First things first from the second day of Bengals training camp.
Quarterback Joe Burrow continues to look like Joe Burrow and he's starting to sift some long ones. Such as Thursday's nifty go-ball down the left sideline in seven-on-seven wedged just between the well-covered Shedrick Jackson and cornerback Dax Hill.
Not only that, Burrow had a hellacious down-field scramble while nimbly chased by old college buddy Sam Hubbard, showing that Burrow's strained calf suffered in this practice last year and Hubbard's post-season ankle surgery are distant memories.
But what Thursday truly showed is just how important his presence and personality are to this team.
Such as:
During a break after team and seven-on-seven, Burrow approached cornerback DJ Turner.
"Hey Drago," said Burrow, using his nickname and reminding him of a route. "Trust your speed."
"That's what we've been telling DJ a lot because he can run with the best of them," cornerback Allan George said.
As he was walking off the field Thursday, Turner admitted his quarterback had just given him a jolt of confidence.
"A hundred percent," Turner said. "(It means) a lot. Good to hear."
When George heard Burrow was near the cornerbacks, he asked him about a quick out on a short motion he had completed on him working against Jackson. Burrow went through his thinking for George.
"I was trying to figure if they were reading our leverage or if they were reading something else," said George, who didn't want to tip Burrow's hand and give his answer. "He told me and it was good to hear that because my mindset was in a completely different spot. It was good to get that feedback from a good quarterback. I don't know how many quarterbacks around the league would do that."
Hubbard, a defensive captain, knew he had just seen a day where his team got better.
"That's how you get better. You talk about what the other side is seeing," Hubbard said. "Having a quarterback who has the ability to talk to everyone on the team like that is really important."
None of it is lost on the head coach.
"Great urgency. Every year the ownership evolved with him in the offense," said Zac Taylor after Thursday's practice. "I wouldn't say that it gets better. It just continues to evolve where he can see the little details he gets to really master and help guys along and I think that's a big part of the quarterback's job. Helping these young guys along."
GAME MANAGER: Three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase didn't practice again Thursday and Taylor was asked if it is related to Chase's extension that is apparently being negotiated.
"It's a plan that Ja'Marr and I have," said Taylor of plans for Friday. "We'll see tomorrow. "I don't expect anything else other than the plan he and I have in place."
Taylor has been saying he wants to manage his veterans' workload in camp. Burrow won't throw Friday after going two straight days. Wide receiver Tee Higgins, who, like Chase, didn't practice with the Bengals in the spring, went Wednesday but didn't work Thursday. Pro Bowl sacker Trey Hendrickson went Wednesday but didn't Thursday. Defensive end Sam Hubbard, like Burrow, coming off surgery, could get a rest as soon as Friday.
"I'm comfortable with the plan that I've got with all these veterans," Taylor said. "I've got clear communication with all these guys."
SLANTS AND SCREENS: Rookie right tackle Amarius Mims again took snaps with the ones with Trent Brown still nursing soreness. He keeps getting rave reviews, but he came into the locker room shaking his head after a day-long battle with Hubbard.
"Sam got me," Mims said.
But Hubbard is like everybody else and loves the guy.
"I just took an inside move. He overset a little bit. That's something that gets cleaned up," Hubbard said. "I like his mindset. We'll get better going against each other." …
Josh Newton, the fifth-round cornerback from TCU, had the fastest GPS Wednesday as he chased down a play from the weak side. Late in Thursday's practice he left with a cramp ….
PLAYER OF THE DAY, WR Andrei Iosivas.
After going in the slot Wednesday for the first time in his brief NFL career Wednesday, Iosivas played both spots Thursday with Chase and Higgins out.
His best route may have been in the slot, though, when he shook loose from one of the league's best slot cornerbacks in Mike Hilton at the top of a quick out and made a diving catch on a ball Burrow put where only Iosivas could catch it.
Then on a quick fade down the right sideline, Iosivas outmuscled the ball from and the helmet off of Turner in blanket coverage. In seven-on-seven, Burrow hit him over the middle and Iosivas made a leaning, acrobatic catch between two defenders.
"I thought they were three challenging catches and he came down with all three," said offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher. "Mike had some good leverage on him and he was able to gain leverage and Joe had to throw it out in front because Mike was in such good coverage. Andrei has a big catch radius. He's a big guy and he caught the ball away from his body.
"That's a trust throw for the quarterback," Pitcher said of the fade. "He knows his guy is going to attack the ball. I thought he made a really good play on the ball. Good coverage and he made strong plays."
PLAY OF THE DAY: Go Ball from QB Jake Browning to WR Jermaine Burton
Remember what Pitcher said about Burton, the third-round pick from Alabama? Violent hands. And on Thursday he showed them off when Browning threw a beauty of a Go down the left sideline and despite tough coverage from cornerback Dax Hill and safety Geno Stone converging fast, Burton still tracked it over his shoulder and wrestled it from Hill as both went to the ground.
That was a matchup of two 4.3 burners, but Burton says that's not what he relies on.
"For me, I feel like my physicality and my catching are my biggest things, not my speed," Burton said.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Sam Hubbard, dean of the Bengals in his eighth season with 90 games, on first-rounder Amarius Mims, his 21-year-old camp foe at right tackle:
"You see his size, his athleticism, his eagerness to get better every day. You see him talking to Ted (Karras), (Alex) Cappa, the veterans. Trent Brown. Holding him to a high standard. You can tell he's got the pro mindset. He's obviously got all the tools he needs. He's going to be a great player for sure."
