Zac Taylor Updates Bengals Injuries Entering 2025 Bye Week, Addresses Potential Defensive Staff Changes

CINCINNATI — Zac Taylor met with the media again on Monday as Cincinnati enters its bye week at 3-6 on the season. Taylor's offense has been rolling ever since Joe Flacco took over for Jake Browning, but the defense has been statistically one of the worst in NFL history.

It reached a new nadir in Sunday's 47-42 loss to Chicago without Trey Hendrickson (hip) and Logan Wilson (hamstring). Taylor did not have a direct update on Hendrickson but noted Samaje Perine is expected to be out a couple of weeks and the team is also monitoring Shemar Stewart's status after he suffered a knee injury late in the game.

"We'll get through the bye week and see where it's at, high-ankle sprain," Taylor said about Perine. "We'll see where that ends up. We'll get through the bye and see where that's at."

Tee Higgins was evaluated for a concussion late in the game, but cleared protocol, which is great news for the star receiver.

The Bengals historic defense collapse this season isn't going to prompt any staff changes just yet from Taylor.

"They've been successful everywhere they've been," Taylor said about his staff. "So again, we're still in the first half of this season. We all know we got to play better as a football team. There's been challenges our offense has faced over the course the season. We worked through them. We're playing better for it. There's challenges our defense is facing right now. I'm confident that we're going to work through it. We're going to play better football and find a way to win some games"

Taylor's overseeing one practice this week before his team gets extended time off over the weekend. His team isn't doing anything to make playoff noise this season if the defense keeps performing like this.

"We're going to do everything we can to find a way," Taylor said on Sunday. "I think it's impossible for me to say 'yes or no.' We've been trying everything we can, so we'll just keep working at it."

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