August 18, 2025 • 18 mins
Austin talks Bengals with Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic on ESPN 1530!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Eastco Subs since e three to sixty of About Cincinnati
(00:03):
from Cincinnatis, sponsored in part by Pennstation eastc Subs. Handcrafted
hot grilled subs, fresh cut fries and lemonade. It's all
about good taste. Pennstation East Co Subs order online today.
This is ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
That's right, just six hours away from Monday night football
between the Bengals and the Washington Commanders. You'll hear it
right here on ESPN fifteen thirty. Welcome in our number
three of Cincy three to sixty. I'm Austin Olmore riding
solo today, Tony Pike and Ken Brew coming up this
afternoon three to six thirty ahead of the Bengals and Commanders.
(00:43):
Let's talk about the Bengals and Commanders, and let's do
so with our next guest, Paul Dayner Junior. He covers
the Bengals for the Athletic Inside It Out. He's got
the Growler podcast network, the guys all over the place,
and he just told me during the break that since
he three to sixty is one of his favorite shows.
So I'm gonna leak it to the press that Moe
Egger is listening to trade offers to potentially trade Paul
(01:06):
Danner Junior to since he three to sixty. We'll see
how it goes. Hi, Paul, how are you?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
There's just as good a chance of Trey Hendrickson getting
traded as me getting traded your show. That's nothing against
your show. That is nothing against your show. I am
a big fan, there is no I'm just happy to
be here.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, I love the show. Well, thank you. We're happy
you're here, at least I am, because I'm the only
one here. But why is this coming to light now?
I saw you post over the weekend. Nothing has changed.
Why is this a story all of a sudden.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Well, hadn't it been a little quiet? I mean we
it had been a couple of weeks of there's trade.
I was even forgetting to take pictures of him in
his hat, right, like he's helping the young guys. He's
trying to not be a distraction. You know, there's one
thing we knew about this situation. It can't just be
(02:02):
quiet for a little while, right, It needs to be
ruffled up. There needs to be a reminder that there
will be distractions, right, and to continue to apply pressure
and I think that's where this comes from. Yes, the
timing is pretty notable, considering they're gonna be on Monday
night Football tonight and a talking point all day on Monday,
(02:23):
and this gets dropped out there that the Bengals are
listening to trade offers.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah, they their phones work, okay, Like.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
They pick up the phone there and they are under
the same impression as everyone. There's no way anybody's gonna
take the deal that they need for them to trade
Trey Henderson. That's the why the owner said it before
at Mock Turtle Soup that look, we're not trying to
trade Trey Henderson. And I think it's just this is
the gamesmanship of this, this is the way this thing
(02:54):
has gone since January. It's there's always gonna be a
news cycle, there's always going to be the drama. There's
always gonna be some sort of reminder that this is
going to be a distraction. And I just think this
is sort of the latest turn of that.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I've seen some people say that if you're going to
ask for a first round pick or a defensive player
and this whole package in exchange for Trey Henderson, then
wouldn't you think he's worthy of guaranteeing money beyond the
first year. What would be your response to that logic.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yes, it's wildly hypocritical. There's no doubt it makes no sense.
I'm not saying that they're making sense with this, right.
I mean, I feel like I don't want to beat
the dead horse, but like, this is a trade that
should have been done in March like this. We know
this at this point, but the bottom line, this is
(03:46):
where they are and they're trying to find a way
to squeeze out the best deal from Trey Hendrickson with
an acknowledgment that in a couple of weeks or whenever
it is, they're probably gonna find whatever that middle ground
is and get this done. I felt that way, you know,
since we sat there with Mike and Duke and everybody
(04:07):
at the media luncheon, it's felt like it was gonna
inevitably get done.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Let's say it doesn't from what you've seen from training
camp to this point. Can the Bengals make the playoffs
without Trey Hendrickson?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yes, I mean think about think about where they were
last year.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Okay, I mean.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
It's even with without Trey Hendrickson.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
It's hard to be that bad defensively. I mean, it's true,
it really is.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
And I'm not saying that they're gonna be good. They
could just be more of the same. But there's a
lot of reason to believe that they would have or
could ever should have made the playoffs last year, and
for them to make a real run or be a
real team, they're gonna need their closer. They're gonna need
Trey Hendrickson to be the team that they need to
(04:58):
be this year. I don't debate that, but if you're
asking me, make the playoffs be in the mix, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I mean their offense alone puts them in that conversation,
even if the defense is as bad as it was
last year.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Now, you wrote this morning about Shamar Stewart and the
complete one eighty that he's done since he's reported the
training camp. How has that happened? How is a guy
like Shamar Stewart and as in not necessarily in the
good graces of the fan base and maybe even some
people in the organization. How's he done a complete one
eighty to now being a potential starter Week one against Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Well, it stops by It starts by stopping listening to
the advice of the event, and then it moves on
to being what they needed him so badly to be
a disruptive force. I mean, it's always going to be that.
