Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp Primer: 3 Things To Watch For in Coming Weeks

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals’ first practice of training camp is 10 a.m. Wednesday, and there is no shortage of storylines.

The top two, of course, are things you won’t see – defensive end Trey Hendrickson rushing the passer, and first-round rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart doing the same.

But let’s focus on what we will see with a look at three things to watch as camp gets underway.

Development of Dylan Fairchild

Outside of the contract squabbles, one of the biggest questions facing the team is how fast rookie Dylan Fairchild can get up to speed at left guard.

From the night they drafted him in the third round to Monday’s pre-camp media luncheon, the Bengals have been saying left guard is Fairchild’s job to win.

And in order to do that, the Bengals will eschew their standard plan of cross training the guards on different sides of the line.

“All along we’ve said we want to create a super competitive environment there,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said. “Dylan’s gonna work at left (guard). That’s where he worked all spring. That’s where he played in college. That’s where he’s most comfortable.

“We want to put Dylan in the best possible chance he can be in to have success,” Pitcher added. “Obviously, it’s hard to be a rookie in this league. We know that. But he’s done everything the right way. We’re very confident that he’s gonna be able to step up to the plate.”

Likewise, Cordell Volson will continue to rep solely at left guard, where he played the last three seasons.

And Lucas Patrick and Cody Ford will focus on right guard, although Patrick could take some reps at center as well.

There won’t be a lot to watch the first couple of days, but when the pads go on Friday, that’s when the real test begins.

When the test ends is unclear.

Head coach Zac Taylor said he isn’t in a rush to declare the starting job settled.

"I don't have a timeline on that,” he said. “We want to see them through a lot of practices, get a lot of installs in, see how they handle it, get a chance to get in these games and let them compete live. Even if they're not with the 1s, even if it’s a guy with the 2s, still see how it goes.

“We'll make that decision when we come to it,” he added.

Jermaine Burton’s Reimaging

Typically, back-of-the-roster players wouldn’t warrant a mention in this type of preview, but Jermaine Burton is different.

But the 2024 in-season Burton and the 2025 offseason Burton were polar opposites, and the evolution is moving in the right direction.

Burton’s talent is unquestioned, but the lack of maturity and dependability was a major issue for the team last year.

He spoke during OTAs about being in a better head space, and there is reason to believe it was more than lip service. He looked happier and freer, as though a weight had been lifted.

His routes and hands aren’t the only things worth watching the next six weeks. How is he communicating with teammates between plays? How many reps is he getting? And, simple as it may sound, is he present and on time?

The latter is the first thing Pitcher mentioned when he was asked what Burton showed him this spring?

“He was where he was supposed to be when he was supposed to be there, and that's on the field and not,” Pitcher said. “I mean that. You guys chuckle, but it's it in all aspects, and I'm saying that first and foremost with him on the field. He got lined up. He did his assignment. You could tell he put the work in to be prepared to go do what we asked him to do.

“He’s making steps in the right direction,” Pitcher continued. “There’s gonna be a lot of reps available for him to show us what he can do.”

Widely viewed as a first-round talent, Burton joining the ranks of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Mike Gesicki and Chase Brown should scare the heck out of opposing defensive coordinators.

And seeing where Burton slots in the kickoff and punt return rotation will be worth watching as well, because if he doesn't develop into a viable option in those areas, his chances of dressing of game day are going to be minimized.

Ramped Up Competition

The defense is going to dictate how successful the Bengals are this season, and it starts with training camp and diving into new coordinator Al Golden’s scheme.

Adding Dax Hill to the mix after he was cleared following ACL surgery already provides a new wrinkle that wasn’t present in OTAs.

And eventually – presumably – Hendrickson and Stewart will join the mix for a full accounting of what Golden’s defense is going to look like this year.

We saw more spirited good-on-good action in 7-on-7 drills in OTAs, and you can expect that them to continue in camp as the Bengals move into full team periods with an eye on eliminating the slow starts that hindered the team for the duration of Taylor’s tenure.

Golden spoke about that Monday, how he and Pitcher have been working together on the scripts and asking each other what they want to see from the other side of the ball in certain situations within certain drills.

“I think that’s what makes you better,” Golden said. “Yes, we all try to compete when we’re out there, but we’re trying to build a team for the long haul here. And if we just protect ourselves with calls, if he’s always blocking up a blitz or I’m always in the perfect coverage because that’s what the script calls for, well, we never expose our players to how other teams are going to attack us.”

The defensive players are lugging a sizable chip, knowing they were the reason the team fell short last year.

Even with Hill, Hendrickson and Stewart not competing in the offseason, the energy and trash talking was at mid-training camp levels.

You can expect the intensity to ratchet up more, both within the competitive nature of the players and the scripts calling for more live and possibly score-keeping drills in the coming weeks.