Bengals Training Camp Recap: Working Through Adversity
By Jason Marcum
It was a fairly light practice today as players were in shoulder pads and shorts. Tomorrow will be the final practice before the team heads off to Atlanta for Thursday’s preseason game against the Falcons, where the Bengals will be undermanned with several starters out and not expected to make the trip. While injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, it gives players not normally in the spotlight a chance to shine and show they belong in the NFL.
The players who did not practice today included RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, LB Rey Maualuga, WR Ryan Whalen, S Tony Dye, CB Adam Jones, CB Jason Allen, LB Dontay Moch, OG Travelle Wharton, DE Robert Geathers, CB Shaun Prater, CB Brandon Ghee, RB Bernard Scott, DE Carlos Dunlap, and CB Dre Kirkpatrick.
DT Pat Sims remains on the active/physically unable to perform list, and is thus eligible to start the season on PUP and be inactive for the first six weeks of the season and not count against the 53-man roster. That would be a smart move, given that Sims would likely be cut other wise in favor of the recently drafted Brandon Thompson and Devon Still. Now, if either of those two or Geno Atkins or Domata Peko get injured, the Bengals will essentially have Sims as a replacement after the first six weeks are up.
Roddrick Muckelroy was manning the MLB spot after Rey Maualuga was held out of practice as he recovers from a minor knee injury sustained in Friday’s preseason opener.
Jamaal Anderson, Micah Johnson, and Devon Still were all getting snaps at DE in place of the injured Carlos Dunlap, who is expected to miss the next month of football and likely the regular season opener against Baltimore.
Mike Nugent and Thomas Weber each went 3 for 3 on field goals.
CBs Nate Clements and Leon Hall took snaps at the strong safety spot in place of Taylor Mays.
One interesting note came in the form of the teams’ official depth chart, which still had Travelle Wharton listed at the first-team LG since he hasn’t officially gone on injured reserve yet. Perhaps the Bengals are holding out hope he can play later in the year, or perhaps they just haven’t made the move to IR official yet.
OLB Thomas Howard was wearing the gold jersey, which signifies the player who has performed best during recent practices.
Here’s the remainder of the Bengals training camp schedule:
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