Cincinnati Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. turned 30 years old on May 2 and is approaching his eighth NFL season.
Despite the wear and tear associated with taking over 7,000 snaps in his career, Brown said he is feeling better than ever.
“I feel great. It’s the best my body has felt during my career,” Brown said after the Bengals’ first padded practice of training camp. “I just turned 30, which is crazy to say. Training camp has been really good.”
Analytics will say Brown is coming off his most inconsistent season with the Bengals from a pass protection standpoint. Pro Football Focus gave Brown his lowest grade in their pass block grading system of his career (62.0) last season. His highest scores came during the 2020-22 seasons when he was
between 75 and 78.
The Bengals gave Brown a two-year contract extension this offseason, keeping him with the team through the 2028 season. He plays an important role in protecting quarterback Joe Burrow’s blindside and is a multi-year team captain.
Brown said it was important to him to get an extension done this offseason to give himself the best chance to focus just on football.
“I’ve just been focusing on everything that I need to do to be more consistent for us as a team, a leader and a left tackle,” Brown Jr. said.
Cincinnati has missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. In order for the Bengals to get back to the postseason, they need Brown at his best. If Brown – and the rest of the offensive line − are protecting Burrow at a high level, Cincinnati’s offense should be one of the league’s best.
The Bengals are hoping to get back to being more explosive on offense this season. Brown said it’s a focus right now as the team enters its second week of training camp. There’s been a noticeable difference in the competitiveness at practice through the first few days.
Everyone knows the stakes of this season, including Brown. Cincinnati returns all 11 starters on offense and has the same coaching staff.
The goal is to build off the continuity, especially with how much turnover there’s been with other teams in the AFC North. Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cleveland have new head coaches and coordinators.
Brown said the Bengals want to be more “physical” up front in the run and pass games.
“I’ve been stressing the importance of us setting the tone and the intensity,” he said.
The Bengals practice Aug. 4 before an off day on Aug. 5. Brown and Cincinnati’s starting offensive line will continue to get competitive reps against the new-look defensive line.
“At the end of the day, it’s about us and our preparation,” Brown said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Orlando Brown Jr. feeling his 'best' as Bengals enter critical season
