Training camps have kicked off around the NFL, and our team reporters are on the ground each day following all the action. The Cincinnati Bengals' camp is taking place in at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati and Bengals reporter Ben Baby has the latest intel on standouts, highlights, position battles, depth chart movement, cut decisions and of course the quarterback room.
What follows is everything we are seeing and hearing at camp. We will have the latest updates, including a look at the contract situations of Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart. Who are the breakouts to watch, especially for fantasy football? And which players on the roster bubble could make the final 53?
Let's get into it all, and be sure to keep checking back for more information until the first full week of the preseason begins Thursday.
Latest news from Bengals camp
Wednesday, Aug. 6
The Bengals are prepping for their preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. With cornerbacks Marco Wilson, Dax Hill and Cam Taylor-Britt all out, it will be great opportunity for DJ Ivey, Josh Newton and DJ Turner to showcase why they should be in the mix for a starting position.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor said that Hill has seen extensive work at slot cornerback, which could create an opening at outside cornerback.
Camp recap: Who has been your standout performer of camp?
It's tempting to take Joe Burrow, who has easily enjoyed the best training camp of his career. But high marks should be given to corner DJ Ivey.
Ivey appeared in the final 11 games of last season after recovering from an ACL injury in Dec. 2023. This training camp, Ivey has consistently made plays and thrown his hat into the ring in the outside cornerback competition. If he continues this trajectory, it could give defensive coordinator Al Golden and secondary coach Chuck Burks something to think about ahead of Week 1.
Camp recap: What is the biggest question to answer for your team in preseason games?
Will the offense look sharper? The Bengals are planning on playing their starters throughout the preseason in an attempt to start the season faster. Burrow and his top offensive players have banked reps throughout offseason workouts and training camp. If the offense looks good in the preseason games, that could be a great sign for a unit with very high aspirations. Also, keep an eye on the offensive line that will have two new starters -- rookie left guard Dylan Fairchild and either Cody Ford or Lucas Patrick.
Tuesday, Aug. 5
The revamped preseason plan for the Bengals is still in effect.
When the Bengals face the Eagles on Thursday, the starters will see a decent amount of action. Coach Zac Taylor anticipates that it will be roughly a quarter, give or take how the game flows and what that quarter looks like.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who will get some preseason action, has long talked about how that helps him establish a feel for the game and pass rush ahead of Week 1. Taylor said playing in Philadelphia is good for giving the starters a sense of a game atmosphere.
"As much as we practice it and do it, it's not the same feel [as a game]," Taylor said. "Just those 11 guys being in the huddle on both sides of the ball and all the communication that's got to occur, it's just a good opportunity to get those guys some additional reps."
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Notable guys who will not play in Thursday's preseason game: CB Dax Hill, CB Cam Taylor-Britt, DT B.J. Hill, DE Cedric Johnson, CB Marco Wilson. OT Amarius Mims, who has been battling some sort of injury, will play against the Eagles.
Two tight ends will also be out for different reasons. TE Mike Gesicki won't participate this week after slightly tweaking his hamstring in Saturday's practice. Taylor said Gesicki would be an "optimistic" questionable if it was a normal game week.
Newly signed TE Noah Fant will also not play. Fant is still getting integrated into the offense, hence him being a healthy scratch for the preseason opener.
Right now, the Bengals are eyeing the Week 2 preseason game against the Commanders as the traditional "dress rehearsal" for the starters.
Hill has received a ton of reps as the starting slot cornerback. Said Taylor: "He's been majoring in the slot a little more, but he's got that outside flex, because we saw him play that a lot last year."
One familiar face was back at practice Monday. Sam Hubbard, who played defensive end for the Bengals for seven seasons before retiring this offseason, hung out at practice and in the locker room for a few minutes.
Sunday, Aug. 3
Throughout training camp, one array of sounds has become a familiar soundtrack for Bengals practices. And it typically originates from the same two places -- the defensive sideline or the secondary.
