Tag: cincinatti bengals

Geno Stone should thrive playing under Bengals’ DC Lou Anarumo

Former Ravens safety Geno Stone may be in for another historic season with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Former Ravens safety Geno Stone may be in for another historic season with the Cincinnati Bengals. Expect defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to polish Stone and build a scheme that favors his ball-hawking tendencies.

Last season, the Bengals were inhibited by two key shortcomings. First, they lost all-pro safety Jesse Bates III to the Atlanta Falcons, and then their starting quarterback Joe Burrow went down in the middle of the season with a hand injury. Still, the Bengals finished the season with a 9-8 record and defensive end Trey Henderson ranked No. 2 in the NFL in total sacks.

Anarumo understands that Stone likes to play aggressively, and so does he. The Bengals had 26 takeaways last season, ranking No. 7 in the NFL.  The Bengals are looking to build a secondary behind defensive tackle B.J Hill and Hendrickson. With Stone and the return of safety Vance Bell, defensive back Mike Hilton may see more opportunities to blitz as defensive backs Cam Taylor Britt and Dax Hill work outside.

The Bengals were just a few victories away from the Super Bowl in 2022 and 2023. With Stone, they want to build on the identity that helped turn their franchise around. As an AFC North powerhouse, the Ravens need to be aware of their rivals’ moves to dethrone them in 2024.

Tee Higgins is the Top Offensive Free Agent that isn’t a Quarterback

Former Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins is the top-ranked offensive free agent who isn’t a quarterback.

Clemson repped the moniker wide receiver U for some time, producing some of the top wide receivers in college football and the NFL.

A player that epitomizes the moniker is NFL star and former Tiger Tee Higgins, who went from being one of the best wide receivers in college football to one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Higgins is a fantastic talent and could even be considered underrated by some. 

CBS Sports recently released their rankings for the Top 25 offensive free agents for 2024, with Tee Higgins ranking No.2 on the list. He is the highest-rated non-quarterback, with only Kirk Cousins ranked ahead of him.

Higgins dealt with injuries and the absence of Joe Burrow this past season, but we have seen that he has the capability to be a No. 1 or No. 2 option in a really good passing game. He only recently turned 25 years old so he likely hasn’t even hit his prime years yet.
Injuries were a big part of Higgins’ season, with the star wide receiver having career lows with 42 receptions, 656 yards, and five touchdowns. He only appeared in 12 games, another career low for the former Tiger.

While it wasn’t Higgins’s best season, it’s difficult to argue against the talent and what we’ve seen from him when he was healthy. In his short NFL career, Higgins has recorded 257 receptions for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns. He will be one of the hottest names in free agency, with wide receiver needs being drastic for multiple teams and the Bengals possibly not being able to pay Higgins the contract he’s earned.

Trevor Lawrence on the possibility of reuniting with Tee Higgins

Could we see Trevor Lawrence and Tee Higgins back together soon?

While it sounds like a stretch, there is a possibility we will see former Clemson stars Trevor Lawrence and Tee Higgins reunite in the NFL.

Lawrence was asked about this possibility during Super Bowl week. Like many, he doesn’t see the Cincinnati Bengals letting Tee Higgins slip through his fingers, but he would love to be back on the same offense as Higgins.

“I would be very surprised if Cincinnati lets him go. I don’t think that’s going to happen. But if there was an opportunity, it would be great to play with Tee,” Lawrence said. “You know, we’ve texted a little bit back and forth. And the league is funny. You just never know how things are going to work out. So many factors are at play.

“But of course that’s a guy that I played with that we have a great chemistry. Great player. I would not be upset at all if he came to Jacksonville.”

Even with the doubt, it’s a situation to monitor. The Bengals have a lot of mouths to feed and new contracts to be made. If they can’t afford Higgins, the Jaguars should have a real shot.

Recent Patriots OC interview might hint at team’s offensive direction

The Patriots might have hinted at their offensive direction with their latest offensive coordinator candidate

The New England Patriots are expected to continue their round of offensive coordinator interviews this week with Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher slated as next on the list.

Per the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots are expected to interview with Pitcher via Zoom on Tuesday.

It’s important to note that Pitcher is the third offensive coordinator on the Patriots’ growing list of candidates, and so far, all three have west coast offensive ties to the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree. Along with Pitcher, the team has also interviewed Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson and Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley.

There’s a chance the Patriots could be hinting at their offensive direction with the current candidates on their list.

Of course, there are stronger odds that Pitcher ends up back in Cincy with the Tennessee Titans hiring Brian Callahan as their new head coach on Monday. The Bengals will be looking for a new offensive coordinator to fill that role, and Pitcher should be a possible in-house replacement.

The Patriots could be looking to shake things up drastically on the offensive side of the ball after finishing amongst the worst units in the NFL in the last two straight seasons.

Some of that Shanahan offensive magic could go a long way in the bittering cold for a rebuilding team like the Patriots.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Watch: Tee Higgins takes off for 80-yard score

Former Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins has been on fire the last two weeks.

If there was any doubt if former Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins still had the speed and explosiveness to be an elite pass-catcher, he has certainly proved that to be false as of late.

Playing the Pittsburgh Steelers, Higgins caught a slant pass from Cincacnity Bengals quarterback Jake Browning and took it 80 yards to the house. The 80-yard touchdown was the longest score of Higgins’ NFL career and put the Bengals on the board after going down 24-0 to the Steelers.

