Joe Burrow’s Confidence Is on Full Display at Bengals Camp

5 takeaways from Bengals training camp for you .

Takeaway number 1, Joe Burrow has gone into this year very confident.

That much is clear if you listen to him talk, and it's for a good reason.

On an individual level, he feels really good about where he's at, largely because he feels like he's able to do as much as he's ever been able to do as a quarterback, in part because last year coming back from the turf toe injury, he was limited in his movement, which forced him to grow as a pocket passer.

As a result, now he feels like he's taken another step at the position and is in for a big year.

Takeaway number 2, the offensive skill here has never been a question.

Um, and certainly bringing back Ja'Marr Chase and T.

Higgins, um, gives them a really solid foundation to build off of.

But it's not just those two.

Colby Young, a 4th round pick out of Georgia, is challenging Andre Josevec for the 3rd receiver spot.

Uh, you know, Chase Brown has grown in a lot of different areas, so they should be able to use Chase in a lot of different ways.

And then the offensive line returns all 5 starters, and that's significant because it's allowed them to grow.

They played well at the back end of last year and supporting Burrow as he came back from the injury.

And because they've got the group back now, they're growing the offense more upfront too and doing some different things up front.

I'd expect to see the Bengals more under center in 2026, which should make them different, more dangerous, more versatile in a lot of different ways.

Take away number 3, obviously the defense is the biggest question.

The defense has challenged the offense in practice in ways that wasn't happening in the last couple of years.

And really the basis of it is the improvement of the defensive line, the depth of the defensive line, and all the things they're able to do with the defensive line.

And that of course starts with Dexter Lawrence.

They traded the 10th overall pick to get Lawrence in the 1st place.

And at this point they're seeing a player that they believe is going to affect the other team's offensive play collar on a down to down basis and make things easier for everyone around him.

Take away number 4, just as they put in a lot on offense, they've been able to put in a lot on defense, and that's due to the guys up the middle and not just Lawrence and Allen, but the guys behind behind those two.

Barrett Carter and, uh, and, and Demetrius Knight at linebacker um have really taken a big step year one to year two.

Those guys took their lumps last year.

Their ability and command at the line of scrimmage to adjust the defense, to call the defense, has taken a big leap, and that's going to enable Al Golden to do more with the defense.

And then behind them.

You've got Jordan Battle, who's established as a communicator back there, and then Brian Cook coming over from Kansas City as a guy who can really help be the field general on the back end.

It's something he had experience with with the Chiefs, and of course, he did it at a championship level.

And then finally, take away number 5, round out the defense.

The corner group made real progress last year.

DJ Turner was playing at a Pro Bowl level at the end of the year.

Dax Hill had a rough start coming back off the ACL but settled in after their bye.

At the outside corner spot, Jalen Davis looks like a really, really solid nickel, and he'll be battling Josh Newton for snaps.

And then Tario Davis is a rookie who's surprised early in camp.

So again, there's more depth and balance and quality at those positions.

You put all of it together, the defense has a chance to really jump in the rankings, and maybe they're not going to be the best defense in the league, but with the offense the Bengals have, they probably don't need to be.

So lots of optimism here at Bengals camp.