For all the stuff that we talked about, and and
(05:58):
the slings narrows in front of his locker, and the
walking out on many camp and all of that stuff,
none of it was ever gonna me and a hille Beans.
It was always gonna be about this about can you play?
Can you make plays? Can you take coaching? Can you
listen to coaching? Can you then apply it and show
(06:22):
that you're more than just an absolute specimen of an athlete?
And so far that's been the case.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
More so than the fact that.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
He's made plays, I have been taken aback by the
things he said, the way Jerry Montgomery has talked about
him learning and picking up what he's teaching him, willing
this to be coached hard and try to learn from that,
talk about focusing on getting better every day and not
making I mean I kind of tried to set a
little I'm not set a trap, but I was curious
(06:52):
what he was gonna say. That sounds wrong, but me, like,
I was curious what he's gonna say. And I asked
him if he wanted to be the starter. It's a
perfect chance. And I've seen many first round picks come
in and be like, I better be the starter. I
am a starter. I'm the man right like. It's a
rookie thing. You wanted to know, and he had.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
I don't. If I'm starting by what I am right now,
then that's not gonna be good for me. I need
to get better. I want to be better. That's what
he has to say when you ask that question. This
is saying and doing all the right things. It's apologizing
to Joe Burrow. When that thing went down the other day,
it wasn't that it happened. It was an accident that
he hits Joe Burrow. Could he have been better? Sure,
but he goes up, he apologizes. Afterwards, he takes a
(07:32):
time out not to talk that day. He gathers his
thoughts and says the right things the next time that
he's available. I just think since he has shown up
and started being a football player and not a businessman
or whatever was happening there, he has been a hundred
He has hit one hundred percent in terms of doing
things and saying the right things, and that has stood
(07:56):
out to me, and you just hope that that will
continue when he plays in the game.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
So you talk to about how bad the defense was
last year, Are we maybe overlooking the impact that Jerry
Montgomery can have on this defense?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Yeah, you know, I think so. I think there's a
limit to what a defensive line coach can do. I'm
not diminishing the role, but it's not gonna be as
important as anything near what Al Golden has to do.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
But hiring the right guys, the nature of the guys
that they have in that room.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
That I think this is probably as maximum of an
impact as Jerry Montgomery could have on any team in
the NFL, because you've got a bunch of very young, underachieving,
talented defensive linemen well Chris Jenkins and Miles Murphy and
obviously Chamar and McKinley Jackson. And when you have that,
(08:50):
and if you bring in somebody who has a track
record of turning those types of players into better players
that's happened at each of his stops, then I think
that you can see it having a real impact. Inevitably,
everything else is going to have to work together pretty well.
But I think there's a chance that we could be
(09:10):
talking more about him as we get into later portions
of the season.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Let's flip to the offensive line. What do we know
about the injuries to Cody Ford and Cordell Vohlson and
what exactly could the plan be moving forward due to
that lack of depth at the guard spot.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Yeah, I mean it's a work in progress. That's That's
the line that Zach Taylor used the other day, and
I think it's right. I think that their view is
sure they have depth issues that are hoping that the
next two games will make people feel more confident about
those depth issues, whether it's Jalen Rivers or some other
(09:52):
young player. I mean, they're going to see a lot
of snaps from others over the next two games, and
you're gonna hope to come out of that feeling a
little bit better. And the same thing can be said
by about twenty five other teams across the league. Like,
nobody likes their offensive line right now. That's just the
bottom line of it. The other part is, I think internally,
(10:13):
I'm not gonna sit here and say that they're waving
the flag that Lucas Patrick is the answer I'm not.
We've all we know what we're looking at right now.
But I do think that there's a feeling that it's
being a little blown out of proportion the narrative around
Lucas Patrick at this point, and that there's more hope
(10:34):
for him than I think than people are giving him
credit for. And so we'll see if that plays out.
