CINCINNATI – The absences of Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson and rookie first-round pick Shemar Stewart dominated the discussions around the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason.
And it’s far from a certainty that still won’t be the case when training camp opens in less than a month with both players standing firm in their contract demands in addition to publicly criticizing the team.
But Hendrickson and Stewart weren’t the only members of the defensive line who weren’t on the field for OTA and minicamp practices.
Starting defensive tackle B.J. Hill also didn’t practice at all, but for different reasons.
Hill signed a three-year, $33 million extension in March, but he spent the early portion of the offseason in a walking boot due to an undisclosed injury to his left foot.
It’s obviously not an ideal situation to have three key members of the defensive line not available to practice as new defensive coordinator Al Golden installed his scheme.
But head coach Zac Taylor found an upside to the situation.
“This is a positive in some ways,” Taylor said. “So many guys have gotten so many reps and they’ve been able to cross train. It’s been really good for guys as we build that depth.
“Guys are fighting for opportunity,” Taylor continued. “In that way, it’s been a very positive thing. I think Al and our staff has done a great job especially on that side of the ball practicing with intent on that side of the ball.”
Hill’s absence has created more opportunities for 2024 draft picks Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson, who had their rookie seasons delayed by injuries last summer.
They have made more reps working alongside defensive tackle and top free agent signing TJ Slaton.
And defensive end Cedric Johnson, who was a sixth-round pick last year, has taken advantage of the Hendrickson and Stewart absences to get some first-team reps.
Missing offseason practices can be just a blip in the preparation for veterans such as Hendrickson and Hill, but it’s obviously more concerning for a rookie.
Still, Stewart is missing out on valuable reps for a rookie.
"I think for all the rookies, you'd like them to be on the field," Taylor said. "But certainly there's things that that happen (over the course of an NFL) career, and this is one of them right now. So he's been in the meetings, he's been positive, and we look forward to getting (him) back on the field."
Golden echoed that sentiment.
"That's not really our concern,” Golden said of Stewart’s inactivity at practice. “Our concern is teaching him and making sure he's learning. He's engaged, he's on time. He's had a great attitude in the meetings. That's all we can control right now.
“I think it's a lesson for him in the NFL—control what you can control,” Golden added. “From our standpoint, he's done a good job in terms of the learning. We are as excited as anybody to get him out there."
