Latest news with #ZacTaylor
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bengals started over at key spots, still get friendly ESPN FPI outlook
Bengals started over at key spots, still get friendly ESPN FPI outlook Most years, the Cincinnati Bengals stress continuity as one of the biggest factors for the team going into a new season. But as fans know by now, that's not the case across the board in 2025. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor reworked multiple spots this offseason, getting fresh eyes on his offensive line and across the defense. That's something actually working to their strength in the mind of ESPN's Seth Walder, who says based on FPI, the Bengals have the fourth-best shot at making the playoffs in the AFC: "But the lack of year-to-year continuity that happens with good defenses also happens with weaker units. Cincinnati replaced defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo with Al Golden this offseason, which increases the FPI's uncertainty on that side of the ball. Ultimately, the model forecasts the Bengals to have an average defense, which moves them to No. 7 in the overall rankings." RELATED: Bengals UDFA is already turning heads at OTAs ESPN's FPI model puts the Bengals behind only the Bills, Ravens and Chiefs. Baltimore, of course, has the best odds to then win the AFC North, which should be just fine by everyone in Cincinnati after last year's slow start and bad defense still only resulted in 41-38 and 35-34 losses to those Ravens. The Bengals dashed continuity in key spots in the name of better performances, but also in the name of better player development, something that has sorely lacked on the defensive side of the ball for years and in the offensive trenches for even longer. Now, the new faces just have to meet expectations to prove the FPI model right. RELATED: Cincinnati Bengals players missing OTAs list ahead of training camp
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where do Bengals rank among teams likely to win first Super Bowl?
Where do Bengals rank among teams likely to win first Super Bowl? The Cincinnati Bengals enter the 2025 NFL season as one of 12 teams yet to win a Super Bowl. When it comes to actually ranking those teams by their chances to win a Lombardi Trophy, things get tricky after rattling off the first few names. Franchises like the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers, at least as of this writing, round out the very bottom of the list. But how far up the list do the Bengals deserve to sit? For CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin, the answer is third overall: "Not even Joe Burrow's MVP-level passing production could get the Bengals into the playoffs last time around, which is real cause for concern. But the defense can't be much worse with Al Golden now atop that staff, and we won't have contract drama surrounding Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins going into September. If somehow Zac Taylor can get his team ready to roll out of the gate rather than halfway through the year, the Bengals should return to form as a challenger to the AFC powerhouses." RELATED: Bengals UDFA is already turning heads at OTAs That ranking going into the 2025 season puts the Bengals only behind the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills. Both of those teams have more well-rounded rosters and the latter happens to roster MVP Josh Allen. Behind the Bengals, other AFC hopefuls like the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers are right on their heels. Given this fair outlook, it's all the more understandable why fans and the team were so upset about last year's close call -- and why head coach Zac Taylor changed up his coaching staff going into this season. RELATED: Cincinnati Bengals players missing OTAs list ahead of training camp
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bengals get another primetime game via preseason schedule reveal
Much has been written and analyzed about the Cincinnati Bengals' schedule in 2025, especially when it comes to primetime appearances. That story got another small update late this week, with the NFL officially revealing the national lineup for a handful of preseason games. Advertisement There, the Bengals get a national broadcast in the form of their Week 2 exhibition against the Washington Commanders. That Monday, August 18 game will broadcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET. RELATED: Bengals UDFA is already turning heads at OTAs While Joe Burrow has beef with the NFL schedule that most agree with, for fans, it has to be nice to not worry about trying to catch a preseason game on a tape delay on local networks or otherwise. Even better, this happens during an offseason in which Zac Taylor says he plans to play starters more than usual as they attempt to fix the annual slow starts to regular seasons. RELATED: Cincinnati Bengals players missing OTAs list ahead of training camp This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals get another primetime game via preseason schedule reveal
New York Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What mattered from Joe Burrow, Zac Taylor comments: Hendrickson, schedule, Burton
