August 21, 2024 • 20 mins
Tony and Austin talk Bengals, Joe Burrow, Training Camp, and more with Richard Skinner from Local 12, on ESPN 1530!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back since e three six. Do you heard it
right there? A service of Penn station. As we get
started our number three on this Wednesday afternoon, a beautiful
day here again in the Tri state area. Let's talk
some more Cincinnati Bengals. Let's do so with the man
covering the Bengals for Local twelve, you know him as Skinny.
It's Richard Skinner joining us right now. What's up, Skinny?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
How you doing, Tony?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Well, you know, Skinny, I got a lot I gotta
get off my chest here with you. We got a
lot of Bengals conversation to have before any of that, though.
Camp the camp portion officially wrapped up yesterday. And while
I'll ask you about the Bengals personally, I want to
know how you evaluate your twenty twenty four Cincinnati Bengals
training camp performance.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
I think it was a little incomplete, Tony. You know,
I thought I covered things well, but I didn't make
the trip to Chicago, so that felt a little empty.
Yet when I found out, you know, how they kind
of treated practice that day and the fact that information
could not get out during practice, I thought, well, maybe
that was a win for me. And then you know,
the guys had a stand of the rain and cover
that day. So I just feel a little incomplete, But
(01:05):
I also think I.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Took the w and all that okay very well, Uh, Austin,
Just for your understanding, Skinny was so a lot of
guys kind of cash it in last day of camp.
Skinny was so locked in. He was charting in his
recorder Logan Woodside passes yesterday, Rocky Lombardi passes yesterday. Skinny
in in true UC fashion, fought to the finish and
(01:28):
never gave in at this training.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Skinny, what did you have Rocky Lombardi going yesterday at practice?
You know, I'd have to go back and look, but
I did charge every one of his throws he was
He was two for four in a red zone period
with I can remember this off the top of my
head where he made a really really good throw for
a touchdown to Cam Grandy and then sailed one almost
as the backyard at tent on a path to Cole Burgess.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
There it is all right, Uh, camp has done preseason
game number three tomorrow. Let's start from a positive standpoint,
skin When you look at the landscape of camp, Uh,
what are some of the things that you thought went
well that you feel really good about now going into
the season.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
I mean, the way the defense trended, I think not
only in camp against the Bengals, but obviously then in
the two joint practices, certainly yesterday trended well. And then
in the in the preseason game. You know, the first
unit got a three and out against Tampa. The second
unit got three straight three and outs against Chicago's ones,
and I think that's a nice positive sign. Now, again,
(02:31):
the caveat always in camp is are they stopping the
running game because the whistle blows? Are they stopping the
running game because they're clogging up holes and that guy
would have been tackled anyway. It's always hard to assess.
We saw Campa Bay run it pretty good in the
preseason opener, albeit most of the running good came against backups,
you know, and then this pass game or a couple
of big ones by Chicago, uh against the twos, But
(02:54):
for the most part between the tackles that I think
there was a lot of damage done. So yeah, I'm
just gonna say the defense is because you don't need
this to be a top ten defense, right, I mean, sure,
this is almost a playoff team. Despite Joe Burrow's issues
and despite this defense ranking thirty first, they still almost
made the playoffs. I mean, this can just get back
to a middle of the pack defense, and I think
it's it's it's got the potential to do that for sure.
(03:18):
This is gonna be a defense that can help carry
the day. And I thought that that really trended in
the right direction. Is Champ went on?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Do you feel like Dax Hill has taken over the
the spot as number two corner because early on in
camp he was struggling, But give him credit. I think
he's looked better and better each day and for the
last I don't know handful of practices he's been out
there with the ones. Do you still think this is
a battle or do you think Dax Hill has the edge?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
No. I think Dax Hill will be the starter come
September eighth. I think he's earned that. They had a
really good first preseason game and to your points, they
has played really well as camp has progressed, and I
don't think that's so much you know a knock that
DJ Turner has regressed in any way. I think Cam
went or Dax winner one that won the job. I
do think you will see DJ Turner gets snaps in
(04:07):
most every game in a rotational role, whether it's take
a series off for Cam taylor Bridge, whether it's take
a series or offer for Dax Zila, whether it's you know,
they they haven't really put him in the super dying package.
They've gone with three safeties, but you know, if you
want to put a fourth corner on the field, or
we've seen at times Mike Hilton come off with with
another corner, come on on passing situations. You know, I
(04:27):
do think DJ Turner has a role for sure, but
I do think to your point, Dax Hills is our
not starting spot on the other.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Side of the coin here, Skinny, as camp breaks, what
are some of the things that maybe you're feeling a
little unsure about or you still need to see more
of before that that first game.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
See Trent Brown get to a whole practice and play
it right tackle. I mean, listen, I get you know
he's coming off the back tightness and everything, but that
also cost him time in a practice. That's on practice
last week yesterday, you know we saw Trent would run
maybe four snaps with the ones and then they put
Jackson Kirkman in for a snap or two. And the
next time they put Cody Ford in for a snap
(05:08):
or two and he took one rep.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
In one on one, he took one rep.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
He took one rep. You're right, and I have Zachiel.
