The Cincinnati Bengals feature several new starters on the defensive side of the ball. Leaders like Dre Kirkpatrick are gone. More changes could still be in the works.
And the remaining Bengals defenders understand the message.
While Cincinnati’s massive spending in free agency opened the eyes of onlookers everywhere, the lesson didn’t go ignored by some of the key remaining defenders.
Here’s Jessie Bates, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com
“You heard around the league the Bengals don’t reach out to players in free agency and spend a lot of money because that’s always been their philosophy. They’ve always been comfortable with some of the guys in the locker room. I think now it kind of gives the players an eye opener. They’re not going to keep a lot guys around if they’re not getting the job done. Whether that’s not getting a contract extension if not playing well in that first year, nobody’s safe, I think that puts a little bit of fire under a lot of people and opened their eyes a little bit. At least to the guys that have been there for a while.”
This flies in the face of past Bengals behavior, which by and large tried to get better performances out of a well-known group of players with minimal outside overhaul.
But this has changed quickly since Zac Taylor’s arrival. He sent a message by getting rid of Vontaze Burfict. He made another eye-opening move in the middle of last season by dumping Preston Brown. And this offseason he’s clearly been given full permission to overhaul the roster as he sees fit after the carryover from the Marvin Lewis era limped to 2-14.
Call it a new sense of urgency for the players as turnover continues, which is a welcome thing for fans to hear alongside the hype of a new era truly beginning.