I mean, it doesn't really matter what they say, or
I say, or you say, or anybody on the internet yells,
it's gonna be He's gonna be the one that's gonna
be out there, like he's gonna be out there in Cleveland,
and at some point they're gonna he's gonna line up
(10:54):
across from Mason Graham, or they're gonna move Miles Garrett
over his face, or whatever's gonna happen, and that's going
to be the judgment time. But I think they feel
like that it can be okay there and behind it
is gonna be a lot of that is going to
be determined by what happens over the next couple of days.
They're looking, but everyone's looking. It's really hard to acquire
(11:17):
offensive linemen this time of year because everybody feels not
great about those groups talking to.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Paul Dayner Junior at Paul Dayner Junior, The Athletic and
The Growler Podcast, as well as far as tonight is concerned,
what is at the top of your list? What are
you most interested in seeing in tonight's game?
Speaker 3 (11:37):
You know, you would love to see the first string
defense look better, regain a little bit of the momentum
that they felt like they had entering that first game.
I'm sure if it was Zach Taylor, he would continue
to bring up the operational stuff, whether it's the penalties,
(11:58):
getting the right amount of defensive lineman down on in
front of the offensive, whatever that is. I'm sure he
would say it to me, look like you belong it,
look like you're not lost.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
How about not?
Speaker 3 (12:12):
How about not on the third play of the game
a hole that a semi truck could go through for
thirty eight yards? Like, I just think that's inevitably. You
want to find a regaining of some of the hope
that you felt like you were seeing through all those
practices leading in to the first game, and get some
confidence for those guys because certainly they're gonna need it.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Dax Hill Camp Taylor Britt both expected to play tonight.
What is the plan for them? And I guess what
is the plan for those who may have missed it
over the weekend. What exactly is the plan for the
first team units of the offense and defense to night.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Yeah, looks like it's gonna be very similar to what
it was against Philadelphia about one quarter, which is scaled
back from I think the original plan. Yeah, it was
suggested that it would be maybe up to a half
even in this Washington game, but I what they saw
specifically offensively, is gonna scale that back. Cam. You know,
Cam and DACKX are gonna play. They're gonna be out
(13:08):
there with the first group. It's gonna be important. You
don't like Dax Hill's first time to be out there
playing and cutting and having to truly test that in
the game, to be in Cleveland and you're gonna they're
gonna need him. He's gonna he's the slot corner for
right now and he's gonna be the guy. And Cam
Taylor Britt, they like the way that he has sort
of recentered himself this year after you know, that insane,
(13:31):
nauseust roller coaster of last year, and feel like he's
got a little bit more consistency to him. Yeah, uh so,
I think there's I think they they would like to
see those guys bring some stability and there's a real
chance that they can. Mean you gotta, you know, not
to go onto a Dax and Cam tangent, but it's
just so important that your corners and your slots can
(13:56):
really tackle and be physical anymore like the way run
game has been accentuated over the last year or two,
it's just extra important Cam and Daks are to do that.
I mean, Dax is built to do that, and Cam
certainly you know how physical he plays and how tough
he is out there.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
They're built to do that if.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
They can play at a solid level and coverage and
pick it up, and I mean they bring you something
that you that every team is desiring physically in those
positions right now. It's they just need to go out
there and do it. So it's gonna be really fun
to watch them and see where they're at tonight. I'm
gonna put you on the spot here and I apologize
(14:37):
for that. But just a couple of minutes ago, Jordan
Schultz reported that the Bengals will be hosting Dalton Reisner
on a free agent visit tomorrow. What's your immediate reaction
to that? Desperate times? Yeah, I mean I think that
they're looking for anybody, you know, when you're when you're
(15:01):
looking at I don't would they would have been knocking
on that door a lot earlier if they felt like
he was a real answer. That is certainly something that
feels like a reaction to whether it's Cordel's injury or
whatever else is happening there at the fourth guard spot.
I don't think they view him as a starter at
(15:23):
starting level player in the NFL, but I mean they
need all the help that they can get, specifically in
the depth area right now, and maybe he can come
in and make something happen.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
So I know that you're not traveling into to the
game this evening and watching the Bengals on the road.
So take me into the Paul Danner world. What's it
like when you watch a game at home? Are you
like post it up in the office. Do you have
like your computer and a bunch of notes written down,
or are you like everybody else? You got some wings,
you got some food, you got grease all over your shirt?
