By the time Cincinnati Bengals players returned to their lockers post-practice on Sept. 1, they were well into the countdown toward the Week 1 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 13. The excitement of setting what's expected to be a deeper, more talented 53-man roster, plus the 16-player practice squad, had mostly faded.
Only two days earlier, several Bengals players were basking in the achievement of earning a spot on the initial 53-man roster, which teams across the NFL set Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. EDT. Other veteran players and coaches were savoring the depth, which was anticipated prior to training camp on the defensive side but eventually grew to include offensive players, too.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who anticipated a tense and challenging weekend of sifting through difficult personnel decisions to arrive at his 53-man roster, said he ended up enjoying the cut-down process.
"It was ultimately fun to put together because we feel like we're really deep, even going out to the practice squad," Taylor said. "Yes, it was very challenging letting guys know that in other years maybe they would have made the 53, maybe would have made the practice squad, that they weren't going to get that this year or come back. But top to bottom, I feel like it's a really good group, and excited to get these guys."
The excitement around the group the organization ****** embled was still evident during and after the Bengals' Sept. 1 practice.
#excitement
Only two days earlier, several Bengals players were basking in the achievement of earning a spot on the initial 53-man roster, which teams across the NFL set Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. EDT. Other veteran players and coaches were savoring the depth, which was anticipated prior to training camp on the defensive side but eventually grew to include offensive players, too.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who anticipated a tense and challenging weekend of sifting through difficult personnel decisions to arrive at his 53-man roster, said he ended up enjoying the cut-down process.
"It was ultimately fun to put together because we feel like we're really deep, even going out to the practice squad," Taylor said. "Yes, it was very challenging letting guys know that in other years maybe they would have made the 53, maybe would have made the practice squad, that they weren't going to get that this year or come back. But top to bottom, I feel like it's a really good group, and excited to get these guys."
The excitement around the group the organization ****** embled was still evident during and after the Bengals' Sept. 1 practice.
#excitement
2 months ago
