CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden came away from the team’s three-day minicamp optimistic about the progress his unit made even if it was missing three potential defensive line starters.
“The guys have exceeded expectations in terms of preparation and the staff has done a great job delivering the message. Goal line and end of game stuff is all that’s left for training camp, so that’s a pretty remarkable job by everybody. I love the attitude of the players to attack that the way they did.”
Three players were unable to attack that however as defensive tackle B.J. Hill sat out due to a foot injury, defensive end Trey Hendrickson held out due to a contract squabble and rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart held in until Thursday’s final practice of the spring when he decided to leave over his contract issue.
Golden was asked if Stewart not participating in any spring practices will hinder his development.
“That’s not really our concern, our concern is teaching him and making sure he’s learning,” said Golden. “He’s engaged, he’s on time. He’s had a great attitude in the meetings. That’s all we can control right now. I think it’s a lesson for him in the NFL – control what you can control. From our standpoint he’s done a good job in terms of the learning. We are as excited as anybody to get him out there. I’ve been around long enough to know these things sometimes take time and are more complicated than they are on their face. We’re hopeful to get this resolved in the next 5-6 weeks and get him out there and looking forward to it. I love the young man. He’s had a great attitude. He learns really well. He’s attentive. He asks good questions. From that standpoint he’s doing everything we’re asking.”
As for Hendrickson missing, Golden said he wasn’t overly concerned.
“Trey brings a developed skill set already to the pass game,” said Golden. “In a lot of ways we have cultivate the defense around him, and we will. Trey’s intellect and his approach as a pro he’ll get caught up in those 47 days before the opener. I’m confident of that. Just looking forward to seeing him again and coaching him.”
He said not having the trio gave other players a chance to get more reps.
“It affects us in a positive way as ironic as that is, because you are already preparing for that injury when it exposes itself during the year,” said Golden. “You force guys into playing multiple positions, what we call horizontal depth – ends playing tackle, tackles playing end and some linebackers playing on the edge. From that standpoint we always see the good in it and the opportunity. I’m being serious on that. Some guys have really taken advantage of their reps and their opportunity and we’ll obviously be more formidable when those guys get back.”
He named numerous defensive linemen who stood out in offseason program practices and the minicamp.
“Man, Joseph Ossai’s had a great camp. Cam Sample, coming off the Achilles, has overachieved to this point only because I didn’t expect that type of athleticism to spring back as quickly, so that’s been great,” said Golden. “I think Kris Jenkins has really done a great job, he’s had an awesome attitude all camp, and I’m sure I’m leaving some guys out, but at the end of the day, Cedric Johnson is another one that’s really seized that opportunity, so from that standpoint, we’re all pros here. We’re all trying to get to the end game, and from that standpoint, we’re coaching the guys that are here. We miss the guys that aren’t here, but we have to move forward and in a lot of ways that’s kind of emblematic of what happens during the year, so guys are going to have to step up.”
One big omission Golden made was third-year end Myles Murphy, the team’s first-round pick in 2023 who produced little in his first two seasons, but worked with the first string line throughout the spring practices.
Golden asked if Murphy was ready to take a step forward in his development.
“Yeah, I think it’s time, right? It’s time,” said Golden. “I think (defensive line coach) Jerry (Montgomery) does an unbelievable job with those guys, technically. It should start to quiet down for him. Now, just in general, pass rush move, pass rush counter, run movement, run lockout, run disengagement, all those little things should quiet him down, and if we can get it to quiet, let his athleticism take over, again he’s got great range. He’s got elite speed for the edge, and he is big. He’s 6-6, 270 pounds, and he gives us some flexibility. So I’m really excited about him, but it is time. He knows that it’s time to go, and we’re really counting on him. We really are.”
Golden also praised veteran linebacker Logan Wilson and rookie second round pick Demetrius Knight.
“Just consistent energy,” Golden said of Knight. “I love his approach to the game. He makes everybody around him better. He’s a live wire. He just enjoys the game, and he’s got a grateful heart and that’s how I look at it. He’s really overcome a lot. Not everything has come easy for him, and from that standpoint, he’s grateful. He’s grateful for the opportunity. We’ve made him play a bunch of different spots. He’s long enough to play the edge, he’s obviously strong and sudden enough to blitz, so I couldn’t be happier with us acquiring him.”
Wilson missed the final six games of last season due to a knee injury, but was able to participate fully in the spring practices.
“I think he’s in a great spot,” said Golden. “He made a commitment, coming off the injury, that he was going to come back better than ever. He has, and he’s been great. I’m in the headset now with him, so from that standpoint, there’s a symbiosis there, in terms of him understanding what I’m looking for and him executing. I’m just excited with the work that he’s put in, and obviously I think he’s going to benefit greatly from that.”
“He’s been playing fast,” said Golden. “I see an energy about him right now that’s been really good, and the linebackers are feeding off that. So I’m excited about him, and I’m obviously grateful to be reunited with him.”
The cornerbacks have all been playing in different spots from both outside positions and in the slot.
“I think Fig (Josh Newton) is a guy that has benefited from this time not just at nickel but his ability to play multiple positions,” said Golden. “I think (cornerbacks coach) Chuck Burks and (safeties coach) Jordan (Kovacs) do an unbelievable job with those guys in terms of building the depth for the season. In our business, it’s like the tyranny of comfort, right? So, it’s comfortable to keep a guy at nickel or keep a guy at corner, and these guys are just the opposite, Jordan and Chuck. They make the guys play a bunch of different spots, so when that occurs during the season, it’s second-nature for the guys to play a different spot, so we’ve been moving guys around and they’re just a fun group to coach. Their football intelligence, their energy in the classroom and on the field, and I’m just really excited about them as a group.”
The projected starting safeties – Geno Stone and Jordan Battle – both struggled last season and were both graded 136th of 171 safeties in the NFL last season by ProFootballFocus.com. The top two backups are Daijahn Anthony, who played 11 defensive snaps last season as a rookie, and 2022 draft pick Tycen Anderson, who hasn’t played a single defensive snap in a regular season game.
Golden was asked if he would like to add a veteran free agent to that group.
“We have a great personnel department,” said Golden. “We relied on them heavily for the three picks that we had on defense. We hit on all of them, and I feel like they do it way better than we do it in terms of the marriage between needs and things that are open right now. Then also, looking at it from the standpoint of a cap. So if there’s opportunities to make our team better, I know they’re going to do that. They did that when I was here last time.”
It’s been a whirlwind five months since Golden was hired as defensive coordinator and he really never took a break after serving as defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, which reached the College Football Playoff championship game. He was reminded head coach Zac Taylor told him to take a few days off before starting his job with the Bengals, but he never really did.
“I wish I would have listened,” Golden said with a laugh. “Just grateful to be here. Love being a part of the Bengals organization. Love coming to work every day. The coaching staff that we have is awesome. They exceed expectations every day. It’s been hard. It’s been really hard. You have to assess your current roster, then transition to the draft and get into the field. It hasn’t been many off days for us. We were joking this morning. I went from the longest season in the history of college football straight to work. I am ready for a break and I’m not afraid to say I’m going to take it.”