That was the case again Sunday. Whenever guys made plays against Cincinnati's offense or whether it was the sideline celebrating a big play, the defensive players let the other side of the ball hear about it.
For first-year defensive coordinator Al Golden, that's music to his ears.
"If you're talking but you're running to the ball or you're diving around, making plays, then keep talking," Golden said. "It's great that have that attitude right now. That's an attack mindset, which is not easy to get."
Whether it was Golden or players such as safety Jordan Battle, who has been among the most focal in camp, the chatter comes from a place of confidence.
It's a sign that the group is playing much looser than it has previously. They're also looking to show the defense is much improved from a year ago.
"They got something to prove," Golden said. "We got something to prove. They have an edge."
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Bengals offensive tackle Amarius Mims was back at practice after missing Saturday. It's unclear what exactly the injury is, but Mims told reporters it's something he has to fight through.
On the other injury front, Cam Taylor-Britt missed another practice. The Bengals coaching staff has indicated that it's some sort of load management. The veteran cornerback and projected starter downplayed any long-term seriousness about his availability.
Saturday, Aug. 2
New Cincinnati Bengals tight end Noah Fant had a few options when exploring the next stop in his career. The 2019 first-round pick visited the Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints before settling on the Bengals. Ultimately, Fant signed a one-year deal that features $2.75 million in base salary and incentives that could increase the value up to $4.25 million, according to ESPN's Field Yates.
While Cincinnati has been a known place for players to turn short-term deals into bigger contracts, Fant said other aspects take priority for him.
"I want to stress winning first," Fant said on Saturday. "That's a big important thing. But then also, that part of increasing your value and going along to get paid in the future is something that's great, and hopefully I'm able to do that here."
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Bengals defensive end Cedric Johnson is dealing with a strained left calf. He used a push scooter to get around in the locker room and was wearing a protective boot on his left foot. While there's no definite timeline on his absence, the indication is that he isn't expected to miss a significant amount of time.
When the NFLPA's annual team report cards were released in February, the Bengals were given an F- for treatment of families. Well, after Saturday's practice inside Paycor Stadium, a team cookout is scheduled for the team's players and their families. Whether teams will admit it, it appears the report cards are having their intended impact.
Thursday, July 31
The deeper the Bengals go into training camp, the more the secondary shows it should be much improved from a year ago.
It's DJ Turner day at practice. Another pass breakup. This time deep downfield in a 1-on-1 matchup with Tee Higgins https://t.co/f1kk9CPzo3 pic.twitter.com/cE3L0VcEJI
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) July 31, 2025
Thursday was cornerback DJ Turner's opportunity to shine. He had multiple pass deflections throughout the day. The most notable one was when he was matched up against Tee Higgins toward the end of practice. Turner contested Higgins all the way through the attempted completion and ultimately dislodged the ball, prompting roars from the defense.
Turner turned in his best performance of training camp on a day when Cam Taylor-Britt did not practice because of what coach Zac Taylor indicated was load management. But in a camp when multiple cornerbacks have had their moments, it was time for Turner to get his. And the more he can do that, the better his chances of earning reps in a crowded cornerback room.
"I just have to stack days," said Turner, who added that it was cool to have a big day. "We're going to watch film, review it, and after that, have a better day tomorrow. That's all I'm thinking about."
Taylor said not to read too much into the cornerback rotation this early in camp. It's worth noting that the team is still managing Cam Taylor-Britt's and Dax Hill's health and preseason workload. If healthy, both are projected as the starting outside cornerbacks.
Another guy who splashed on Thursday: linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. The rookie was around the ball often, including a pass deflection off Joe Burrow that resulted in an interception. "Today is probably the first time I was finally able to get my hands on [a ball]," Knight said. "Definitely starting to grow into who this team needs me to be."
Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims didn't practice Thursday after getting a bit banged up Wednesday. But Taylor indicated Mims could get back on the field Friday.
Wednesday, July 30
The receiver who flashed the most on Wednesday was the starter not named Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins.
Third-year player Andrei Iosivas continued his dazzling camp with a couple of big-time catches from quarterback Joe Burrow.
Early on Wednesday, Iosivas had some very strong reps in a 1-on-1 drill. But the highlight of the day was a one-handed snag down the middle of the field, even with cornerback Josh Newton making the throwing window a tight one. It was an example of how much Iosivas has grown over the years.
"The contested catches, when he first came here, was not his strong suit," Burrow said of the track athlete turned football player. "He's turned it into a strength of his game. That's exciting to see."
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Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson didn't participate in Wednesday's practice, which gave Cincinnati a chance to trot out both rookies with the first-team defense. Barrett Carter, the team's fourth-round pick, joined Demetrius Knight Jr., the second-round pick who is a projected starter.
Cornerback Marco Wilson, who is week to week with an injury, did some work on the team's rehab field on Wednesday. The cornerback rotation has been mixed, but one thing is clear: DJ Ivey is making a strong impression on the coaching staff. At this rate, he could be a primary backup option during the season.
Burrow made it a point to be aggressive into throwing windows on Wednesday. He did have an interception in a red zone situation, but otherwise, he was rewarded with some big playmaking that was absent this time last season.
Monday, July 28
Whether it was outside on the Bengals' practice fields or inside the team's practice bubble, the defense made plenty of noise on Monday. The decibel levels cranked up when the team was forced to shift indoors when a big storm hit downtown Cincinnati in the late morning.
There was a big roar when cornerback DJ Ivey made a play in the corner of the end zone on a red zone drill. There were also a couple of big cheers when rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart had back-to-back pass deflections.
Safety Geno Stone said the continuity of running the same stuff since the end of last season has helped the unit play fast. And so far, the group is "light-years ahead" of where it was this time a year ago.
"I think there's a lot of camaraderie right now," Stone said. "I think we're all together. Everyone we've got here, we're all having fun playing with each other and playing fast."
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Let's go back to those Stewart break-ups. One of them came when he released a bit early on a rep, which left him unabated in Jake Browning's direction. A very strong second day for the rookie.
Joe Burrow hit the turf on Monday. According to those in the area during that play, Burrow attempted to spin out of a pressure from linebacker Logan Wilson but ended up on the ground instead. Granted, DT Kris Jenkins Jr. would have had the sack early in the play. But it was another example of the defense playing well.
For whatever reason, the offense did not have a particularly good day. Maybe it was the mid-practice shift into the indoor bubble. But when that theory was posed to one defender after practice, they argued they saw things a bit differently. Understandable.
Sunday, July 27
Before Dax Hill suffered a season-ending ACL injury last season, there were those in the building who believed he was the team's top cornerback. On Sunday, he continued to make progress in his return to action. Hill once again had team reps. But he and Cam Taylor-Britt, the other projected starting outside corner, watched the bulk of the team drills as part of load management for each respective player. Despite that, coach Zac Taylor is pleased with how Hill has looked early in camp.
"There will be some days we just pull him back to make sure we're not going too far, too fast," Taylor said. "But so far, he has been on a pace we hoped he would be on."
Reserve cornerback Marco Wilson is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will be evaluated on a weekly basis, Taylor said. DJ Turner and DJ Ivey saw a heavy workload during another muggy practice.
Jordan Battle isn't shy about being vocal. After a fade ball in a red-zone drills sailed over the media, Battle let tight end Mike Gesicki, the intended receiver, hear about the incompletion. "I ain't having that s--t," Battle said. To which Gesicki promptly told him to "shut the f--k up." And the pads aren't even on yet!
Second-year defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. has enjoyed working with defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery and the rest of the new staff. "He's really challenging us mentally," Jenkins said. "They're putting a lot on our plate, so when we get to game time, we can handle it and we're ready for anything."
Hue Jackson, the former Browns head coach and Bengals offensive coordinator, was one of Sunday's practice guests. Jackson, now the offensive coordinator at Georgia State, caught a few of the opening periods before escaping the heat.
