Bengals Will Play Joe Burrow, Starters In Preseason This 12 months, Zac Taylor Confirms

Bengals QB Joe Burrow and their starters will really play within the preseason this yr, HC Zac Taylor just lately confirmed. A part of an effort to stave off sluggish begins which have plagued them, the Sean McVay disciple is shifting methods. The brand new-wave method has prioritized protecting starters wholesome, however early-season rust is simply as huge a risk to their season.

A yr in the past, Cincinnati started the season 0-3, then 1-4. After a hard-charging end, the Bengals completed 9-8 on the energy of a 5-0 run, however Burrow and firm simply missed reaching the postseason. Because it seems, the primary recreation of the season counts simply as a lot because the eleventh or the fifteenth.

Notably, whereas Taylor dedicated to taking part in Burrow and firm for a couple of sequence within the opener, he stated the plan is for the Bengals’ starters to see much more motion the next week. In a three-game preseason schedule, most groups now use the second because the warm-up recreation for the common season.

“We don’t have this focused for our largest play time for all of our guys”, Taylor stated of Burrow and the Bengals’ starters taking part in this weekend, through the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We actually picked Washington (on Aug. 18) to have the ability to do this,” Taylor stated. “One other factor, I hate to place it in stone. A pair sequence. A number of sequence. A number of sequence is what we’ll give these starters”.

This isn’t precisely new, for what it’s price. Final month, Taylor talked about Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ starters seeing preseason motion this yr. The one factor I do be ok with is taking part in our guys within the preseason”, he stated. “That’s one factor that we’ve overtly talked about with our gamers, and I believe will assist us as we do it”.

Ja’Marr Chase has solely performed three preseason snaps in his life, again in his rookie season. These have been the identical three snaps Joe Burrow performed, his final snaps for the Bengals within the preseason since taking part in 13 snaps within the first recreation final yr. He didn’t play as a rookie, and thus has a complete of 16 snaps of preseason expertise total.

“We’re going to get off to a quicker begin, I do know we are going to. I’m not apprehensive about it”, stated LB Logan Wilson. “I’ve bought the boldness in our guys. The way in which we’re constructing. The fellows are going out and executing. The power on the sidelines. The culture-type issues on protection which have been constructed the precise approach and assist us execute for certain”.