He's just trying to manage the snaps, and I guess
I gave him the ead out because he said, yeah,
that's all we're trying to do. That's probably right, But Tony,
I mean, the dude is, ma'am, there's no question about that.
Do you feel calm up? I'll tell it on you.
Would you feel confident on let's just say eighty five
degree September the eighth, maybe eighty eight degree September the eighth,
and it was a one o'clock kickoff of Trent Brown
(05:34):
playing of the snaps on offense in that game. The
answers clearly know there's no way to be able to
do that, right right.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
That that to me, and then I'm probably not going
to have a Marius Mims. And then it gets into
the depth question on the offensive line, which is a
problem in itself that has not yet sorted itself out.
So I'm with you. Have you have you seen enough
from the running back room. We've essentially only seen one
preseason drive from the running back room combined. Zack Moss
(06:05):
was ill for preseason game number one. Chase Brown did go.
I thought there was a cut or two that he
could have made to help his case. Are you satisfied
with where and what the running back room is right now?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I like what it can be, and I think it
will be more than satisfactory and create far more big
plays than we're created last year. I do believe that,
but I don't know if I saw enough of it.
And again that's where train camp gets dicing in the
run game, because what looks like a great run because
guys finished their runs even if they've been tagged. I mean,
would he have broken the tackle or not? I mean,
(06:42):
what did he get through the hole or did they
go to whistle because they clogged up the hole or
it's just always so weird in the watch. I do
know when Chase Brown gets the ball in space, I mean,
you know, you really believe he's got a chance to
hit home rue plays. He took one yesterday on kind
of a little checkdown route, cut all the way across
the field, and actually again you know they were stutting
(07:03):
a little bit and tagging. Mostly nobody touched him for
about twenty yards, so it wasn't like, hey, you know,
the defense stopped. They were still chasing him, and he
made a really good cut to go, and I just
I just think that the chance for those guys to
make explosive plays is far greater leaps and bounds than
what you got from Joe Mixon last year.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Speaking of what you got last year, Skinny, it was weird.
We started training camp and I thought, man, we're going
to talk every day about MIKEASICKI and then it felt
like through majority of training camp he disappeared, and then
all of a sudden, yesterday I thought he had one
of the most impressive practices of anyone at training camp.
Are you good at this point from a tight end room?
Do you feel that that's an upgrade from what they
(07:43):
had last year?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yeah, it's funny. My boss actually actually asked me yesterday.
I said, you know, I saw some things about the
city today and heard he had a good day. Because
it's funny, he hasn't really been talked about a ton
and I said, yeah, it's just been weird that whatever
he's in it doesn't feel like the target goes his way,
it goes to wide receiver, and I think he kind
of got lost in that. But yeah, he had a
great day yesterday. Made a one handed catch with a
guy draped all over and it would have been a
pass interference to the end posted up at the goal
(08:07):
line in the red zone. Drill kind of had his
back to the defender and boxed him out and Joe
hit him with a dart for what would have been
a touchdown. So I thought that the times where he's
gotten the ball down his way, he catches it. And
I think he's arguably the most dynamic receiving tight end
they've had in Zach Taylor's tenure. And cege Uzama hit
some downfield shots the last year he was here. But
(08:28):
I think Kasicki really has a chance to do some
special things. And you know, I will say this, you know,
care Hudson shows up constantly. You know, he's just one
of those guys that you keep thinking that after thought
and oh what a cute little story and where he
came from last year. I think he is a really
song receiving tight end. And then we saw some two
tight end stuff yesterday with eric Ole Andrew Sample. They
(08:50):
ran the ball and actually done by the goal line
one where we're all kind of went in motion from
right wing to left where Sample was lined up, and
I think Zach Moss would have scored, but would have
been about six or seven yard touchdown. On again, they
tagged him and it wasn't a very good tag and
they kind of blew the whistle. But I kind of
like that where you got your two best blockers in
a time. So I think they've got a chance to
mix and match those guys and make it effective for
(09:12):
all of them.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Skinny, how do you I start to look at the
fifty three and I start to look at okay, what
are those last final decisions. Let me give you three
different players or positions, and you tell me who would
have the edge. Is it safe to say that this
team will take a minimum of nine offensive linemen the
way things are constructed right now on the fifty three man?
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah? And I initially I've done two fifty threes. I
think I've done ten both times, and I think I'm
leaning back towards nine. The more I watch Jackson Kirkland
play tackle and Tody Ford play tackle, and you know
their main experiences at guard. I think they're doing that
for a purpose of cutting Jackson Carmen and those guys
being technically the fourth tackle with with guard experience as well.
(09:55):
So yeah, I'm I'm leaning towards the nine at the moment.
I think the big question is the rookie Matt Lee
at center and you keep Trey Hill, uh, because Trey
Hill does have some guard experience, But Trey Hill also
got to start on Saturday and had three first half
penalties at guard. That hasn't gone overly well there. So
I think that that's that's a weird decision because again
you're you're Ted Kerris being heard away from having a
(10:17):
rookie seventh round pick to your starting center. And again,
Ted's pretty durable. He's been very durable, you know you
he would get to get me snap you know, when
he's healthy, and so that park's great. But boy, if
you are, you know, him away from having to throw
a rookie in there to play center, that that's a
that's a pretty big ask in my opinion.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
They drafted Tanna mcloughtin in the sixth round of the draft.
Usually they'd like to keep draft picks on the roster.
That would mean though they would keep five tight ends.
Do you think they keep five tight ends by the
by the time all of a sudden done, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
I don't. We actually for us on the beat of
banning at a battle a little bit, A couple of
people think they do. I just I just think if
that's too much of a luxury item. And while Tana
mcloughlins looked looked good at the times he's gotten opportunities
in games and in camp, he just sitting the pecking
order right now. And there's no question about that. So
and I don't think there's just enough tape NFL tape
(11:09):
where a team's gonna take him and put them on
their active roster. I mean, maybe there's one that is
really decimated by injury that would do that, But I
used to I think you can. I think you can
safely stash him on the practice squad.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Spending a few more minutes here with Richard Skinner from
Local twelve Skinny, let me ask you, Muma Jung Meta.
Has he done enough, nice Ton, has he done enough
to make the fifty three man or is this still okay?
He's shined in a preseason opportunity, He's given more snaps,
made a bunch of tackles. Is there room on the
(11:41):
fifty three man for Muma Jong Meta?
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Well done? So before that question, I did a story
on him back in like Ota, and I usually like
to take you know, some of those random guys that
you may not even get a chancel write about it again
because they may not be around. He'sa comes from a
family with his mom and dad both PhDs, you know,
didn't grow up playing football, and has a great backstory
for why sorry to write people go to look at
(12:07):
about town type his name, and but before I walked
up to talk to him, I practiced saying like twenty times,
Luma Bluma. First old here, I said, Mumar, I'm such
she just just I'm impressed. I know, hey man, I've
ben't practice that name for the last ten minutes. I
didn't want to mess it up. I don't blame you
if you did. I get it, he says, real, he
is a really good story. And I did think he's
done enough. I think they keep five, you know, I
(12:30):
think he's clearly the most impressive of that. Devin Harper,
you know, dam and sat the Hayward Prize in that
mix a little bit too, but I think Muma has
done enough. And I talked to Louana Rumo last week
after the first preseason game. It just kind of got
his feel for for while. He thought the rookie's played
and I asked him about him, and honestly, he said, listen, man,
kid shows up. He does a lot of good things. Uh.
(12:52):
He ran the ship, and I was I was happy
to see, you know, him come in there and and
have to run the ship and ran it pretty well.
They're usually coaches if they're me and towards were cutting
a guy, they're not as glowing in praise as as
lou was. And I said, well, you know, does his
size work against him? And he just looked at me,
you know, kind of looked up in his eyes. He goes, man,
he's just a football player. I went, okay, so it
sounds like you like him. And then the kid goes
(13:13):
out and has another pretty good performance against Chicago. He
can play special teams. He's athletick, and I think that
that that helps from that angle, because that dick linebacker
has to play you know, special teams across the board.
I think he can do that. So yeah, I do.
I think our guy Moumar during that day, right, I
think he makes it skinny.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Joe Burrow started the camp on fire. I was so
impressed at how good he looked early in camp, and
through the last couple of weeks of camp, I thought
there were inconsistencies. I thought yesterday was a good rebound
day for Joe Burrow. But we've seen a lot of
messing around with the wrist. We've seen the the glove
go on, glove go off, the glove debate. We've had
a ton on this show already a little over two
(13:56):
weeks now before the start of the regular season. Are
you comfortable with where Joe Burrow is in his progression
right now to start the regular season?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I am, but the glove thing is a little odd
to me. It was I thought Zach gave us an
other answer where yesterday when he said he's been using
it for two years and no offense. I listen, We're
not hit every first thirty minutes of regular season practices, Bobby,
I've never seen him wear it. You're there if you've
been there for every training camp, you know, the last
few years, I mean, if you remembered him. No, I'm
(14:27):
not glove at any point training camp. Yeah, and that's
the thing. I mean, listen, there's a part of me,
even if you just say listen, it's it's sore. And
he's fighting through the soreness. And that's kind of a
part of the okay falling because to your point, yesterday,
when he threw the ball, he saw it well, he
was on time, he was active. He ripped a couple
of throws. Now he didn't push it down the field,
(14:49):
and maybe that's a byproduct of the risk not feeling right.
It also could have been cover didn't dictate that he
could take a shot there. You know, the third down
periods are trying to get first downs, and you know
they're going on thirty and ends and third mates and
third and five in scripted fashion. So you know there's
any good quarterback like yourself would do. You're trying to
get the ball of the sticks first and so you know,
I don't have to push it down the field. But
he made a nice long out route throw to Taves.
(15:11):
He made a kind of a fade throw down the
sideline and he went up and got and I you
probably thought he looked sharp. I thought the ball came
out on time, got a couple of flub ups. The
interception in the red zone just floated up for grabs.
He had some pressure in his face and I'm not
sure what that was all about me And probably in
a game, I would guess he would eat that, you know,
just dive to the ground and eat it instead of
trying to throw it up. But yeah, I mean we
(15:32):
charged him. He was twenty one and twenty six. You
can argue maybe twenty one and twenty seven because he
threw another incompletion play where he was quote unquote sacked. Yeah,
but you know, give me twenty one and twenty six
and him spreading the ball around like he did, I
think I'll take that. But again, in between all those reps,
he putting that glove on and still with the riz.
It doesn't make me go, hey, he's one hundred percent right.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
It's also uneasy because Jamar Chase is knopping out there
with him. I made this statement yesterday. It's like building
a car and not having your your end in the
car without Jamar Chase. Skinny, if you had to bet
an amount of money that matters to you on whether
Jamar Chase starts Week one against the Patriots or not,
what would you say.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
So, I'm gonna hedge my bet with this if we
don't came out there for practice next Wednesday, the first
day after cuts, because I think they have one practice
between tomorrow night and that next Wednesday practice because of
the cutdown dates and whatnot, and that's not it. I
don't believe that's even open to us in the media.
If he's not out there, then then I'll be willing
(16:35):
to make that bet that you don't see him by
the open because I'm just the Brown family. Think what
you want. They're not going to blink in my opinion,
And the number that I've heard when Jamar's group is
I mean we're talking, you know, four years, maybe close
to one hundred and sixty MILI and one hundred and
twenty ish of that guaranteed probably is what they're looking for.
They're not getting to that number. They're just not and
(16:59):
it doesn't tell the agent wants to balk off that
number year. So I mean, where are we with all
of this stuff. I mean, it's I don't think listen
in Jamar's side of it. If he's really staunch of
I want this extension and he's only giving up a
million dollars and that just doesn't sound right saying that
because I don't make a million dollars in most of
the audience, doesn't make any vice. But you know, giving
(17:20):
up only a million dollars this year in game checks,
that's a drop in the bucket of what he's trying
to get. And will you know, come close to eventually
getting and guaranteed money and if that's important. I wrote
this three weeks ago, got some pushback that if he's
really serious about this, then he needs to be serious
about sitting games. And I think that's that's where we're at.
Does one side blink? If not, does he dig his
(17:41):
heels in and say I'm not playing until I get
this extension.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Lastly, Skinny, I appreciate you spending some time with us today.
What are you looking most forward to in preseason game
number three tomorrow? What's on your radar.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
When it gets to about ten fifty seven in the
game hopefully ends.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
You didn't enjoy last Saturday?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
You know what I did, only because it was less
than three hours the game. It was good. I'm writing
a piece today about Cedra Johnson, the defensive end, and
we're I was gonna write it anyway, because I think
he is pushing to make this roster, especially after Cam
Sample got hurt. But now that Miles Murphy's down, uh
for a little bit, you know, we'll see if that
(18:28):
helps cetter chances even more. He's popped a little bit
in camp. Uh. Marion Hobby talk talk glowingly of him
when I talked to him, the defensive line coach, and uh,
so I'm interested to see if he can follow that
up our guy, Mumack. Can he have a third straight
good performance at the linebacker spot, and then let's just
see what these guys on the offensive line can do,
because I thought they had an okay first half in Chicago.
(18:49):
But at the end of the day, he's still only
scored three points and and one of those was Logan
Woodside do a bad pass. But again, as much as
that backup group did an okay job, he still only
scored three points. And so I need to see some
more out of that group and and and generate some
points on the board and generate a couple of good
drives to start feel at least somewhat good about the
depth up front.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Richard Skinner from Local twelve Local twelve dot Com follow
him on Twitter or x at uh at Local twelve.
Is it Local twelve, Skinny, it is there, it is Man.
I got moomoo, I got Muma right, and I got
Local twelve Skinny right.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Moomoo, he's not a cow man. Muma, Muma, Muma.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Skinny, thank you so much, thank you, thank you so
much for your time. I thought I thought you crushed
it at camp this year. I would give yourself a
little bit higher grade than even what you gave yourself.
