In a hair-raising first day of apply at Bengals coaching camp Wednesday, buzzed, bleached, and buffed Joe Burrow started what he hopes is his headiest preseason as a professional by turning the top of broad receiver Tee Higgins.
Higgins, who broke in with Burrow throughout that truncated COVID camp of 2020, has seen his man do all of it. However since Higgins is taking part in on the franchise tag, Wednesday was his first time on the sphere with him since Burrow had surgical procedure on his wrist.
“He appears to be like just like the Joe y’all seen within the Tremendous Bowl run,” stated Higgins, shaking his head over an extended ball he could not chase down. “That is what I like. I needed to get my legs again. I’ll put that one on me. He put it on the market the place I can go get it, and I simply could not get there.”
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is ensuring Burrow will get there each intact and in sync by defending him with days off whereas additionally exposing him to snaps in preseason video games, in addition to joint practices with the Bears and Colts.
Burrow could not get any preseason work anyplace the earlier two years due to final season’s strained calf and 2022’s appendectomy the evening earlier than camp started. His solely three preseason snaps got here in a 2021 coaching camp he was restricted by ACL rehab and he is not solely delighted he is getting the additional work, however he thinks his offense can use it after getting off to 2 straight 0-2 begins.
“It is simply totally different once you go heat up realizing you are going to play,” Burrow stated after apply. “I feel that is one of the best ways to go about it. This 12 months we’ll attempt it out. I feel to ensure that us to be at our greatest firstly of the 12 months, I feel we type of want that. That is one thing we needed to do in years previous and we’ve not been capable of do. I am excited to get that completed this 12 months.
“We’ll see (if it prevents a gradual begin). That is a query that is to be decided. I feel we’re fascinated with it the fitting approach. I feel we’re attempting new issues to attempt to assist these gradual begins and getting off to quicker begins, placing us in a greater place on the halfway level of the season. I do assume that it’s going to assist, however we’ll see.”
Burrow’s camp appears to be like to be unfolding as one in every of really feel and improv that fittingly started with a dare from defensive sort out B.J. Hill to bleach a buzz minimize.
“I used to be bored,” stated Burrow, who will not be now with this busy August itinerary.
However Taylor additionally is aware of he is acquired a Professional Bowl quarterback coming off surgical procedure and there are going to be days he would not throw. There are solely two occasions earlier than the Aug. 10 preseason opener towards Tama Bay the Bengals apply greater than two straight days and Burrow says they will play the third day “by ear.”