Inside Info
When Bengals returner Charlie Jones heads into his early Friday morning return meetings with special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons, he'll have all the answers.
Bears punter Tory Taylor was Jones' roommate for three years at Iowa, and it's safe to say he's handled the most kicks in his life from Taylor.
"We'd always go out on the field, and he'd kick and I'd catch," said Jones after Thursday's practice. "When I go in there with Darrin, I'll go in with a lot of facts and knowledge on him before even studying him."
Taylor was picked in the fourth round out of Iowa in 2024, a year after the Bengals took Jones in the fourth round out of Purdue. Jones remembers that game, too.
"When I was at Purdue and we played Iowa, I don't think he gave me one chance," Jones said. "I hope that changes. I want to get at least one."
Jones, who turned 27 Wednesday, says he has no problems keeping in touch with Taylor this week, as they often do.
"I can separate it through the week," Jones said. "I can be boys through the week and then those few hours on the field, it's all business. Then after, it's just going back to being boys."