All that talk of urgency around the Cincinnati Bengals wasn’t just talk.
The Bengals showed that well enough on the first day of training camp practice. There weren’t even pads on yet, but the usual big-ticket items like big fights and unfortunate injuries happened in quick bursts.
Exiting the first day of camp, here’s a quick look at the good and bad highlights.
Bengals training camp takeaways after Day 1
Good: Fights
Fights don’t have to be a bad thing.
That’s especially the case with this one, which featured Ja’Marr Chase getting into it with cornerbacks DJ Turner and Jalen Davis.
Chase, the big-money receiver, is full-go already, clearly. And Turner, despite massive contract extension talks, is out there putting his body on the line anyway.
“Brothers fight,” Turner said, according to Paul Dehner Jr.
of The Athletic. “Just competitive. Everybody is trying to win, that’s all there is to it.”
Oh, and Davis? He’s the new starting slot corner, provided he can hang onto the job. This Day 1 fire? It’ll help.
Bad: Backup reps
Once Stewart went down, Myles Murphy and Boye Mafe stepped up as the primary edge rushers. It was Isaiah Foskey who seemed to rotate into Stewart’s spot, though. It’s a small thing, but it would have been nice to see rookie Cashius Howell get the critical reps with the first team when they happened.
Good: Dexter Lawrence impresses Joe Burrow
Count Joe Burrow among those impressed by the new Bengals defensive line. He admitted after practice that his job was notably more difficult in certain ways thanks to guys like Dexter Lawrence.
"(The) Size difference from last year is the most glaring (difference). The pocket was a little different today. Tough to tell when you don't have pads, but I'm excited to see what those guys can do," Burrow said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.
Lawrence, Jonathan Allen and others form what is obviously an improved defensive line for a rebuilding overall unit. The fact it’s showing up against one of the best quarterbacks in football already is a great sign.
Terrible: The Shemar Stewart injury
Shemar Stewart can’t seem to catch a break.
All last offseason, Stewart had to prep for the NFL draft. Then, the contract holdout that robbed him of important time. And after that, multiple nagging injuries that derailed his debut season.
Now, it looks like an injury will rob Stewart of even more time, while the Bengals lose a first-round product they were counting on to develop and make an impact.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals training camp: Good and bad takeaways from Day 1
