Like Giles-Harris, Patrick arrived in the spring as a free agent. Heyward also needed no introductions. While he red-shirted at Duke, Giles-Harris was in his last year on campus.
Heyward had to wait a year in the pros, but, like Rey, came off the practice squad last season to make an impact on special teams. His first six NFL games came in the last seven weeks of a playoff push, and it will be recalled he forced a fumble on a punt return in the must-win finale in Pittsburgh.
Heyward and Njongmeta, along with Wilson, are the only guys left in the room. They drafted Knight in the second round, Carter in the fourth, and signed the vet Burks off his Super Bowl start for the Eagles. Then came the 6-2, 234-pound Giles-Harris. Not exactly unknown by new linebackers coach Mike Hodges and defensive coordinator Al Golden.
As linebackers coaches in the league when Giles-Harris came undrafted out of Duke in 2019, they have their reports. They said that Giles-Harris gives them not only athleticism at different spots, but experience for a young and revamped room.
"He's a smart player. He can play multiple spots. He's a veteran player. So he knows what it takes," Taylor said after the Philly game. "He's played with good physicality. He's helped us with special teams. There's really good competition in that linebacker room. I'm really pleased with the direction all those guys are headed … I've been pleased with what Joe's done for us in camp."
Giles-Harris has been in Jacksonville, Buffalo, and New England. He likes what Golden and Hodges have brewing with this scheme.
"I love it. It's free. You can play free," Giles-Harris said. "It's really simple. You can get after it.
'There's a lot of competition in the room. It makes it fun. You have to show up every day."
Which is exactly how he won the Vinny Rey and it's how Vinny Rey won his Bengals roster spot. Giles-Harris smiled when asked exactly what is a Vinny Rey linebacker.
"Smart and reliable," Giles-Harris said as he caught the Clemson rookie Carter staring at him.
The vet came through.
"You lost to Duke, right?" asked Giles-Harris, knowing full well the answer.
"Yes," Carter said.
"Just checking," said the smart and reliable Vinny Rey award-winner.