CINCINNATI — For 43 minutes on Tuesday, Joe Burrow and Zac Taylor took to the podium in the makeshift press conference room inside Paycor Stadium. The content had a chance for explosiveness given the state of storylines surrounding the organization of late. All things considered, it was generally tame on the normal headlines (Trey Hendrickson) and notable on a few lesser-discussed storylines (schedule). Advertisement Either way, here's a look at the most notable things learned from Tuesday's proceedings. Nobody quite knows what will happen next in the Hendrickson drama. We did learn Tuesday that Burrow didn't take quite the same aggressive approach with Hendrickson as we heard back in January when pushing for Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Mike Gesicki and Hendrickson to receive deals. With the other boxes all checked, he offered support for Hendrickson, but unlike this winter, there weren't any shots directed at the organization in the process. 'We'll see what happens with that,' Burrow said. 'You guys all know how I feel about Trey. He's a great player. I love Trey as a guy. He goes out and plays well every single Sunday. Very productive. He's a guy that deserves to get paid and get paid what he wants and what the market is. We'll see what happens with that. But I love Trey and hope he's with us.' This comes a week after Hendrickson dominated the scene by surprisingly showing up and standing in front of the media in street clothes for 25 minutes after practice. Burrow joked about the 'exciting day,' but admitted he hasn't talked to Hendrickson as much lately as he did during the original push earlier this year. He then effectively toed a politically correct line on the most divisive issue surrounding the team. 'I think he's doing what he thinks is best for his career and I support him in that,' Burrow said. 'Trey's a smart guy. Just like anybody, I'm sure there's things he'd like to have back. He's very well thought out in his process and what he's trying to do. If he thinks that's the way to go, then that's the way to go.' One way Hendrickson went involved airing frustration over a text received from Taylor last week, where he was informed the CBA specifies he would be fined for missing mandatory minicamp. The context of the text is undisclosed, but Hendrickson obviously took offense at the message. Taylor didn't offer much on the Hendrickson text, but did say they have spoken and pointed out he puts 'a lot of time and energy into thinking about how to communicate, when you communicate.' Advertisement It's understandable why Burrow would be hesitant to go after the front office, considering Hendrickson's contract is the only item remaining from his checklist. That started with Chase and Higgins now in the fold with him for the prime of their careers. The words used illustrated a sense of contentment from the quarterback toward the front office. 'It says they're invested in winning,' Burrow said. 'I think they want to reward guys that they draft that come in and play great. I think that's a recipe for success.' He has come a long way from 'you don't want to make a habit of letting great players leave the building,' which he uttered in December. When asked if he felt the comments he made often like that one helped get those deals done, Burrow backed off the role of negotiator he leaned into in advance of the two big contracts being finalized. 'I hope not,' he said. 'That's not really a position I want to be in.' Taylor and Burrow had opinions they weren't shy about sharing regarding the schedule. Specifically, they weren't shy about addressing the fact that they felt slighted in yet again facing a host of prime-time games on the road. One year after setting the NFL record for most prime-time road games, the Bengals only landed one prime-time home game against three on the road. That includes being sent to play in Baltimore in prime time for the fourth consecutive season and third straight on a Thursday night. Every Ravens game in Cincinnati has landed in the 1 p.m. ET Sunday time slot. 'Playing in Baltimore for the fourth straight prime-time year isn't ideal,' Burrow said. 'Maybe we can get one of those in Cincinnati next year. Please.' The 'please' certainly landed as a form of an announcement. Burrow and the Bengals won't quietly take the short end of the scheduling stick, specifically against their biggest rival, and retreat to their corner. Advertisement 'You always appreciate the more home prime-time games you could get,' he said, 'which, for whatever reason, the last couple years, hasn't gone our way.' Taylor mentioned the challenge presented in preparing for the week coming off the travel of the road prime-time game, which often leads to a middle-of-the-night arrival on a short week to game plan. The Bengals are 6-1 at home in prime time under Taylor and 4-7 on the road. They've lost all three prime-time road games in Baltimore. 'There's nothing I can control about that right now,' Taylor said. 'Obviously, we'd love to host some divisional prime-time games at some point. You know, we get Pittsburgh this year. So, that's exciting, and over time, I'm sure that will flip back in our favor.' Burrow spoke openly about his desire to help grow the game internationally, something he hasn't talked much about. He said he hoped for an international game next season after missing out this year. He also doubled down on his desire to play flag football in the Olympics on a day when the league voted to make NFL players eligible for the event in Los Angeles in 2028. Burrow's health has been a recurring issue during the spring and summer months. There's still a long way to go, but given how he's feeling on May 20, the quarterback was excited. 