But uh, we'll see what happens when the PFF pf
F grades come out on Skinny's performing.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Yeah, you think you got a ninety two and the
grady of sixty six.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Yeah, well, we'll update that after we see how you
handle tomorrow night as well. Skinny. Thanks for the time, man,
we'll talk soon.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Take care. Phil.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Yes, that is a Richard Skinner of a Local twelve
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. We are a
service of Penn station on the home of the Bengals,
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Welcome back since e three six. Do you heard it
right there? A service of Penn station. As we get
started our number three on this Wednesday afternoon, a beautiful
day here again in the Tri state area. Let's talk
some more Cincinnati Bengals. Let's do so with the man
covering the Bengals for Local twelve, you know him as Skinny.
It's Richard Skinner joining us right now. What's up, Skinny?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
How you doing, Tony?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Well, you know, Skinny, I got a lot I gotta
get off my chest here with you. We got a
lot of Bengals conversation to have before any of that, though.
Camp the camp portion officially wrapped up yesterday. And while
I'll ask you about the Bengals personally, I want to
know how you evaluate your twenty twenty four Cincinnati Bengals
training camp performance.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
I think it was a little incomplete, Tony. You know,
I thought I covered things well, but I didn't make
the trip to Chicago, so that felt a little empty.
Yet when I found out, you know, how they kind
of treated practice that day and the fact that information
could not get out during practice, I thought, well, maybe
that was a win for me. And then you know,
the guys had a stand of the rain and cover
that day. So I just feel a little incomplete, But
(01:05):
I also think I.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Took the w and all that okay very well, Uh, Austin,
Just for your understanding, Skinny was so a lot of
guys kind of cash it in last day of camp.
Skinny was so locked in. He was charting in his
recorder Logan Woodside passes yesterday, Rocky Lombardi passes yesterday. Skinny
in in true UC fashion, fought to the finish and
(01:28):
never gave in at this training.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Skinny, what did you have Rocky Lombardi going yesterday at practice?
You know, I'd have to go back and look, but
I did charge every one of his throws he was
He was two for four in a red zone period
with I can remember this off the top of my
head where he made a really really good throw for
a touchdown to Cam Grandy and then sailed one almost
as the backyard at tent on a path to Cole Burgess.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
There it is all right, Uh, camp has done preseason
game number three tomorrow. Let's start from a positive standpoint,
skin When you look at the landscape of camp, Uh,
what are some of the things that you thought went
well that you feel really good about now going into
the season.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
I mean, the way the defense trended, I think not
only in camp against the Bengals, but obviously then in
the two joint practices, certainly yesterday trended well. And then
in the in the preseason game. You know, the first
unit got a three and out against Tampa. The second
unit got three straight three and outs against Chicago's ones,
and I think that's a nice positive sign. Now, again,
(02:31):
the caveat always in camp is are they stopping the
running game because the whistle blows? Are they stopping the
running game because they're clogging up holes and that guy
would have been tackled anyway. It's always hard to assess.
We saw Campa Bay run it pretty good in the
preseason opener, albeit most of the running good came against backups,
you know, and then this pass game or a couple
of big ones by Chicago, uh against the twos, But
(02:54):
for the most part between the tackles that I think
there was a lot of damage done. So yeah, I'm
just gonna say the defense is because you don't need
this to be a top ten defense, right, I mean, sure,
this is almost a playoff team. Despite Joe Burrow's issues
and despite this defense ranking thirty first, they still almost
made the playoffs. I mean, this can just get back
to a middle of the pack defense, and I think
it's it's it's got the potential to do that for sure.
(03:18):
This is gonna be a defense that can help carry
the day. And I thought that that really trended in
the right direction. Is Champ went on?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Do you feel like Dax Hill has taken over the
the spot as number two corner because early on in
camp he was struggling, But give him credit. I think
he's looked better and better each day and for the
last I don't know handful of practices he's been out
there with the ones. Do you still think this is
a battle or do you think Dax Hill has the edge?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
No. I think Dax Hill will be the starter come
September eighth. I think he's earned that. They had a
really good first preseason game and to your points, they
has played really well as camp has progressed, and I
don't think that's so much you know a knock that
DJ Turner has regressed in any way. I think Cam
went or Dax winner one that won the job. I
do think you will see DJ Turner gets snaps in
(04:07):
most every game in a rotational role, whether it's take
a series off for Cam taylor Bridge, whether it's take
a series or offer for Dax Zila, whether it's you know,
they they haven't really put him in the super dying package.
They've gone with three safeties, but you know, if you
want to put a fourth corner on the field, or
we've seen at times Mike Hilton come off with with
another corner, come on on passing situations. You know, I
(04:27):
do think DJ Turner has a role for sure, but
I do think to your point, Dax Hills is our
not starting spot on the other.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Side of the coin here, Skinny, as camp breaks, what
are some of the things that maybe you're feeling a
little unsure about or you still need to see more
of before that that first game.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
See Trent Brown get to a whole practice and play
it right tackle. I mean, listen, I get you know
he's coming off the back tightness and everything, but that
also cost him time in a practice. That's on practice
last week yesterday, you know we saw Trent would run
maybe four snaps with the ones and then they put
Jackson Kirkman in for a snap or two. And the
next time they put Cody Ford in for a snap
(05:08):
or two and he took one rep.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
In one on one, he took one rep.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
He took one rep. You're right, and I have Zachiel.
He's just trying to manage the snaps, and I guess
I gave him the ead out because he said, yeah,
that's all we're trying to do. That's probably right, But Tony,
I mean, the dude is, ma'am, there's no question about that.
Do you feel calm up? I'll tell it on you.
Would you feel confident on let's just say eighty five
degree September the eighth, maybe eighty eight degree September the eighth,
and it was a one o'clock kickoff of Trent Brown
(05:34):
playing of the snaps on offense in that game. The
answers clearly know there's no way to be able to
do that, right right.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
That that to me, and then I'm probably not going
to have a Marius Mims. And then it gets into
the depth question on the offensive line, which is a
problem in itself that has not yet sorted itself out.
So I'm with you. Have you have you seen enough
from the running back room. We've essentially only seen one
preseason drive from the running back room combined. Zack Moss
(06:05):
was ill for preseason game number one. Chase Brown did go.
I thought there was a cut or two that he
could have made to help his case. Are you satisfied
with where and what the running back room is right now?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I like what it can be, and I think it
will be more than satisfactory and create far more big
plays than we're created last year. I do believe that,
but I don't know if I saw enough of it.
And again that's where train camp gets dicing in the
run game, because what looks like a great run because
guys finished their runs even if they've been tagged. I mean,
would he have broken the tackle or not? I mean,
(06:42):
what did he get through the hole or did they
go to whistle because they clogged up the hole or
it's just always so weird in the watch. I do
know when Chase Brown gets the ball in space, I mean,
you know, you really believe he's got a chance to
hit home rue plays. He took one yesterday on kind
of a little checkdown route, cut all the way across
the field, and actually again you know they were stutting
(07:03):
a little bit and tagging. Mostly nobody touched him for
about twenty yards, so it wasn't like, hey, you know,
the defense stopped. They were still chasing him, and he
made a really good cut to go, and I just
I just think that the chance for those guys to
make explosive plays is far greater leaps and bounds than
what you got from Joe Mixon last year.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Speaking of what you got last year, Skinny, it was weird.
We started training camp and I thought, man, we're going
to talk every day about MIKEASICKI and then it felt
like through majority of training camp he disappeared, and then
all of a sudden, yesterday I thought he had one
of the most impressive practices of anyone at training camp.
Are you good at this point from a tight end room?
Do you feel that that's an upgrade from what they
(07:43):
had last year?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yeah, it's funny. My boss actually actually asked me yesterday.
I said, you know, I saw some things about the
city today and heard he had a good day. Because
it's funny, he hasn't really been talked about a ton
and I said, yeah, it's just been weird that whatever
he's in it doesn't feel like the target goes his way,
it goes to wide receiver, and I think he kind
of got lost in that. But yeah, he had a
great day yesterday. Made a one handed catch with a
guy draped all over and it would have been a
pass interference to the end posted up at the goal
(08:07):
line in the red zone. Drill kind of had his
back to the defender and boxed him out and Joe
hit him with a dart for what would have been
a touchdown. So I thought that the times where he's
gotten the ball down his way, he catches it. And
I think he's arguably the most dynamic receiving tight end
they've had in Zach Taylor's tenure. And cege Uzama hit
some downfield shots the last year he was here. But
(08:28):
I think Kasicki really has a chance to do some
special things. And you know, I will say this, you know,
care Hudson shows up constantly. You know, he's just one
of those guys that you keep thinking that after thought
and oh what a cute little story and where he
came from last year. I think he is a really
song receiving tight end. And then we saw some two
tight end stuff yesterday with eric Ole Andrew Sample. They
(08:50):
ran the ball and actually done by the goal line
one where we're all kind of went in motion from
right wing to left where Sample was lined up, and
I think Zach Moss would have scored, but would have
been about six or seven yard touchdown. On again, they
tagged him and it wasn't a very good tag and
they kind of blew the whistle. But I kind of
like that where you got your two best blockers in
a time. So I think they've got a chance to
mix and match those guys and make it effective for
(09:12):
all of them.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Skinny, how do you I start to look at the
fifty three and I start to look at okay, what
are those last final decisions. Let me give you three
different players or positions, and you tell me who would
have the edge. Is it safe to say that this
team will take a minimum of nine offensive linemen the
way things are constructed right now on the fifty three man?
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah? And I initially I've done two fifty threes. I
think I've done ten both times, and I think I'm
leaning back towards nine. The more I watch Jackson Kirkland
play tackle and Tody Ford play tackle, and you know
their main experiences at guard. I think they're doing that
for a purpose of cutting Jackson Carmen and those guys
being technically the fourth tackle with with guard experience as well.
(09:55):
So yeah, I'm I'm leaning towards the nine at the moment.
I think the big question is the rookie Matt Lee
at center and you keep Trey Hill, uh, because Trey
Hill does have some guard experience, But Trey Hill also
got to start on Saturday and had three first half
penalties at guard. That hasn't gone overly well there. So
I think that that's that's a weird decision because again
you're you're Ted Kerris being heard away from having a
(10:17):
rookie seventh round pick to your starting center. And again,
Ted's pretty durable. He's been very durable, you know you
he would get to get me snap you know, when
he's healthy, and so that park's great. But boy, if
you are, you know, him away from having to throw
a rookie in there to play center, that that's a
that's a pretty big ask in my opinion.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
They drafted Tanna mcloughtin in the sixth round of the draft.
Usually they'd like to keep draft picks on the roster.
That would mean though they would keep five tight ends.
Do you think they keep five tight ends by the
by the time all of a sudden done, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
I don't. We actually for us on the beat of
banning at a battle a little bit, A couple of
people think they do. I just I just think if
that's too much of a luxury item. And while Tana
mcloughlins looked looked good at the times he's gotten opportunities
in games and in camp, he just sitting the pecking
order right now. And there's no question about that. So
and I don't think there's just enough tape NFL tape
(11:09):
where a team's gonna take him and put them on
their active roster. I mean, maybe there's one that is
really decimated by injury that would do that, But I
used to I think you can. I think you can
safely stash him on the practice squad.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Spending a few more minutes here with Richard Skinner from
Local twelve Skinny, let me ask you, Muma Jung Meta.
Has he done enough, nice Ton, has he done enough
to make the fifty three man or is this still okay?
He's shined in a preseason opportunity, He's given more snaps,
made a bunch of tackles. Is there room on the
(11:41):
fifty three man for Muma Jong Meta?
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Well done? So before that question, I did a story
on him back in like Ota, and I usually like
to take you know, some of those random guys that
you may not even get a chancel write about it again
because they may not be around. He'sa comes from a
family with his mom and dad both PhDs, you know,
didn't grow up playing football, and has a great backstory
for why sorry to write people go to look at
(12:07):
about town type his name, and but before I walked
up to talk to him, I practiced saying like twenty times,
Luma Bluma. First old here, I said, Mumar, I'm such
she just just I'm impressed. I know, hey man, I've
ben't practice that name for the last ten minutes. I
didn't want to mess it up. I don't blame you
if you did. I get it, he says, real, he
is a really good story. And I did think he's
done enough. I think they keep five, you know, I
(12:30):
think he's clearly the most impressive of that. Devin Harper,
you know, dam and sat the Hayward Prize in that
mix a little bit too, but I think Muma has
done enough. And I talked to Louana Rumo last week
after the first preseason game. It just kind of got
his feel for for while. He thought the rookie's played
and I asked him about him, and honestly, he said, listen, man,
kid shows up. He does a lot of good things. Uh.
(12:52):
He ran the ship, and I was I was happy
to see, you know, him come in there and and
have to run the ship and ran it pretty well.
They're usually coaches if they're me and towards were cutting
a guy, they're not as glowing in praise as as
lou was. And I said, well, you know, does his
size work against him? And he just looked at me,
you know, kind of looked up in his eyes. He goes, man,
he's just a football player. I went, okay, so it
sounds like you like him. And then the kid goes
(13:13):
out and has another pretty good performance against Chicago. He
can play special teams. He's athletick, and I think that
that that helps from that angle, because that dick linebacker
has to play you know, special teams across the board.
I think he can do that. So yeah, I do.
I think our guy Moumar during that day, right, I
think he makes it skinny.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Joe Burrow started the camp on fire. I was so
impressed at how good he looked early in camp, and
through the last couple of weeks of camp, I thought
there were inconsistencies. I thought yesterday was a good rebound
day for Joe Burrow. But we've seen a lot of
messing around with the wrist. We've seen the the glove
go on, glove go off, the glove debate. We've had
a ton on this show already a little over two
(13:56):
weeks now before the start of the regular season. Are
you comfortable with where Joe Burrow is in his progression
right now to start the regular season?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I am, but the glove thing is a little odd
to me. It was I thought Zach gave us an
other answer where yesterday when he said he's been using
it for two years and no offense. I listen, We're
not hit every first thirty minutes of regular season practices, Bobby,
I've never seen him wear it. You're there if you've
been there for every training camp, you know, the last
few years, I mean, if you remembered him. No, I'm
(14:27):
not glove at any point training camp. Yeah, and that's
the thing. I mean, listen, there's a part of me,
even if you just say listen, it's it's sore. And
he's fighting through the soreness. And that's kind of a
part of the okay falling because to your point, yesterday,
when he threw the ball, he saw it well, he
was on time, he was active. He ripped a couple
of throws. Now he didn't push it down the field,
(14:49):
and maybe that's a byproduct of the risk not feeling right.