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Like?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
What is it like when Paul Dayner watches a game
from home.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Try not to be grease all over my shirt. Guy,
it has happened. Uh, it's very weird. I don't really
it's it rarely happens. It's only really these couple of
preseason games that it ever happens. So I I don't
really know. I get very uncomfortable. I don't really like
quite know what to do with myself. But i just sit.
(16:21):
I just sit in the office chair and I've got
I'm a three screener. Screens you do at the home office.
I'm a three screen guy, So I have I just
put one of the screens up with the game, and
then I usually have one on whatever I'm writing, uh,
and then one usually with some form of social media
that's making me sad probably up there at that point,
(16:42):
and then and just kind of hang out. That's that's
that's kind of that's kind of the setup. But it's
less less greasy than the picture you were painting.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
How about that? Well, I didn't know. I mean, I
know you're an guy, and sometimes you guys can get
a little sloppy, so I just wasn't sure what was
going on. Well, thank you so much for your time.
Where can people follow along with all your coverage of
the game tonight and going into the season.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Yeah, Paul Dayer Junior on X and of course you
can always go to the Growler podcast on my our
YouTube page or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Who runs your TikTok account for the Growler? Uh, you
know what that person deserves? Yeah, that person deserves a raise.
Mark deserves a ras.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Mark.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
I agree, I absolutely agree. Mark definitely deserves a rasee.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
He's uh, he knows what he's doing over there.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
The TikTok account. Man. That just that cracks me up.
There's some great stuff on all right, Paul, Thanks Pal,
see you later. Appreciate it. That is a Paul da
Ener Junior from the Athletic. Yeah. The big news happening
during that conversation. The Bengals are hosting veteran guard Dalton
Reisner on a free agent visit tomorrow. More on that
and Trey hendrickson next phone lines open five one, three, seven, four, nine,
(17:57):
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audio or a U t y E L M O
R E our three as SINSI three sixty brought to
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Speaker 3 (18:08):
Loegar reality is they're probably not good enough.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
He dissects the local sports scenes. They're not consistent enough.
The Way Up fourth grader dissects abroad not reliable. Moeger
Today at three on ESPN fifteen thirty
Eastco Subs since e three to sixty of About Cincinnati
(00:03):
from Cincinnatis, sponsored in part by Pennstation eastc Subs. Handcrafted
hot grilled subs, fresh cut fries and lemonade. It's all
about good taste. Pennstation East Co Subs order online today.
This is ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
That's right, just six hours away from Monday night football
between the Bengals and the Washington Commanders. You'll hear it
right here on ESPN fifteen thirty. Welcome in our number
three of Cincy three to sixty. I'm Austin Olmore riding
solo today, Tony Pike and Ken Brew coming up this
afternoon three to six thirty ahead of the Bengals and Commanders.
(00:43):
Let's talk about the Bengals and Commanders, and let's do
so with our next guest, Paul Dayner Junior. He covers
the Bengals for the Athletic Inside It Out. He's got
the Growler podcast network, the guys all over the place,
and he just told me during the break that since
he three to sixty is one of his favorite shows.
So I'm gonna leak it to the press that Moe
Egger is listening to trade offers to potentially trade Paul
(01:06):
Danner Junior to since he three to sixty. We'll see
how it goes. Hi, Paul, how are you?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
There's just as good a chance of Trey Hendrickson getting
traded as me getting traded your show. That's nothing against
your show. That is nothing against your show. I am
a big fan, there is no I'm just happy to
be here.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, I love the show. Well, thank you. We're happy
you're here, at least I am, because I'm the only
one here. But why is this coming to light now?
I saw you post over the weekend. Nothing has changed.
Why is this a story all of a sudden.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Well, hadn't it been a little quiet? I mean we
it had been a couple of weeks of there's trade.
