CINCINNATI -- It was easy to tell T.J. Slaton was new to the Cincinnati Bengals because he was lacking a major detail -- where the defensive line went for a team-building dinner this offseason.
After racking his brain for a few seconds, he shouted a couple lockers down to fellow defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr., who immediately had the answer: Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, where a dining experience is essentially a rite of passage in the locker room.
"What did you order?" Jenkins asked Slaton.
"What did you drink?" Slaton said.
"A beautiful strawberry lemonade," Jenkins said with a smile.
Banter (and perhaps euphemisms) aside, the dinner organized by veteran B.J. Hill during organized team activities was important for a group that is still adding pieces in an effort to solve a big issue.
Aside from star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati often lacked an effective defensive line last season. Between Hendrickson ending his contract holdout and Shemar Stewarts rookie deal signed, how the unit might look is starting to finally take shape.
"The guys have been awesome," Bengals assistant Jerry Montgomery told ESPN on Wednesday. "They all want to be coached -- hell, even Trey. He's only been here for two days and he's got questions that he wants answers [to].
"I love it. The room is hungry for success."
Over the last two years, the Bengals have significantly revamped their defensive line. Last year, they drafted Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson, another defensive tackle. This year, they drafted Stewart with the 17th overall pick and added Slaton, who arrived in free agency via Green Bay on a two-year deal worth $14.1 million.
All of those players surround Hendrickson, who was an All-Pro selection last season after leading the league with 17.5 sacks. Hendrickson skipped all of the offseason workouts because of a contract dispute and held out of training camp until Wednesday, when he finally reported and it became a hold-in.
And even though he's not participating, he has stood near the defensive line during all of its position drills, mentoring young players like Stewart. When Hendrickson was coming up with the New Orleans Saints, he pointed to guys such as Demario Davis and Cam Jordan who helped with his development, which continued when he arrived in Cincinnati and played alongside Sam Hubbard. Hendrickson wanted to pay that forward while he tries to iron out a contract extension.
"Punishing the young players and not being a part of their development would be a selfish act," Hendrickson said.
Getting more out of young players will be key for a defense in the midst of a transition. Al Golden replaced Lou Anarumo as the defensive coordinator. Montgomery, who was previously with the Packers, joined Cincinnati's staff as the new defensive line coach.
And from the first meeting of training camp, Montgomery set the expectation for firm coaching and being held to a high standard.
"If you can understand that it's going to help you grow and you're going to be a better player for it," Montgomery recalled. "But if you can't take coaching and criticism, then you're in the wrong room."
Not that the group needed any reminder of the task ahead. The defense spent the entire winter and spring dwelling on the failure of the 2024 season and what needed to be fixed. Veteran defensive end Cam Sample, who missed all of last year with a torn Achilles tendon, said the defense arrived at training camp following a lot of self-reflection.
"We got a chip on our shoulder," Sample said. "We have a point to prove. We don't want to be a focal point of the team [not having] success."
Even with Hendrickson not practicing, the defensive line has earned high marks from Bengals coach Zac Taylor and quarterback Joe Burrow through the first week of training camp. Burrow took note of the defensive line's intricate pass rush strategies.
"The things that they're doing on the defensive side of the ball to create pressure is something that I've gone against for the last several years," Burrow said. "I know how hard that is to deal with from a quarterback's perspective. And they're doing it at a high level."
Slaton, the offseason addition from Green Bay, said the entire defensive line carries a true desire to be an improved unit. They know that if and when Hendrickson does step onto the field, the Bengals are going to need everyone in order to become a championship contender again.
"When we come off the field and you see the second team and you're like, 'Damn, the second team looks like the first team,' yeah," Slaton said. "You only as strong as your weakest link. That's how it is."