Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor on Rookie Minicamp

Cincinnati Bengals On SI

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00:00A really good group of young men, about the right stuff,

00:03all the things we thought during the draft, post-draft.

00:06So the scouts really did a really good job getting guys in here

00:08that we think fit our locker room and are willing to work

00:11and taking the information and taking it to the field.

00:13So, again, this is the infancy stage of our process with them,

00:17so I'm not going to make any proclamations on how they're going to do here,

00:21but they're about the right stuff.

00:22I was excited about day one, and now we'll get them in with our vets next week

00:26and see how quick they can adjust to that life.

00:28How much discussion has made, Zach, of expectations at this point?

00:33No, it's just what to expect and how to make a strong impression, you know,

00:36on coaching staff, the veterans.

00:39And so you get a chance this weekend to, you know, have school anymore,

00:42you don't have your family around, just get yourself in the playbook.

00:46Get a chance to make a tremendous first impression on Monday

00:48when you walk in the door and you know the information, you can communicate it,

00:52you can align correctly, you can execute the job.

00:54That goes a long way in opening some eyes on, okay,

00:58this guy can really help us right now.

00:59So that's what those guys get to spend these next 48 hours getting ready for.

01:04With only six picks, how important is your undrafted group?

01:07It's important, you know, and we always take a lot of pride here.

01:09You know, we are not hesitant to put undrafted players on our 53-man roster.

01:14We're not hesitant to put them in the game and let them play for us.

01:17You saw Mooma make the roster last year and get in games.

01:21You saw Shaka play at the end of the year, undrafted guy.

01:24You saw Cam Grandy undrafted get on the field for us.

01:26And so that's the message to these undrafted guys is if you're undrafted

01:30and you want to get a chance to make a roster and play football,

01:33come to Cincinnati, we're going to give you the same opportunity we give draft picks.

01:36And we've shown that over the years, and we've had guys that have really stepped up

01:39and played a role for us.

01:40And we'll continue to search through these guys and see who can help us.

01:44How much conversation is there, Zach, with these guys about the difference

01:47between where they came from college and the NFL and how it's different?

01:52I don't focus a lot on that, to be quite frank with you.

01:55You know, it's give them a fresh slate when they walk in the door

01:58and just see how quickly they can learn what the position coach is asking them to do,

02:02how quickly their talent can translate to the field.

02:04But they've all come from such different backgrounds that I don't spend a lot of time

02:08talking about the differences between the college and the pro level.

02:11Shemai and Tracy may be the only two of your draft picks now participating.

02:15Is that injury-related or other reasons?

02:17No, they're just working through their contracts right now.

02:18You look across the league, and teams have different approaches.

02:21Some are three days, some are two.

02:22You guys are one.

02:24What's your philosophy on just getting it in and out of?

02:26I'm ready for them to be full speed on Monday.

02:28And so, again, there's a lot of nervous energy and excitement

02:30when they get out here on Friday.

02:32We spend time today meeting with them and going through the installs

02:35and making sure the above-the-neck stuff's good.

02:37Get them on the field briefly.

02:38Let them show us some of the athletic stuff.

02:41Learn some of the stuff in a walk-through setting.

02:42And then Monday, fully integrate them with the rest of the players.

02:46Is that the expectation for tomorrow and to be just Monday?

02:48We'll see.

02:49I'm not going to make any predictions on where that ends up.

02:51But they've had a great attitude, and I'm excited about both those guys.

02:54There's been a lot of external excitement about Seth McLaughlin

02:58and what he did at Ohio State.

03:00And he's given, you know, the text, you know, in his last year of his contract

03:03to see someone that you guys are really excited to see the people potentially do.

03:07All the guys that we brought in, we're excited about, you know.

03:09And so Seth's got a strong background, you know, played for two winning programs

03:13and this is about all the right stuff.

03:15And so we're excited to get him in here and get him through the injury

03:17and then see where he ends up.

03:18You've got the opportunity to have an international player this year.

03:21Yeah.

03:21What have you been told about Dante?

03:23And is it advantageous to potentially have an extra guy just to practice all year?

03:27I don't think it's disadvantageous.