'I feel great,' he said. 'This is the best that I've felt in the offseason. Just like every year, trying to get better, trying to get stronger, faster, healthier. Try to find ways that you can optimize your health throughout the whole season, not hurt as much. I'm in a good spot.' That includes his wrist, which impacted his game early last season, in particular. Last year at this time, he was openly wondering about his 'football mortality' in these offseason sessions. Even having thrived through a full season with the injury, he wasn't pretending it still lingered in his mind. 'Just like with any ligament injury, it's going to take a while to come back,' he said. 'It's better this time of the year than it was last time at the same time.' Joe and Zac speak to the media following practice — Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 20, 2025 There will be no joint practices this year, but Taylor again stated the plan is for starters to play more in the preseason. Those plans could change depending on what transpires with the team in camp, but that's the most significant change aimed at improving the early-season record. Second-year wide receiver Jermaine Burton, coming off a tumultuous rookie year that saw him suspended, evicted and left behind on a road trip after a series of transgressions, has slowly made an impression on Burrow and Taylor. Advertisement Burrow pointed out the growth in 'maturity' he's seen in how Burton is handling his business in the spring. It was notable Taylor didn't go all the way in on whether Burton is rebuilding his trust, but there's a clear sense of progress — for now. 'All he can handle is the present at this point,' Taylor said. 'I think he's done a good job of that this offseason. He's been in the building. He's in the building outside of work hours, doing his own thing, prehabbing to get his body right. He has attacked practice the right way, and that is what you can control right now, so I appreciate that much.'
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Coach Zac Taylor happy to see Trey Hendrickson at recent Bengals practice despite contract standoff
CINCINNATI (AP) — Even though the relationship between Zac Taylor and Trey Hendrickson isn't cordial at the moment, the Bengals head coach was happy to see his star pass rusher attend voluntary workouts last week. Even if Hendrickson was there to express frustration over contract talks. 'I talked to Trey. It was good to see him, good having him,' Taylor said on Tuesday about Hendrickson's appearance and impromptu availability with reporters on May 13. Hendrickson showed up after Taylor texted him that he would be fined if he did not attend next month's mandatory minicamp. Besides receiving a fine warning, Hendrickson's frustration has increased about what he sees as a lack of communication on progress toward a new contract or being traded since the NFL draft concluded on April 26. Taylor said he put a lot of time into thinking about when to communicate to Hendrickson what he expected out of his star defensive player. 'I think every situation is unique so again, every personality is different. Every player is different. The timing, everything's different. You just adapt as you go with that stuff,' Taylor said. Taylor also added that there weren't any updates on talks between Hendrickson and the Bengals. Hendrickson led the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks last season and was selected as an All-Pro. He is looking for a new contract that matches what top pass rushers are getting paid. Hendrickson is scheduled to earn $15.8 million in base salary and has a cap number of $18.7 million. Quarterback Joe Burrow, who talked for this first time since offseason workouts started last month, remains hopeful that Hendrickson can get a new contract after the Bengals signed wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to lucrative extensions in March. 'I think he's doing what he thinks is best for his career and I support him in that,' Burrow said. 'Trey's a smart guy. Just like anybody, I'm sure there's things he'd like to have back. He's very well thought out in his process and what he's trying to do. If he thinks that's the way to go, then that's the way to go.' Hendrickson's 57 sacks since joining the Bengals in 2021 are third most in the league over the past four seasons. He signed with Cincinnati after four seasons with New Orleans. The Bengals were 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs for the second straight season. They hired Al Golden as defensive coordinator after finishing 25th in total defense. With the organized team activities beginning next week, Taylor said he has been pleased with Golden's early installation of the defense. 'Hunger and urgency would be two words that I see from that group,' Taylor said. 'They're really eating up what those coaches are giving them. When you sit in on those unit meetings and you look at the pre-practice work and all the stuff that they're getting as a unit going through practice, it's a very hungry group and I can tell that they're buying in to everything that Al and those position coaches are giving to them.' ___ AP NFL:
