Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Trey Hopkins is one of the big early winners of the Zac Taylor era.
Hopkins gets the nod as a Week 1 starter at center in Seattle, displacing first-round lineman Billy Price for the honors next to rookie Michael Jordan at left guard — another big winner.
For Hopkins, the process of seeing the best-performing players win jobs is something new and Taylor has sent a clear message about his approach.
“He’s in the business of winning,” Hopkins told the media. “It’s not about politics so much or what is perceived as politics. It’s about competing and winning and giving us the best opportunity to win, no matter who that is with week to week, game to game. He’s in the business of trying to get us where we want to be, which is the Super Bowl.”
This new approach from Taylor is a big part of the reason undrafted wideout Damion Willis will get the nod in A.J. Green’s place as a starter in Seattle, too.
Clearly, Taylor has sent a big message to his players — the best will play, regardless of tenure or perceived value.
That hasn’t always been the case in Cincinnati, which is why notable news like the ascension of Hopkins, Jordan and Willis has fans excited.
Unlike the last regime, Taylor’s actions have left no wiggle room for other interpretations — and players like Hopkins aren’t shy in talking about it.