I was even forgetting to take pictures of him in
his hat, right, like he's helping the young guys. He's
trying to not be a distraction. You know, there's one
thing we knew about this situation. It can't just be
(02:02):
quiet for a little while, right, It needs to be
ruffled up. There needs to be a reminder that there
will be distractions, right, and to continue to apply pressure
and I think that's where this comes from. Yes, the
timing is pretty notable, considering they're gonna be on Monday
night Football tonight and a talking point all day on Monday,
(02:23):
and this gets dropped out there that the Bengals are
listening to trade offers.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah, they their phones work, okay, Like.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
They pick up the phone there and they are under
the same impression as everyone. There's no way anybody's gonna
take the deal that they need for them to trade
Trey Henderson. That's the why the owner said it before
at Mock Turtle Soup that look, we're not trying to
trade Trey Henderson. And I think it's just this is
the gamesmanship of this, this is the way this thing
(02:54):
has gone since January. It's there's always gonna be a
news cycle, there's always going to be the drama. There's
always gonna be some sort of reminder that this is
going to be a distraction. And I just think this
is sort of the latest turn of that.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I've seen some people say that if you're going to
ask for a first round pick or a defensive player
and this whole package in exchange for Trey Henderson, then
wouldn't you think he's worthy of guaranteeing money beyond the
first year. What would be your response to that logic.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yes, it's wildly hypocritical. There's no doubt it makes no sense.
I'm not saying that they're making sense with this, right.
I mean, I feel like I don't want to beat
the dead horse, but like, this is a trade that
should have been done in March like this. We know
this at this point, but the bottom line, this is
(03:46):
where they are and they're trying to find a way
to squeeze out the best deal from Trey Hendrickson with
an acknowledgment that in a couple of weeks or whenever
it is, they're probably gonna find whatever that middle ground
is and get this done. I felt that way, you know,
since we sat there with Mike and Duke and everybody
(04:07):
at the media luncheon, it's felt like it was gonna
inevitably get done.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Let's say it doesn't from what you've seen from training
camp to this point. Can the Bengals make the playoffs
without Trey Hendrickson?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yes, I mean think about think about where they were
last year.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Okay, I mean.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
It's even with without Trey Hendrickson.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
It's hard to be that bad defensively. I mean, it's true,
it really is.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
And I'm not saying that they're gonna be good. They
could just be more of the same. But there's a
lot of reason to believe that they would have or
could ever should have made the playoffs last year, and
for them to make a real run or be a
real team, they're gonna need their closer. They're gonna need
Trey Hendrickson to be the team that they need to
(04:58):
be this year. I don't debate that, but if you're
asking me, make the playoffs be in the mix, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I mean their offense alone puts them in that conversation,
even if the defense is as bad as it was
last year.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Now, you wrote this morning about Shamar Stewart and the
complete one eighty that he's done since he's reported the
training camp. How has that happened? How is a guy
like Shamar Stewart and as in not necessarily in the
good graces of the fan base and maybe even some
people in the organization. How's he done a complete one
eighty to now being a potential starter Week one against Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Well, it stops by It starts by stopping listening to
the advice of the event, and then it moves on
to being what they needed him so badly to be
a disruptive force. I mean, it's always going to be that.
For all the stuff that we talked about, and and
(05:58):
the slings narrows in front of his locker, and the
walking out on many camp and all of that stuff,
none of it was ever gonna me and a hille Beans.
It was always gonna be about this about can you play?
Can you make plays? Can you take coaching? Can you
listen to coaching? Can you then apply it and show
(06:22):
that you're more than just an absolute specimen of an athlete?
And so far that's been the case.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
More so than the fact that.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
He's made plays, I have been taken aback by the
things he said, the way Jerry Montgomery has talked about
him learning and picking up what he's teaching him, willing
this to be coached hard and try to learn from that,
talk about focusing on getting better every day and not
making I mean I kind of tried to set a
little I'm not set a trap, but I was curious
(06:52):
what he was gonna say. That sounds wrong, but me, like,
I was curious what he's gonna say. And I asked
him if he wanted to be the starter. It's a
perfect chance. And I've seen many first round picks come
in and be like, I better be the starter. I
am a starter. I'm the man right like. It's a
rookie thing. You wanted to know, and he had.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
I don't. If I'm starting by what I am right now,
then that's not gonna be good for me. I need
to get better. I want to be better. That's what
he has to say when you ask that question. This
is saying and doing all the right things. It's apologizing
to Joe Burrow. When that thing went down the other day,
it wasn't that it happened. It was an accident that
he hits Joe Burrow. Could he have been better? Sure,
but he goes up, he apologizes. Afterwards, he takes a
(07:32):
time out not to talk that day. He gathers his
thoughts and says the right things the next time that
he's available. I just think since he has shown up
and started being a football player and not a businessman
or whatever was happening there, he has been a hundred
He has hit one hundred percent in terms of doing
things and saying the right things, and that has stood
(07:56):
out to me, and you just hope that that will
continue when he plays in the game.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
So you talk to about how bad the defense was
last year, Are we maybe overlooking the impact that Jerry
Montgomery can have on this defense?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Yeah, you know, I think so. I think there's a
limit to what a defensive line coach can do. I'm
not diminishing the role, but it's not gonna be as
important as anything near what Al Golden has to do.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
But hiring the right guys, the nature of the guys
that they have in that room.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
That I think this is probably as maximum of an
impact as Jerry Montgomery could have on any team in
the NFL, because you've got a bunch of very young, underachieving,
talented defensive linemen well Chris Jenkins and Miles Murphy and
obviously Chamar and McKinley Jackson. And when you have that,
(08:50):
and if you bring in somebody who has a track
record of turning those types of players into better players
that's happened at each of his stops, then I think
that you can see it having a real impact. Inevitably,
everything else is going to have to work together pretty well.
