The Cincinnati Bengals just wrapped up their second week of training camp, and there’s plenty to work on for the orange and black following a 34-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason opener. The defense was lackluster, and communication errors are wreaking havoc for a group that must improve. While this is disheartening, Al Golden’s crew does have time on its side as they look forward to welcoming back All-Pro EDGE Trey Hendrickson into the starting lineup. The offense has been fantastic, and the sky is the limit for Joe Burrow and his cast of characters as they look to be even better in 2025. With the Washington Commanders up next, let’s examine the latest news and notes from training camp in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Bengals Beat: Week 2 Training Camp News and Notes
Chase Brown Wows
Third-year running back Chase Brown seems poised to be the next potent weapon for Burrow and a matchup nightmare for defensive coordinators across the league. The signs were there late last season, and Brown looks stronger, quicker, and more agile, especially in the passing game, where he’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball.
Chase Brown looks noticeably bigger to me.
Had this nasty stiff arm on a 9-yard catch and run last night. pic.twitter.com/wiZJKtV3S9
— Jared Smola (@SmolaDS) August 8, 2025
Brown has cemented himself as RB1 on this team, and if rookie Tahj Brooks can add valuable snaps, this duo might propel this offense even higher.
First-Team Dreams
Shemar Stewart is on a tear and flashed well against the Eagles. He’s climbing the depth chart at warp speed and recently took reps with the first-team defense. Head coach Zac Taylor has been very impressed, and when asked about the promotion for Stewart, he noted, “I think that will happen over time. It’s happened situationally with some of our rush packages, but I think this is the week we can really start being flexible on moving guys around and taking a look at different pairings.”
Versatility is the name of the game, and this will provide a better gauge of where the rookie stands in playing against better competition as he looks to take his game to the next level.
Kris Jenkins Jumps
Sophomore Kris Jenkins has been quietly impressive throughout camp and put together a solid performance against the Eagles, where he played 14 total snaps, showing plus closing speed.
Kris Jenkins Jr. played 14 total snaps on Defense…he was impactful on 7 of them
pic.twitter.com/6fl8mjNN8K
— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) August 9, 2025
Jenkins is healthy and seems to be moving extremely well as he looks to provide depth against the run. He needs to push the pocket more consistently as a pass rusher, and this is the next step in his evolution as a player at this level.
If Brown, Stewart, and Jenkins can remain on this upward trajectory, they can help Cincinnati get back to the top of the AFC North, which is step one of hopefully much more.
Main Photo: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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