on the defensive side as holdouts from Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart have created uncertainty for the team's outlook in 2025.
The Cincinnati Bengals offseason has devolved into a mess on the defensive side as holdouts from Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart have created uncertainty for the team's outlook in 2025. originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Few teams have such polarizing situations on the offensive and defensive sides than the Cincinnati Bengals. Offensively the Bengals can compete with any team in the league. Advertisement Defensively, however, they struggled mightily last season and their offseason operations currently have two of their most important players out of action. Both Trey Hendrickson and rookie Shemar Stewart are not with the team currently, standing firm on their own holdouts. Hendrickson's case is the more serious of the two with a nasty public back-and-forth between himself and the team. This leaves a growing level of uncertainty heading into next season with plenty of concern for Al Golden in his first year running this defense. Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport has since labeled the Bengals as one of the "losers" from OTAs. "The Cincinnati Bengals had one of the NFL's most explosive offenses last year. But the team missed the playoffs, largely because of a leaky defense that ranked 25th in the NFL." Advertisement While the contract theater plays out on the side, the Bengals are still roughly where they left off last season. Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and the rest of the offense should be brilliant again though they risk a lackluster defense weighing them down. "The Bengals will move the ball in 2025. They will score points. But they won't go anywhere if the defense is dreadful again... And improving isn't going to be easy if the Bengals can't rush the passer." The worst part? There's no visible path to a resolution either specifically in the case with Hendrickson. He is not the only player holding out in pursuit of a contract extension. But the frustrations from the player's side have gone more public than most disputes in recent seasons. When this happens, there are now inevitable distractions that have followed. Advertisement The Bengals have a little over a month until training camp so there is some time to make progress on both fronts though they have their work cut out to reach any turning point. Related: Bengals 2025 Training Camp Dates Announced Related: Bengals Get Major Trey Hendrickson Prediction This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
