CINCINNATI (WXIX) - The best part of the month of August in the NFL is when training camp trends develop into a crystal ball for the season. You see moments that preview what the stories of the season are going to be.
For example, at Bengals training camp in 2024, we learned that Amarius Mims could solidify the right tackle position for the Bengals into the future, Chase Brown was ready to take off, Dax Hill was going to hit the ground running at corner, Andrei Iosivas could be an impact slot receiver and Erick All Jr. could change the tone of the Bengals’ offense.
In training camp in 2023, we learned that Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins were capable of making another leap, Jonah Williams would give the team a solid right tackle as he switched positions, DJ Turner could be a plug and play starter, Cam Taylor-Britt was entering the season with a real edge and that Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt had taken their games up a level.
What have we learned in Bengals’ training camp in 2025? Aside from the bright Shemar Stewart storyline and some good health luck to date, has any of it been positive?
Joe Burrow, Chase, Higgins and Chase Brown look like themselves, the running back room looks strong, Noah Fant joined the team, Dylan Fairchild and Demetrius Knight have shown some of their traits with some inconsistency mixed in as well and Evan McPherson is making his kicks. Charlie Jones, Mitchell Tinsley, Howard Cross and Barrett Carter have played pretty well.
And, of course, the big storyline is the way that Stewart has flashed.
But the positive storylines are much more difficult to find than the negative ones.
The contract distraction this year revolves around Trey Hendrickson, and now there’s a new trade rumor attached to his name. The Bengals have set the bar high on the trade market all along with him. Taking a lower scale offer would have made a lot of sense in March, but it’s too late for that now. A deal seems unlikely because of how much the Bengals have been asking for in return for Hendrickson all along. Up next as the calendar approaches the regular season is the distraction of when he’ll practice again and if he’ll miss a game.
In a best case scenario, Hendrickson and Stewart start Week 1 and form a strong edge duo that brings to the table some upside but much less down to down consistency.
Looking around the defensive end group, this is supposed to be a breakout prove-it year for Joseph Ossai, who returned on a one-year deal for 2025 following a nice December to finish last season. Al Golden says that it’s time for Myles Murphy to take the next step.
Due to injuries and also some jagged development, neither has taken advantage of their opportunity in training camp.
Concerns about offensive line depth are a tale as old as time for the Bengals in August, but this year it’s reaching a new level.
Even though Lucas Patrick opened camp as the backup center, he hasn’t popped this summer and has had some ugly plays, the camp battle between him and the more establish Cody Ford seems to be wrapping up. Ford hasn’t worked with the first team at guard in a while, and then he ended up on the rehab field at practice on Saturday. Maybe he’s too valuable as the backup offensive tackle because Orlando Brown Jr. has had injuries impact his performance in 2023 and 2024 and because Amarius Mims’ hand injury has created another negative storyline this summer.
At least in 2022, when Jackson Carman flopped, Cordell Volson showed something. At least in 2024, Jaxson Kirkland turned some heads. Have you heard anything about Cordell Volson (now injured) Devin Cochran, Andrew Raym, Andrew Steuber or Kirkland this summer?
Jalen Rivers badly struggled at tackle, leading to him shifting to guard over the last two weeks as the Bengals already adjusted their plan for him for this summer.
It feels like undrafted free agent center Seth McLaughlin and backup center Matt Lee, both dealing with injuries for most of camp, could be asked to save these position battles with a last second push as soon as they’re ready to play.
Now, Dalton Risner is reportedly visiting Cincinnati. This is the guard who seems to always linger on the free agent market, signing in September of 2023, late May of 2024 and now is still a free agent in August of 2025. The Bengals should know the backup guard free agent market very well, and they’ve always passed on Risner before now.
Risner started down the stretch for the Vikings last season. Their season ended because Sam Darnold was seeing ghosts and panicking due to interior pressure. When the Vikings lost in the playoffs, the main story at The Athletic was “Vikings’ collapse makes need for interior O-line help frustratingly clear.”
“There’s no question,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said after the playoff loss. “We’ve got to find a way to solidify the interior of the pocket.”
The Vikings then used a first-round pick on a left guard and paid $87 million for their right guard.
The Bengals re-signed Ford, added Patrick, drafted a third-round rookie in Fairchild and now are reportedly having talks with Risner. If anything, Risner would probably be depth for an offensive line room that’s dealing with injuries. It’s probably too late into camp for Risner to step in and start anyway, but he’d at least give the Bengals a break in case of emergency option for the season.
Now, onto the safety room. Geno Stone’s short-term soft tissue injury created a window for Tycen Anderson or Daijahn Anthony to prove that they could be the Bengals’ third safety. Neither has flashed, and PJ Jules went on to do the most with the chance that he received. Stone’s status as the starter already didn’t have you feeling great, and the depth at safety remains just as much of a question.
Here’s the thing about tonight’s preseason game against the Commanders. The Bengals actually need a lot of guys to play well.
They need multiple guys to show that they can be a depth option at guard or tackle. It’ll be a big chance for McLaughlin and Lee if they play. You’d like to see tight end Noah Fant play with some confidence after getting a late start.
It’d be good to see Stewart continue to fit in with the first-team defense. McKinnley Jackson is working to earn his way back up in the defensive line rotation. You’d like to see Dax Hill moving around confidently in his first game back from a torn ACL. After the corners played very poorly in Philadelphia (without Hill and Taylor-Britt due to injuries), having the corners take a step forward would build up some confidence for the entire defense. Anderson and Anthony have their chance to win the position battle for safety No. 3.
This is still a Bengals team that could end up in a position to add a tackle, a guard, a center, a defensive end, a defensive tackle, a corner or a safety at waiver wire cut down day. The depth chart remains that unsettled.
Maybe, just maybe, there will be a feel good story tonight for the Bengals. They need one because there haven’t been nearly enough of them this summer.
_The views and opinions expressed by this columnist do not necessarily reflect the views, policies or positions of WXIX FOX19._
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