Cincinnati Bengals: 2020 NFL Combine Preview

The Cincinnati Bengals along with the rest of the football world are set to descend upon Indianapolis for the combine. Here’s everything you need to know. 

The 2020 combine will be an important one for the Cincinnati Bengals. With the first pick at the top of each round, they have a lot riding on the event.

Here’s a general schedule of when each position group is set to arrive in Indianapolis:

• Sunday, February 23: Tight Ends, Quarterbacks, Wide-Receivers
• Monday, February 24: Offensive Linemen, Running Backs, Kickers
• Tuesday, February 25: Linebackers, Defensive Linemen
• Wednesday, February 26: Defensive Backs

Players will certainly be busy during their time at Lucas Oil Stadium. After their arrival, they hit the ground running, starting the first day with interviews and orientation. The second day consists of measurements and more interviews. The third day follows that up with media, medical exams, positional coach interviews, and psychological tests. On their second to last day, they’ll attend an NFL player association meeting, continue the interview process, and participate in the bench press event. Finally, the last day will be their opportunity to put it all together with the on-field workout.

Most fans will only begin to take notice of the combine next Thursday, when the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and other telling testing events begin to take off. However, for Bengals fans, the most important part of the event may very well be in the coming days, as it will be the first official meeting between the team and Joe Burrow.

Burrow is unlikely to participate at all during the on-the-field portion of the combine, however the chance to build a relationship with Zac Taylor and Duke Tobin very much exists. In addition, they’ll be able to take a look at his measurements, medicals, and get him in front of a whiteboard to test his football intelligence, which is rumored to be impressive, to say the least.

Of note, this year franchises were granted only 45 player interview slots, down from the 60 they typically receive. Each meeting only lasts 15 minutes, so teams will have to make the time count.

Thankfully for the Bengals, they carry over the advantage of coaching the Senior Bowl. Many of the players’ other teams will have to spend interview sessions on, the Bengals have already gotten to know extremely well in Mobile. This should certainly help them have a more thorough evaluation of the entire draft class compared to other organizations.

The combine is always an extremely important event for any franchise, but this year brings even more pressure for the Cincinnati Bengals. With the opportunity to build chemistry with their (potential) next franchise quarterback, evaluate positions of need such as linebacker or offensive line, and find the next hidden gem, the scouting department will need to have a productive week.