CINCINNATI (WKRC) – The Bengals are 1-11 combined in the first two games of each of Zac Taylor’s six seasons as head coach, so the goal of this year’s training camp and preseason are finding ways to help avoid another slow start. Here are five questions facing them when camp opens on July 23:

5. How much will the starters play?

The Skinny: Taylor said he would play his starters in the preseason and said he may even play them in multiple games, but it’s unclear how much.

Quarterback Joe Burrow has said he wants to play in the preseason and perhaps that will help him get off to a fast start after he has gotten off to slow starts the last few seasons, although an appendectomy, a calf strain and returning from wrist surgery had something to do with that as well.

There is obviously a risk involved, but if playing the starters some in preseason helps get the team off to a fast start then it will be worth it.

4. Will Myles Murphy take a step in the right direction?

The Skinny: The defensive end was the team’s first round pick in 2023 and after a sub-par rookie season in which he recorded 3.0 quarterback in 305 defensive snaps, he didn’t record a single sack last season in 353 defensive snaps.

He’s going to get every chance to show he can play, and the Bengals may be depending on him even more if either Trey Hendrickson or Shemar Stewart don’t play when the season starts.

Perhaps getting more playing time will help, and perhaps playing in a different scheme under new defensive coordinator Al Golden and with different techniques taught by new defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery will help, too.

“I think it’s time, right? It’s time,” Golden said on the last day of mini-camp in June. “I think Jerry 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. If we can get it to quiet, let his athleticism takeover – 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. 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.”

3. Who will earn the starting guard spots?

The Skinny: Both starting guard spots are up for grabs and there are several players in the mix.

Rookie third-round pick Dylan Fairchild will likely open camp with the first team at left guard and Lucas Patrick with the first team at right guard. Cordell Volson was demoted last season, but will battle Fairchild and has 48 career starts at left guard.

Cody Ford is expected to get a shot to battle Patrick, but he has a valuable role as a jack-of-all-trades as he started five games at left tackle, two at left guard and one at right tackle last season.

Jaxson Kirkland is also in the mix. He played in two games last season, but suffered a torn biceps in the fifth game of the season against Baltimore and was placed on injured reserve.

2. How will the cornerbacks be deployed?

The Skinny: Depending on the timing of Dax Hill’s return following surgery on the knee he injured in the fifth game of last season the Bengals have four cornerbacks (Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner and Josh Newton are the others) for three spots, and it’s unclear who will play on the outside and who will play in the slot.

The answer could be the corners play both outside spots and also in the slot depending on receiver matchups. Some teams just line a cornerback on the right outside, left outside and then have a designated slot corner, but Golden sounded like he expects the corners to have versatility to play any of the spots.

“We’ll see where it goes,” said Golden. “I think those guys’ approach is like, ‘Give me more, let me do more things. Let me play corner. Let me play safety. Let me play nickel. Let me play dime.’ So they’re telling us by their actions that they can receive the information, digest it from multiple positions, and obviously, ultimately, that’s gonna make us better.”

1. Will contract situations get resolved?

The Skinny: There are three players dealing with contract issues – Hendrickson, Stewart and linebacker Demetrius Knight, the team’s second pick in this year’s draft.

If Hendrickson doesn’t get the extension he is seeking he has threatened to not play this season, but he is subject to fines if he doesn’t participate in training camp, so we’ll see if he sticks to his guns. Even if he misses camp he could line up for the opener in Cleveland and be just fine.

Stewart did not participate in spring practices as his camp has disputed language in his contract that could void future guaranteed money, and if he misses time in training camp that will be a lot of valuable time lost for a player long on traits who is still very raw. It’s also possible his camp digs in and sits out the entire season. If he does that he could enter the draft next year and the Bengals wouldn’t be allowed to select him.

Knight is one of 19 second-round picks who hadn’t signed as of Friday as they are all seeking more guaranteed money in their contracts.

Knight did participate in spring practices and moved into a first team role alongside Logan Wilson, but training camp is far more intense and any time that Knight misses isn’t good.