PLAYER OF THE DAY: DE Trey Hendrickson.
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo walked off the practice field Tuesday after watching Hendrickson wreak his special kind of havoc.
"That's what he does. One of the elite players in our league. I love him," Anarumo said. "A rare guy at that position. We had a good day. He had a good day."
The defense suffocated the offense Tuesday during the team periods, and Hendrickson's relentless pursuit of quarterback Joe Burrow was a big reason why.
It was Hendrickson's second padded practice, which means his annual Pro Bowl scrum with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. officially commenced. As kicker Evan McPherson was about to end practice with his quiver of arrows for field goals, Brown and Hendrickson crossed the line of scrimmage and talked through the technique and results of the day.
"He's trying new stuff, I'm trying new stuff," Brown said. "Sharpen each other's sword. It's something we talk about all the time. It's getting better together. He's one of the best in the league at what he does. I feel like I am as well. We've got that clear understanding where every day is going be competitive."
Nothing nasty. No taunting or celebrating. Not with seven Pro Bowl selections between them.
"If I screw up and have a question, I'll ask him and he'll do the same thing," Brown said.
They don't let each other know their plans before practice. But after practice on the field or in the locker room, they begin to share as they go through the dance of first moves, inside hands, rips, swims and what have you.
Brown said Hendrickson's get-off, counter moves and transition ability make him an elite pass rusher and, in turn, makes Brown a better left tackle.
Hendrickson had his day Tuesday, and Brown knows his is coming.
"That's part of ball. The ups and downs of training camp. That's part of it," Brown said. "There'll be times he's dominating the battle, I'm dominating the battle, and there are times we're going to be splitting even."
PLAY OF THE DAY: CB Josh Newton
In the last 70 hours or so, Newton has flashed the two things that have put him in the mix right away in the Bengals secondary as a fifth-round pick: versatility and ball production.
On Saturday night in the preseason opener, Newton grabbed an interception working out of the slot with the second team. He forced the only turnover during Tuesday's practice when he was working on the outside with the second group.
Coming down in a Cover Two, Newton said the quarterback's eyes took him to wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter II. Newton stuck his hand in and punched the ball into the arms of linebacker Joe Bachie for an interception.
"He played with really good patience at the line of scrimmage and he finished the play," cornerbacks coach Charles Burks said after practice. "I'm not surprised. I've been saying it from day one. He has the right approach to be an NFL defensive back. And he knows he has to get better."
That was in man. Later in zone coverage, he came from the back to defend a pass to Lassiter. Zone. Man. Slot. Outside. Whatever he's asked.
"At the end of the day, ball production is what defines corners in the NFL," Burks said. "He's been around the ball. He gets his hands on the ball and he looks for the ball. That's a good solid foundation."
QUOTE OF THE DAY: LB Maema Njongmeta, the Buffalo Grove, Illinois, product who went to high school about half an hour from Soldier Field, on coming back home as an NFL rookie after his 10-tackle debut in the opener:
"There's an element of having another good game. There's a lot I have to clean up from that last game. How can I take a step forward and grow as a player, as a contributor on this defense? I'm excited to see my family, a bunch of my middle school teachers, and some high school coaches. I didn't buy anyone tickets. At least five to 10 teachers and coaches and immediate family and some former teammates from high school. Maybe 30 people."
