The Cincinnati Bengals are gearing up for training camp on the grounds adjacent to Paycor Stadium. They have brought in several impactful free agents at positions of need in hopes of winning the AFC North for the third time in four seasons. If priority 1A was protecting franchise quarterback Joe Burrow this offseason, priority 1B was fortifying the defensive line as evidenced in the selections by the orange and black in the 2024 NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at three players to watch when the pads come on next Wednesday for the men in stripes.
3 Players to Watch at Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp
Amarius Mims
The Bengals have to be thrilled at the early returns of first-round draft pick Amarius Mims from Georgia. The man-mountain seems to have quickly immersed himself in the playbook and is reported to be extremely coachable under the watchful eye of offensive line coach Frank Pollack. Veteran Orlando Brown Jr. has gone the extra step and is serving as a mentor to help refine Mims’s technique. His footwork has been his calling card and he moves so fluidly for such a large person. Cincinnati may work with Mims at both right and left tackle to get him as much experience as possible from different perspectives. He will get plenty of run with the first team in the preseason and the Bengals could use his services as a sixth offensive lineman in heavy packages when the season starts.
Myles Murphy
Myles Murphy is an intriguing 6’5″, 275-pound player who ramped up his production as the 2023 season progressed. Murphy would play in all 17 games, and his long arms, bend, and initial push seemed to be his winning traits en route to three sacks and 10 solo tackles in his first season. This is a solid start, and Murphy still has some untapped potential that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will build on. The Bengals won’t be afraid to kick him inside the defensive line to get a more favorable matchup if the situation dictates it this season. Murphy has also transformed his physique this offseason and has been a standout performer in workouts thus far. Even though Murphy is only 22 years old, Cincinnati is counting on him taking a huge step forward this season by providing more consistency in pushing the pocket and getting pressure off the edge to help close out games.
Josh Newton
Josh Newton was a great value in the fifth round at 149 overall. The TCU Horned Frog has solid reactive ball skills. The majority of his snaps came in press-man coverage in college and he’s been impressing the coaching staff in offseason work.
Some would say he’s different.
“He’s wired the right way… Cam Taylor-Britt was the same way coming in.” – Burke on @BumpnRunFig pic.twitter.com/NCn5jlhnEn
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 16, 2024
You can never have enough defensive backs at the next level and the Bengals have a stable of sound players to choose from in the backend. Newton seems to be turning heads early and he’s our wildcard player to watch throughout training camp.
Main Photo: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK
