7 Bengals we hope play well vs Packers in preseason opener
- QB2 love
- Backup OT
- Rookie first-rounder
- RB competing for roster spot
- Seventh-round rookie
- Former third-round pick
By Glenn Adams
DJ Ivey
One of the stars of the offseason program and training camp has been cornerback DJ Ivey. The reports have been nothing short of fantastic when it comes to the former Miami Hurricane. What’s fueling the praise being heaped upon the young corner is that he was a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft.
Day 3 rookies are not supposed to illicit such fanfare in their first season, especially not a guy selected near the end of the seventh round. Obviously, Ivey did not get that memo.
Another message Ivey did not receive is that Ja’Marr Chase is an elite receiver, and a late pick is not supposed to win any reps against the star wideout in practice.
DJ Ivey makes play on Ja'Marr Chase in end zone Monday at Bengals pic.twitter.com/xONVt2mb2X
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) August 7, 2023
Somebody also forgot to tell Ivey that Tee Higgins is also one of the best receivers in the NFL, and that probably should not have a lot of success against him either.
HIGGINS almost pulled in the catch of CAMP but DJ Ivey was there for the distraction #Bengals pic.twitter.com/cAiUKcYQG6
— Mark Slaughter (@MarkVSlaughter) August 1, 2023
So, is the hype real? Can Ivey convert all of his off-season success into preseason accomplishments? Will he go from the practice squad or roster bubble to a roster lock?
Ivey has been one of the best stories coming out of training camp thus far. Hopefully, that will continue, and we can all witness it play out on the field against the Packers.