Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap seems to have a simple idea on his hands: helping along his rookie teammates is not only a duty but can make him a better player, too.
Dunlap opened up about helping along rookies like defensive lineman Renell Wren during OTAs, according to Bengals.com’s Michael LaPlaca.
“Experience and expertise and I’m not afraid to spread the wealth,” Dunlap said. “I know I stumbled through some things early in my years. I try to talk them through or let them know when some things come up. Explain what to do, how to be and be ahead of the curve so they can help us. At the end of the day, we are a team and we are all brothers.”
The brotherhood of sorts forged in June is a big point for a younger Bengals team continuing to evolve. Dunlap and guys like Geno Atkins and A.J. Green are the veteran leaders now and the team’s identity while shift alongside it.
Last June, Jordan Willis hinted that some players who ended up getting cut were making life hard on him — and not in a competitive sense. It painted a poor outlook but seems to be an approach that continues to fade.
Provided some of the outsiders brought to the team this year align with Dunlap’s approach, Zac Taylor’s quest for character and smarts will remain a driving point of the culture.
As expected, Dunlap commands the lead.