It also could have been cover didn't dictate that he
could take a shot there. You know, the third down
periods are trying to get first downs, and you know
they're going on thirty and ends and third mates and
third and five in scripted fashion. So you know there's
any good quarterback like yourself would do. You're trying to
get the ball of the sticks first and so you know,
I don't have to push it down the field. But
he made a nice long out route throw to Taves.
(15:11):
He made a kind of a fade throw down the
sideline and he went up and got and I you
probably thought he looked sharp. I thought the ball came
out on time, got a couple of flub ups. The
interception in the red zone just floated up for grabs.
He had some pressure in his face and I'm not
sure what that was all about me And probably in
a game, I would guess he would eat that, you know,
just dive to the ground and eat it instead of
trying to throw it up. But yeah, I mean we
(15:32):
charged him. He was twenty one and twenty six. You
can argue maybe twenty one and twenty seven because he
threw another incompletion play where he was quote unquote sacked. Yeah,
but you know, give me twenty one and twenty six
and him spreading the ball around like he did, I
think I'll take that. But again, in between all those reps,
he putting that glove on and still with the riz.
It doesn't make me go, hey, he's one hundred percent right.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
It's also uneasy because Jamar Chase is knopping out there
with him. I made this statement yesterday. It's like building
a car and not having your your end in the
car without Jamar Chase. Skinny, if you had to bet
an amount of money that matters to you on whether
Jamar Chase starts Week one against the Patriots or not,
what would you say.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
So, I'm gonna hedge my bet with this if we
don't came out there for practice next Wednesday, the first
day after cuts, because I think they have one practice
between tomorrow night and that next Wednesday practice because of
the cutdown dates and whatnot, and that's not it. I
don't believe that's even open to us in the media.
If he's not out there, then then I'll be willing
(16:35):
to make that bet that you don't see him by
the open because I'm just the Brown family. Think what
you want. They're not going to blink in my opinion,
And the number that I've heard when Jamar's group is
I mean we're talking, you know, four years, maybe close
to one hundred and sixty MILI and one hundred and
twenty ish of that guaranteed probably is what they're looking for.
They're not getting to that number. They're just not and
(16:59):
it doesn't tell the agent wants to balk off that
number year. So I mean, where are we with all
of this stuff. I mean, it's I don't think listen
in Jamar's side of it. If he's really staunch of
I want this extension and he's only giving up a
million dollars and that just doesn't sound right saying that
because I don't make a million dollars in most of
the audience, doesn't make any vice. But you know, giving
(17:20):
up only a million dollars this year in game checks,
that's a drop in the bucket of what he's trying
to get. And will you know, come close to eventually
getting and guaranteed money and if that's important. I wrote
this three weeks ago, got some pushback that if he's
really serious about this, then he needs to be serious
about sitting games. And I think that's that's where we're at.
Does one side blink? If not, does he dig his
(17:41):
heels in and say I'm not playing until I get
this extension.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Lastly, Skinny, I appreciate you spending some time with us today.
What are you looking most forward to in preseason game
number three tomorrow? What's on your radar.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
When it gets to about ten fifty seven in the
game hopefully ends.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
You didn't enjoy last Saturday?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
You know what I did, only because it was less
than three hours the game. It was good. I'm writing
a piece today about Cedra Johnson, the defensive end, and
we're I was gonna write it anyway, because I think
he is pushing to make this roster, especially after Cam
Sample got hurt. But now that Miles Murphy's down, uh
for a little bit, you know, we'll see if that
(18:28):
helps cetter chances even more. He's popped a little bit
in camp. Uh. Marion Hobby talk talk glowingly of him
when I talked to him, the defensive line coach, and uh,
so I'm interested to see if he can follow that
up our guy, Mumack. Can he have a third straight
good performance at the linebacker spot, and then let's just
see what these guys on the offensive line can do,
because I thought they had an okay first half in Chicago.
(18:49):
But at the end of the day, he's still only
scored three points and and one of those was Logan
Woodside do a bad pass. But again, as much as
that backup group did an okay job, he still only
scored three points. And so I need to see some
more out of that group and and and generate some
points on the board and generate a couple of good
drives to start feel at least somewhat good about the
depth up front.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Richard Skinner from Local twelve Local twelve dot Com follow
him on Twitter or x at uh at Local twelve.
Is it Local twelve, Skinny, it is there, it is Man.
I got moomoo, I got Muma right, and I got
Local twelve Skinny right.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Moomoo, he's not a cow man. Muma, Muma, Muma.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Skinny, thank you so much, thank you, thank you so
much for your time. I thought I thought you crushed
it at camp this year. I would give yourself a
little bit higher grade than even what you gave yourself.
But uh, we'll see what happens when the PFF pf
F grades come out on Skinny's performing.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Yeah, you think you got a ninety two and the
grady of sixty six.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Yeah, well, we'll update that after we see how you
handle tomorrow night as well. Skinny. Thanks for the time, man,
we'll talk soon.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Take care. Phil.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Yes, that is a Richard Skinner of a Local twelve
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. We are a
service of Penn station on the home of the Bengals,
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
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