Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp Day 1 Recap: Ja'Marr Chase, DJ Turner II Get Feisty Off the Jump

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor had a message for his players in the first meeting before training camp began.

The message wasn’t verbal. It was numerical.

Greeting the players as they filtered into the meeting was a whiteboard that read “6-11.”

Taylor wanted the players to see last year’s record and be motivated and pissed off about it.

Mission accomplished as Wednesday was one of the feistiest first days of camps in recent memory.

“I’m tired of hearing about last year,” cornerback DJ Turner II said. “This is Day 1, first day of camp. That’s what mattered.”

Toward the end of the first period of 11-on-11s, the 1s were trotting back onto the field after the 3s had run a few plays when a skirmish broke out before they got lined up for a play.

Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase ended up with Turner’s helmet in his hands, and he chucked it about 20 yards away from the line of scrimmage and the scrum expanded and contracted until everyone could be separated.

"It was just competing. Nothing else," Turner said. "I should make it harder for him, and he's gonna make it harder for me."

Asked if he thought the Bengals brought an edge into the first day of practice, quarterback Joe Burrow said it was noticeable.

“No. 1 (Chase) sure had one today. No. 0 (Turner) did, too. Those two are two of the best in the league, and they’re gonna be going at it every day, so whatever those guys need to get excited to get better, go ahead and do it.”

Typically the first skirmishes start in the trenches where the offensive and defensive linemen are sparring on every play.

But center Ted Karras said it didn’t faze him to see the skill guys fighting.

“I wasn't surprised. Ja'Marr plays with a lot of passion,” he said. “I think one of the things, especially how our interior is a little better, it will get a little chippy, but we're gonna keep each other up. My feeling is that I want to get these big horses to the race.

“So we're not gonna do anything dirty,” Karras added. “They're gonna get us sometimes. And we're gonna get them. I thought it was great back and forth today. It's a different feel over there.”

Quote of the Day

“If you can maybe punch somebody in the face in 15 to 20 seconds and then get back and lined up, that’s probably ideal.”

That was Joe Burrow’s response after being asked if he likes the feisty nature and skirmishes.

He said he does, but not when it interrupts practice.

Play of the Day

There’s been a lot of talk about the Bengals going under center and using play-action more often this season, and they showed that look on the first pass play off 11s.

Tight end Erick All Jr. motioned inside, Burrow took the snap under center, faked a handoff to Chase Brown and hit Chase on a slant on the middle.

Burrow talked about the under-stuff element after practice.

“I'm very comfortable. I can do whatever is asked of me. I have, and I will,” he said. “We haven't done it quite as much over the last several years, so we'll see what we evolve into this year. But if that's what's needed, that's what I'll do.”

Three Up

Joe Burrow

He looked sharp all day, but never as much as right after the little dustup. He targeted Turner on a pass to Higgins on the first play, and targeted Turner on a pass to Chase on the next play.

Asked if that was intentional or coincidence, Burrow said, “I guess you’ll never know.”

Dexter Lawrence

The big defensive tackle was as disruptive as advertised and certainly got Burrow’s attention.

“He got back there pretty quick a couple of times,” Burrow said. “We’re going to have to get that thing out. Made some blind throws today because of how big he is. And he pushes that pocket and gets close to you. You have to be able to throw without seeing.”

Demetrius Knight Jr.

While it was light years from live action, Knight found himself squaring up with Chase Brown or Samaje Perine in the gap on multiple plays.

He also ripped the ball loose from Chase Brown for a forced fumble.

Three Down

DJ Turner II

Burrow not only went after him following the dustup, but he also threw his direction a lot, and usually with success.

On the first play of 7 on 7, Burrow hit Andrei Iosivas on an out route where the receiver was wide open after Turner slipped.

Later in 11s, Burrow threw a deep ball down the middle of the field to Iosivas, who had gotten behind Turner. The only option for Turner was to reach out and grab Iosivas.

“He tackled me,” Iosivas said. “I had no idea where the ball was after that.”

Jalen Davis

The veteran corner is trying to hold off multiple challenges for the starting job at nickel corner, but he got sent off after jumping on tight end Mike Gesicki’s back trying to dislodge the ball after a pass up the seam a few plays after the skirmish.

Taylor and assistant coach Darrin Simmons were demonstratively upset with Davis after that.

Shemar Stewart

We’ll see how serious the injury is after testing, but even if he doesn’t have to miss significant time, he’s still going to have sit out some. And it was missed time last spring and summer that stunted his growth as a rookie.

Injuries

Shemar Stewart limped off after just a couple of plays in the first period of 11-on-11.

Trainers were looking at Stewart’s left leg, and when he tried to stand up after initial treatment, he wasn’t able to put weight on it. At that point a cart came over and carried Stewart inside.

Roll Call

The only players not practicing Wednesday were the two the team placed on lists over the weekend – defensive tackle B.J. Hill (Active/Physically Unable to Perform) and undrafted rookie tight end Eric Kattus (Active/Non-Football Injury list).

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