Bengals first-round sensation Amarius Mims is sidelined for "several weeks," after he emerged from Saturday night's NFL debut with a strained pectoral muscle and won't play in the rest of the preseason.
But in making the announcement before Monday's practice, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor called it "an extremely minor setback," and didn't rule out Mims being available to start at right tackle in the Sept. 8 regular-season opener at Paycor Stadium.
"I wouldn't take anything off the table. I think he's had a really good training camp," Taylor said. "It's tough that he's not going to get some opportunities.
"But the guy has addressed everything we've thrown at him head-on and done a great job. He's still got the same energetic personality and this didn't set him back at all."
Like everybody else, Taylor was impressed with Mims' composure during Saturday's 15 snaps, 12 of them on the opening touchdown drive with the Ones. Trent Brown, the 10-year right tackle who returned to individual drills last week, is ready to take the No. 1 reps Monday.
_Brown and the rest of the Ones won't play in this Saturday's second preseason game (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's FOX 19) in Chicago. Taylor says they'll get their work in during Thursday's joint practice with the Bears.
Taylor wouldn't rule out the Ones playing in the Aug. 22 preseason finale against the Colts at Paycor.
_Thursday's practice at Halas Hall is no fly-by-night deal. Taylor and Bears head coach Matt Eberflus have been talking since May, when Eberflus invited Taylor after glimpsing the preseason schedule. The coordinators have been talking for the last week about matching up personnel groups in the drills.
Taylor doesn't know Eberflus well, but he was playing at Nebraska in 2005 when Eberflus was the defensive coordinator at Missouri: The Bears coach put up a number on the Cornhuskers.
_Taylor said rookie safety Daijahn Anthony can still play with a nose fracture he suffered Saturday night.
