Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach Zac Taylor has been creative this offseason to virtually build chemistry on a team with plenty of new faces.
Of all the years to have massive roster overturn, 2020 has to be among the worst. Yet, the Cincinnati Bengals found themselves with no other option but to blow up the team after a 2019 campaign with only two notches in the win column. The hurdles presented this offseason have been significant, but the Queen City’s young and innovative head coach, Zac Taylor, is doing his best to overcome them.
While speaking with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the former Rams quarterbacks coach revealed how he’s building chemistry between the long time members of the Bengals and the new additions from this offseason.
One could only imagine how daunting of a task it could be for a new-comer to become acquainted with an entirely new roster over a computer screen. So, Taylor wisely split the team up into nine groups. Each squad wasn’t randomly assigned but rather drafted by players that were anointed captains. This allowed the coaching staff to establish a hierarchy, an essential structure for a locker room that otherwise may be difficult to determine virtually.
To further build comradery and solidify the relationships within each group of players, there were weekly competitions. From Tik Tok dances to rap videos, Taylor has been doing everything in his power to break the ice and make this offseason more enjoyable for his players.
The 37-year-old may be light on experience but this offseason he’s proving he can make up for it with his creativeness. The Bengals face an uphill battle to get their new franchise quarterback, draft class, and free-agent additions up to speed. Thankfully, Taylor seems fully capable of pulling it off, something that can’t be said for every coach in the league.
If he’s somehow able to find success in the upcoming campaign, despite having to build a large percentage of his operation around new blood and young players, it will prove that Cincinnati made the right choice at head coach to lead them into the next era of Bengals football.