Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has mixed up plenty this offseason in the hopes of avoiding another of the now-notorious slow starts to a season.
There were slight tweaks to even the OTAs procedure and how they practice during minicamp. There was one notable interaction that had a rookie reminded of a college coach.
And there’s that big change to the timing of training camp practices and starters playing at least one preseason game.
Joe Burrow? He’s bought in on the changes and players responding to them when it matters.
RELATED: Bengals, Shemar Stewart nuclear option includes 2026 NFL draft route
“We’ve got to go out and play better early in the season, and that’s on us,” Burrow said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “We’ll take ownership of that. You know, I think we’re going to have a plan coming into training camp that’ll help with that and get us a little more ready. But at the end of the day, it’s on us come week one.”
Bengals fans have heard similar things in recent years, of course. But the actual notable changes from Taylor, plus changes to the coaching staff, give more weight to the words this time.
This year, the Bengals especially need it to be true, too, as a slow start against Cleveland and Jacksonville would be worryingly similar to that brutal loss to a bad New England team last season.
RELATED: Bengals standouts after mandatory minicamp includes surprises
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Joe Burrow buying Bengals’ big changes to avoid slow start
Reporting by Chris Roling, Bengals Wire / Bengals Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