03:29You know, and he's had a great attitude.

03:31We got to know him when he came in on a visit a couple weeks ago.

03:34And then to get him in the building now.

03:36And so, again, that's what the whole Pathway program is for, is to train guys,

03:41get them in with a program.

03:43You know, it's great to get an extra guy.

03:46We'll always take the extra guy.

03:47He's got a great attitude.

03:48He's got real talent.

03:50And so we'll see how quickly he can get adjusted to life in Cincinnati.

03:53And I've enjoyed getting to know him over the two exposures I've had to him.

03:57And we'll see how it goes.

03:58How much of today is evaluation versus acclimation?

04:01Acclimation.

04:02You know, I'm really slow on the evaluation process with a lot of these guys.

04:08Understand the circumstances.

04:09Some of them got in early yesterday, late yesterday.

04:13Some guys need some more reps on the field.

04:15You know, that's how they learn best.

04:16And so, again, that's what the off-season program is for.

04:19We get a chance to teach these guys.

04:21And our goal is coming out of the off-season program in mid-June,

04:25that these guys have all the information.

04:28They know how to drill it.

04:29They know the techniques.

04:30They get a chance to spend the summer.

04:32They're evaluating themselves and getting ready for training camp.

04:34And when they come into training camp, they're ready to hit the ground and compete.

04:37And so that's our ultimate goal is to spend these next six, seven weeks

04:40giving them the opportunity to come into training camp and compete.

04:43I'd say it's more about acclimation.

04:44But from an evaluation standpoint, what can you learn about a guy from a day like today?

04:49Well, just an initial retention of information they get,

04:52whether it's aligning for a drill and quickly understanding what the coach is saying

04:57or taking a couple reps.

04:58Because, again, everybody learns in different ways.

05:01And so I don't hold that over anybody because there's been a lot of tremendous players in this league

05:05who some learn quickly, some need a couple reps on the field.

05:09So, again, I don't hold that over anybody if it's one or the other for them.

05:12Obviously, the veterans were on the field this week, Zach.

05:15In terms of an injury update, B.J. Hill in a boot?

05:21It'll be a couple weeks here in the offseason program, which I'm thankful for.

05:24So, again, we'll be very slow to go with him in the offseason.

05:28B.J. is a guy who's accrued a lot of reps here, knows what we're doing.

05:33So we'll be very careful with him.

05:35Do you have an update on Trent Hendrickson?

05:36What do you stand with him?

05:37I don't.

05:38The long snapper from Michigan is apparently the top-ranked long snapper

05:42in this year's draft, just a number taken this year.

05:44Yeah.

05:44Could that be a may-the-best-man-win competition?

05:46I mean, when I did my rankings on the long snappers, I had him up there.

05:51So I know we're excited.

05:53Darren's excited.

05:56So, again, that's a great competition for us to have.

05:59You know, we want competition across the board.

06:01Long snappers are different.

06:02Williams come in with a great attitude, ready to compete.

06:05Cal will be the same way.

06:06And so we'll just see how that transpires.

06:08Do you have any message for guys like Shamar or Demetrius that can't be out there

06:13and be active but are still here and involved?

06:15No, this is the infancy stages of our off-season program.

06:18So, again, great attitude when they got off the plane,

06:21when they've been in the building.

06:22Really excited about both those guys, and we'll just keep working through it.

06:26Did you ask Joe how the neck out of us?

06:28I did not.

06:29What's it been like to have him here this week?

06:31It's good.

06:32You know, his leadership, his talent, his presence is all beneficial.

06:36And, again, we've got guys that things will come up throughout the off-season program.

06:41You know, obligations like that, family obligations, charity obligations.

06:46And so guys will be in and out.

06:47But, overall, we've had tremendous turnout.

06:50I'm excited that they want to get here and get the work on the field.

06:53And having Joe out there throwing balls the last couple days has been great for our guys.

06:56It's safe to say his commitment is 100%, 1,000% to the organization.

07:02He never gets distracted.

07:03Would you say that's pretty safe?

07:05Yeah, I don't have any questions on Joe's commitment to us.

07:08Absolutely.

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