When it comes to Cincinnati Bengals rookies, the focus remains on the holdout and contract drama around first-round pick Shemar Stewart.
Quietly in the background, though, is second-round pick Demetrius Knight Jr. fighting for a starting gig next to Logan Wilson.
Knight, who has made a point to learn from Joe Burrow as he goes, continues to make a push alongside new arrival Oren Burks, the veteran the Bengals signed in free agency.
“Those guys are still competing for that. I do think he has worked really hard. As I come in the building, he’s one of the first guys in the locker room every single day,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Very mature. He’s ready to go, ready to compete.”
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Knight isn’t promised anything, but he’s an older rookie who has the same amount of experience in Al Golden’s system as Burks, so who knows?
The Bengals were on the hunt to replace Germaine Pratt and Akeem Davis-Gaither, so some tandem of Knight and Burks, plus fourth-rounder Barrett Carter, figure to do it.
Nobody should be surprised, though, if it’s Knight who runs away with the job, based on what he’s shown already and how everyone has talked about him.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Behind Shemar Stewart drama, Bengals’ 2nd-rounder makes starting push
Reporting by Chris Roling, Bengals Wire / Bengals Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
