The Cincinnati Bengals are looking to avoid a slow start this 2025 NFL season after missing the playoffs the last two years. One way head coach Zac Taylor wants to combat coming out sluggish out of the gate is the preseason.
Rather than get the usual work in the preseason games, Taylor and the Bengals coaching staff intend to play star quarterback Joe Burrow more in the preseason in hopes that he has more than enough reps that allow him to hit the ground running, per Ben Baby of ESPN.com. Moreover, Taylor said Burrow is set to practice without restrictions.
Cincinnati are attempting a new approach, and ESPN NFL analyst Booger McFarland backs Taylor and Co. for trying something new to ensure that the Bengals can get off to a good start and don’t need to play catch-up throughout the season.
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“I think if you’re Zac Taylor and you’re trying to figure out a way, how can I get my team to start faster? You’ve got to get your team up to speed,” McFarland said on Wednesday’s edition of “NFL Live.” “They typically start hitting their stride after Week 8. Well, guess what? How can you do that sooner? You’ve got to get them more reps, more live action, and practice just isn’t going to get it.
“So when he’s out there in the preseason, put the first-team offensive line in, you max protect him, you make sure he’s protected. But you’ve got to get your guy some reps. That way, you can get off to a faster start. Because this offense, unless they can figure out a way to get Shemar Stewart and Trey Hendrickson in there and get them up to speed really quickly, this offense may have to carry the team early on.”
“The only way we get better, is by honing our craft out there on the field.” @ESPNBooger speaks on the importance of Joe Burrow getting more reps in practice for team success ✍️ pic.twitter.com/MLzzfawRGd
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 23, 2025
With so many question marks on defense due to the contract situations for Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart, who might not be playing in Week 1, the Bengals offense must be clicking from the start as they might have to win games early in the season by outscoring their opponents.