Friday, July 25
Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton caught a ball in the back corner of the end zone, withstood a strip attempt from safety Tycen Anderson and then flung the ball in Anderson's direction, essentially taunting him for being unable to force a fumble. Burton had a couple of good catches in a day filled with red-zone drills. And after a bad rookie season, Burton has displayed a marked difference.
"We know he has enough talent and enough ability to do it," said tight end Mike Gesicki. "I think mentally, he's had the right mindset coming in here."
That sentiment has been echoed by many during the offseason. And while the praise is good to hear, the former third-round pick out of Alabama isn't trying to bask in it.
"They see a difference in my work ethic and how focused I am," Burton said. "But I'm just trying to tune everything out and just really just stay head down and work and be a real asset to this team."
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Bengals offensive guard Lucas Patrick left Friday's drills with a trainer and appeared to walk with a bit of a limp. Afterwards in the locker room, Patrick sported a compression sleeve on his right leg. He is currently running in the back-up role at right guard behind Cody Ford.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow hit Ja'Marr Chase in the end zone with a ball that left defenders stunned. Burrow squeezed a ball into double coverage to Chase, who made a one-handed basket catch right before going out of bounds. Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, who was in pursuit, compared it to the touchdown Burrow threw to Chase in the second Ravens game last season.
The defense also had some good moments. Cornerbacks DJ Ivey and Jalen Davis, two guys competing for reps at the back of the depth chart, had pass break-ups and attacked the ball often. It was a good day for back-and-forth action. "They're going to make plays, we going to make plays, so we just got to keep battling," Ivey said.
Thursday, July 24
For those who think Tee Higgins' $115 million extension was a luxurious expense, his performance on Thursday proved why he's so valuable.
One day after the offense performed "poorly," according to quarterback Joe Burrow, Higgins had a few solid catches, including one a deep ball from Burrow in an 11-on-11 drill. And that can be the difference between a bad practice and a good one. That's why Ja'Marr Chase didn't want Burrow to be so down after Wednesday's rough showing.
"I told him don't dwell on it because, let Tee make two of those catches, he wouldn't be feeling like that," Chase said.
Higgins did have an abbreviated day, however. On a very hot and humid day in downtown Cincinnati, Higgins spent the end of practice watching as the team tries to prevent any soft-tissue muscle injuries before Week 1.
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Higgins wasn't the only one dealing with heat-related issues. Cornerback Josh Newton appeared to suffer from heat exhaustion and was throwing up on the sideline in the middle of drills. Defensive end Myles Murphy was carted back to the locker room because of cramps.
Chase will be keeping a very close eye on his player rating in the new Madden video game. Chase apparently wasn't a 99 overall, the maximum for any player, in the first batch he saw. That prompted a call to Chad Johnson, the former NFL receiver who is a Madden ratings adjuster. Chase: "If he doesn't [fix it], I'm going to be mad at him."
Keep an eye on reserve defensive end Isaiah Thomas. While he will be fighting for a spot on the back end of the roster, Thomas did a good job of getting pressure off the edge against the third-team offensive line.
Wednesday, July 23
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow wasn't afraid to be honest about how he thought the offense performed in the first practice of training camp.
"Poorly," he said.
The offense didn't have a ton of notable plays, with Burrow throwing more incompletions than usual and also scrambling while trying to locate receivers. The offensive struggles aren't uncommon for the Bengals when camp starts.
"Offense is all about timing, rhythm, working together to become a cohesive unit, and so that's not going to be the case on the first day," Burrow said.
The sixth-year quarterback said he thought the defense was sharp and the cornerbacks did a good job of sticking to receivers in coverage, hence some of the extended dropbacks on Wednesday. Said Burrow: "They won the day."
Tuesday, July 22
The Bengals made a couple of transactions one day before camp officially starts. Running back Zack Moss, who suffered a season-ending neck injury in 2024, was placed on the non-football injury list. That should divvy up the reps between Samaje Perine and rookie Tahj Brooks to help determine the workload behind Chase Brown.
Cincinnati also waived DT Dante Barrett, an Englishman who was part of the NFL's International Pathway Program.