But I think there's a chance that we could be
(09:10):
talking more about him as we get into later portions
of the season.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Let's flip to the offensive line. What do we know
about the injuries to Cody Ford and Cordell Vohlson and
what exactly could the plan be moving forward due to
that lack of depth at the guard spot.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Yeah, I mean it's a work in progress. That's That's
the line that Zach Taylor used the other day, and
I think it's right. I think that their view is
sure they have depth issues that are hoping that the
next two games will make people feel more confident about
those depth issues, whether it's Jalen Rivers or some other
(09:52):
young player. I mean, they're going to see a lot
of snaps from others over the next two games, and
you're gonna hope to come out of that feeling a
little bit better. And the same thing can be said
by about twenty five other teams across the league. Like,
nobody likes their offensive line right now. That's just the
bottom line of it. The other part is, I think internally,
(10:13):
I'm not gonna sit here and say that they're waving
the flag that Lucas Patrick is the answer I'm not.
We've all we know what we're looking at right now.
But I do think that there's a feeling that it's
being a little blown out of proportion the narrative around
Lucas Patrick at this point, and that there's more hope
(10:34):
for him than I think than people are giving him
credit for. And so we'll see if that plays out.
I mean, it doesn't really matter what they say, or
I say, or you say, or anybody on the internet yells,
it's gonna be He's gonna be the one that's gonna
be out there, like he's gonna be out there in Cleveland,
and at some point they're gonna he's gonna line up
(10:54):
across from Mason Graham, or they're gonna move Miles Garrett
over his face, or whatever's gonna happen, and that's going
to be the judgment time. But I think they feel
like that it can be okay there and behind it
is gonna be a lot of that is going to
be determined by what happens over the next couple of days.
They're looking, but everyone's looking. It's really hard to acquire
(11:17):
offensive linemen this time of year because everybody feels not
great about those groups talking to.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Paul Dayner Junior at Paul Dayner Junior, The Athletic and
The Growler Podcast, as well as far as tonight is concerned,
what is at the top of your list? What are
you most interested in seeing in tonight's game?
Speaker 3 (11:37):
You know, you would love to see the first string
defense look better, regain a little bit of the momentum
that they felt like they had entering that first game.
I'm sure if it was Zach Taylor, he would continue
to bring up the operational stuff, whether it's the penalties,
(11:58):
getting the right amount of defensive lineman down on in
front of the offensive, whatever that is. I'm sure he
would say it to me, look like you belong it,
look like you're not lost.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
How about not?
Speaker 3 (12:12):
How about not on the third play of the game
a hole that a semi truck could go through for
thirty eight yards? Like, I just think that's inevitably. You
want to find a regaining of some of the hope
that you felt like you were seeing through all those
practices leading in to the first game, and get some
confidence for those guys because certainly they're gonna need it.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Dax Hill Camp Taylor Britt both expected to play tonight.
