Is it crazy to suggest the Cincinnati Bengals could survive without Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, if only for one week?
Chase (concussion protocol) and Higgins (neck/groin) hadn't been ruled out of the Oct. 11 game against the Miami Dolphins as of Oct. 7, but neither player practiced Wednesday. And while the Bengals pass-oriented offense relies heavily on the two players, the depth at wide receiver appears to have the team sounding reasonably well-positioned if Chase and Higgins sit this weekend.
Cincinnati has receivers that quarterback Joe Burrow has growing confidence in. That could be good enough against the winless Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.
The group of available receivers may also include rookie Colbie Young, who returned to practice
Oct. 7 after he was injured against Pittsburgh Steelers.
“We’ll see how this week goes with (Young), but he looked good today, and he’s a big, physical guy," Burrow said. "Same archetype as Tee. We don’t really know what Sunday’s going to look like yet. Could be a lot of guys that haven’t had a ton of reps, and it could be guys that have had a ton of reps. We’ll know more as we get closer and have some practices and have some more time for those guys to recover, but I feel confident whoever we put out there, we’re gonna make it work.”
Burrow's available options against the Dolphins should include Dohnte Meyers and the recently re-acquired Mitch Tinsley. Meyers and Tinsley proved key on the final drive of the Bengals' Oct. 4 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Burrow appeared confident leaning on them. Meyers finished with seven catches for 82 yards.
Cincinnati picked Tinsley up following the Sept. 27 loss to Pittsburgh as Andrei Iosivas and Young were both sidelined due to injuries. Receiver depth was being tested, and Tinsley immediately replenished it. His three catches for 49 yards on seven targets from Burrow against the Jaguars showed his brief time away hadn't eroded his on-field relationship with the quarterback.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said gaining Burrow's trust is a process that can materialize at any time. Sometimes, it happens behind the scenes. It can also happen in preseason games, where the lights are brighter.
There's no ambiguity once the trust is established, Taylor said.
"You just know. It could be offseason, training camp," Taylor said. "It used to be he had to make a quick comment to me after a route. ... Now, I just know because of some play he made. I’m sure he has had his favorites over the years of guys who aren’t starters."
Subtracting Chase and Higgins from the Bengals offense fundamentally changes how the unit operates, but it's not too late to get others up to speed. Burrow painted a positive outlook on the current receiver situation, saying all the players will spend the days leading up to the Miami game focusing on what they need to be prepared.
For Chase and Higgins, what's needed is rest and recovery. For the others, it's the increased opportunities in practice that will come because Chase and Higgins are sidelined for now. The Bengals have a bye week after Miami.
“Fortunately, we’re in a spot where the guys we’re hoping will play Sunday have millions of reps, and (Chase and Higgins) can make sure they’re getting their bodies right," Burrow said. "The guys that haven’t had a ton of reps will come in and take those practice reps. So, you get those reps and practice with those guys with still the hope the other guys will play. But if not, we have those reps banked throughout the week.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Joe Burrow said he likes his receiver options for Bengals-Dolphins game