While Higgins has been relatively quiet this year, he has burst back onto the scene over the last two games. In last week’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, Higgins arguably had the catch of the year, extending the ball with one hand over the goal line to propel the Bengals to an overtime victory.

In three years at Clemson, Higgins was an integral part of the Tigers’ offense, recording 2,448 receiving yards and 28 total touchdowns. He had his best statistical year in 2019 when he had 59 receptions for 1,167 yards and 13 scores, leading to Cincinnati drafting him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Here’s Higgins’ score from Saturday:

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

Former Clemson defender carted off

A former Clemson defensive tackle had to be carted off the field on Saturday.

Former Clemson defensive tackle D.J. Reader suffered what appeared to be a significant injury on Saturday and had to be carted off in the Cincinnati Bengals’ game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Playing for the Bengals, Reader went down in the first quarter of the game against the Vikings and had to be carted off the field due to a right knee injury. He was immediately ruled out of the game in the ensuing minutes.

The injury comes at a poor time for Reader, as he is in a contract year and is set to be a free agent in the spring. Prior to Saturday, Reader had 34 total tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and one pass deflection.

In four years at Clemson, the former four-star recruit had 71 total tackles and five sacks from 2012-2015. After being drafted by the Houston Texans in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft, Reader signed a four-year deal with the Bengals in 2020.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

Joe Burrow explained why his wrist was wrapped up before Thursday Night Football injury

Joe Burrow is clarifying why cameras spotted him with his wrist wrapped up.

Joe Burrow is breaking his silence on his season-ending wrist injury.

On Thursday, Burrow arrived at his matchup against the Baltimore Ravens sporting some new gear on his right wrist. That was a shock to many viewing the broadcast. Unfortunately, he seemingly hurt the same wrist during the game and could not return to play.

On Friday, Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals stunned NFL fans by revealing that his wrist injury was season-ending. The news left many questions about how Burrow got to this point. He attempted to provide some context during a presser on Friday by explaining why his wrist was wrapped up before Thursday’s game.

That doesn’t clear up everything, but it’s certainly notable as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the NFL is looking into whether the Bengals skirted the league’s injury compliance rules.

NFL fans were stunned to learn Joe Burrow’s wrist injury is season-ending

Look away, Bengals fans. LOOK AWAY.

Hold the phone, Batman. The Cincinnati Bengals’ season just took a dramatic turn.

On Thursday, news started swirling that quarterback Joe Burrow reported to the Bengals matchup against the Ravens with a brace on his right wrist. The revelation was a bit shocking, given that Cincinnati didn’t put Burrow on the injury report. Then, more chatter started when Burrow left the game and did not return after seemingly banging up the same wrist.

Joe Burrow has already dealt with several injuries during his professional career, and that latest injury news was doing little to help the Bengals’ currently underwhelming season.

Yet, on Friday, the Bengals revealed another shocking turn of events.

Burrow’s latest update is sending reverberations through the NFL world.

Here’s how fans reacted to learning that Joe Burrow’s wrist injury was season-ending:

Lamar Jackson improves to 8-1 as starter vs. Bengals as Ravens win 34-20

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson led his team in an efficient 34-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals Thursday night.

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night. Jackson, who also ran for 54 yards on nine carries, has an 8-1 career record as a starter against the Bengals. 

The Ravens now hold a steady lead in the AFC North and get a well-needed 11-day rest.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron)

The win started with an opening-drive touchdown run by running back Gus Edwards. The Ravens were very focused on offense, surrendering zero turnovers and converting on six of their 12 third downs.

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken did much to avoid the type of letdown the team had in a Week 10 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Monken sequenced in 31 running plays and ran a balanced offense against the Bengals.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. worked as a serviceable target for Jackson, needing only four catches to tally  116 receiving yards. With tight end Mark Andrews now injured, perhaps Monken will be looking to feature Beckham more frequently in the passing game.

NFL fans thought the Bengals might have hidden a Joe Burrow wrist injury after questionable footage surfaced

What were the Bengals hiding about Joe Burrow’s fishy injury situation?

At first glance, Joe Burrow seemingly just suffered a severe wrist injury on Thursday night. It’s an unfortunate break, to be sure, but it is also an all-too-common one from playing professional football. But there might be more than meets the eye with the Cincinnati Bengals’ talisman’s health and how the team can hold its own if he misses significant time.

At least in what the Bengals wanted everyone to know about Burrow.

You see, before Burrow even left the Bengals’ matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, footage shown on the Amazon Prime broadcast (courtesy of WCPO in Cincinnati) shows that the quarterback might have already been dealing with a wrist ailment before the game. While a little unclear at first, the clip features Burrow wearing some sort of brace on the same wrist that would eventually force him out. Hmm.

There’s one major problem here — Burrow wasn’t listed on the injury report by the Bengals. If proven that he already had a wrist ailment before Thursday Night Football — usually, you don’t wear braces on healthy wrists — this would be a demonstration of Cincinnati circumventing the NFL’s injury-reporting rules. It doesn’t help that the Bengals apparently deleted a Twitter post featuring the video, presumably because it gave away that Burrow wasn’t healthy and should’ve been on the injury report. Uh-oh.

Beyond following league rules, there could be a lot of underhanded ethics at play here. The league does not mandate that teams properly disclose injuries purely for competitive reasons. (Though that plays a huge role.) It is also a de facto message to fans who might travel to games and spend time and money, as well as fantasy football managers and bettors (especially as the NFL envelops itself more around sports betting) on what to watch for.

The Bengals might have to brace themselves for a requisite punishment because this doesn’t look good.