What is the plan for them? And I guess what
is the plan for those who may have missed it
over the weekend. What exactly is the plan for the
first team units of the offense and defense to night.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Yeah, looks like it's gonna be very similar to what
it was against Philadelphia about one quarter, which is scaled
back from I think the original plan. Yeah, it was
suggested that it would be maybe up to a half
even in this Washington game, but I what they saw
specifically offensively, is gonna scale that back. Cam. You know,
Cam and DACKX are gonna play. They're gonna be out
(13:08):
there with the first group. It's gonna be important. You
don't like Dax Hill's first time to be out there
playing and cutting and having to truly test that in
the game, to be in Cleveland and you're gonna they're
gonna need him. He's gonna he's the slot corner for
right now and he's gonna be the guy. And Cam
Taylor Britt, they like the way that he has sort
of recentered himself this year after you know, that insane,
(13:31):
nauseust roller coaster of last year, and feel like he's
got a little bit more consistency to him. Yeah, uh so,
I think there's I think they they would like to
see those guys bring some stability and there's a real
chance that they can. Mean you gotta, you know, not
to go onto a Dax and Cam tangent, but it's
just so important that your corners and your slots can
(13:56):
really tackle and be physical anymore like the way run
game has been accentuated over the last year or two,
it's just extra important Cam and Daks are to do that.
I mean, Dax is built to do that, and Cam
certainly you know how physical he plays and how tough
he is out there.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
They're built to do that if.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
They can play at a solid level and coverage and
pick it up, and I mean they bring you something
that you that every team is desiring physically in those
positions right now. It's they just need to go out
there and do it. So it's gonna be really fun
to watch them and see where they're at tonight. I'm
gonna put you on the spot here and I apologize
(14:37):
for that. But just a couple of minutes ago, Jordan
Schultz reported that the Bengals will be hosting Dalton Reisner
on a free agent visit tomorrow. What's your immediate reaction
to that? Desperate times? Yeah, I mean I think that
they're looking for anybody, you know, when you're when you're
(15:01):
looking at I don't would they would have been knocking
on that door a lot earlier if they felt like
he was a real answer. That is certainly something that
feels like a reaction to whether it's Cordel's injury or
whatever else is happening there at the fourth guard spot.
I don't think they view him as a starter at
(15:23):
starting level player in the NFL, but I mean they
need all the help that they can get, specifically in
the depth area right now, and maybe he can come
in and make something happen.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
So I know that you're not traveling into to the
game this evening and watching the Bengals on the road.
So take me into the Paul Danner world. What's it
like when you watch a game at home? Are you
like post it up in the office. Do you have
like your computer and a bunch of notes written down,
or are you like everybody else? You got some wings,
you got some food, you got grease all over your shirt?
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Like?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
What is it like when Paul Dayner watches a game
from home.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Try not to be grease all over my shirt. Guy,
it has happened. Uh, it's very weird. I don't really
it's it rarely happens. It's only really these couple of
preseason games that it ever happens. So I I don't
really know. I get very uncomfortable. I don't really like
quite know what to do with myself. But i just sit.
(16:21):
I just sit in the office chair and I've got
I'm a three screener. Screens you do at the home office.
I'm a three screen guy, So I have I just
put one of the screens up with the game, and
then I usually have one on whatever I'm writing, uh,
and then one usually with some form of social media
that's making me sad probably up there at that point,
(16:42):
and then and just kind of hang out. That's that's
that's kind of that's kind of the setup. But it's
less less greasy than the picture you were painting.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
How about that? Well, I didn't know. I mean, I
know you're an guy, and sometimes you guys can get
a little sloppy, so I just wasn't sure what was
going on. Well, thank you so much for your time.
Where can people follow along with all your coverage of
the game tonight and going into the season.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Yeah, Paul Dayer Junior on X and of course you
can always go to the Growler podcast on my our
YouTube page or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Who runs your TikTok account for the Growler? Uh, you
know what that person deserves? Yeah, that person deserves a raise.
Mark deserves a ras.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Mark.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
I agree, I absolutely agree. Mark definitely deserves a rasee.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
He's uh, he knows what he's doing over there.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
The TikTok account. Man. That just that cracks me up.
There's some great stuff on all right, Paul, Thanks Pal,
see you later. Appreciate it. That is a Paul da
Ener Junior from the Athletic. Yeah. The big news happening
during that conversation. The Bengals are hosting veteran guard Dalton
Reisner on a free agent visit tomorrow. More on that
and Trey hendrickson next phone lines open five one, three, seven, four, nine,
(17:57):
fifteen thirty. You can tweet at me as well at
audio or a U t y E L M O
R E our three as SINSI three sixty brought to
you by Penn Station on the home of the Bengals,
ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Loegar reality is they're probably not good enough.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
He dissects the local sports scenes. They're not consistent enough.
The Way Up fourth grader dissects abroad not reliable. Moeger
Today at three on ESPN fifteen thirty
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