What I'm hearing about Al Golden, Trey Hendrickson, Amarius Mims and the Bengals' depth chart

In his first address in front of the team as the Bengals’ new defensive coordinator, Al Golden reinforced the acronym that he uses to define his defense to such an extent that several players had it memorized.

Ball disruption. Effort and attitude. Situational masters. Tackling.

BEST.

Golden told the team that he wanted to the Bengals to be the best in the league at all of that.

“He described his method and his standard for us,” Jordan Battle said. “It’s a great method, obviously coming from Notre Dame where they got to the championship. It’s a different energy. We’ll all be on the same page and ready to go.”

Conversations with Bengals defenders as the offseason program officially kicked off on Monday kept going back to communication.

“We started to come together, count on each other and depend on each other at the end of last season,” Josh Newton said. “That’s what it’s all about. Trusting in each other. We have to have a whole new attitude and up the ante.”

After sharing his mantra, Golden’s message to the defense on Monday stressed the importance of building relationships within the locker room, establishing more chemistry, communication and the importance of starting the season fast.

“It starts with the communication,” Battle said. “Everybody being on one page and allowing guys to play fast and be on the same page. We have a young room. Obviously, everyone has a voice. Nobody should be afraid to speak up. Everyone can be a leader. When guys understand that, you’ll be just fine.”

Golden had individual meetings with the defensive players who were in the building on Monday.

“We’ll grow with him,” Newton said. “Follow him. Just getting used to his energy and his scheme and the final picture he has in his head. Communicate among each other to make sure we have the information we need.”

The latest on Trey Hendrickson

Joseph Ossai was asked how the Bengals establish a better pass rush this season, and he was about to start off his answer by praising one of his mentors in Trey Hendrickson.

“We have the group with Trey…”

Ossai cut himself off.

“God willing.”

Hendrickson didn’t report on Monday for the start of optional team activities.

“Selfishly, I want him to be right here with me,” Ossai said. “I know he’s going to do what’s best for him, his family and his career. Whatever that looks like in the next two or three months, I’ll be supportive of it. He’s a huge mentor for me. I want him to be right here. But we’ll see.”

Patience has been the theme coming from the Bengals’ camp about Hendrickson, who’s seeking a long-term deal and has requested a trade.

On Monday, Duke Tobin was mum on the Bengals’ plans for Trey Hendrickson.

The Bengals don’t have a proven dynamic pass rusher outside of Hendrickson (Ossai and Myles Murphy are still growing and developing into starters), and the locker room recognizes that the 2025 Bengals need Hendrickson on the team this year.

“Hopefully, they can get something done,” Ted Karras said. “He’s a big part of this team. Obviously, a high production player. I never sweat the spring. It’s optional (workouts). It’s not the end of the world that he’s not here. I hope that they can come to some sort of agreement so that we can go into camp drama free.”

Get ready for a royal rumble at guard

Ted Karras broke into the NFL as a sixth-round pick with the New England Patriots, and Bill Belichick is known for having a lot of position battles as well as extensive competition for roster spots.

Still, Karras said that he hasn’t seen a position battle on the offensive line quite like what the Bengals are about to have for two guard spots between Lucas Patrick, Cody Ford, Cordell Volson, Jaxson Kirkland and a projected draft pick.

Karras said that he hasn’t seen a position battle for two spots that’s this wide open with this many competitors.

“It’ll be a really good, healthy competition,” Karras said. “It’s never really slated, but it kind of is. I’m sure we’ll draft a young guy. We’re going into a five-for-two type scenario. That’s really healthy for a team to have that competition.”

The most interesting thing that Duke Tobin said

The Bengals did what Duke Tobin said that they wouldn’t do and pretty much spent more money in free agency on the same team that the Bengals had last year. Oren Burks, Patrick and TJ Slaton, who have all been backups for most of their careers, were the Bengals’ big additions.

“We got with Al and his staff and really went over what we're looking for and a lot of what we had in guys like BJ Hill and Joseph Ossai, they had real roles for, and we were happy to get them back,” Tobin said. “We were not the only bidders, believe me.”

On paper, the Bengals look like they have holes at pass rushing defensive tackle, linebacker and safety.

“We’re pleased with where we sit right now,” Tobin said. And with the draft ahead of us, we are pleased. We kept our offense intact and our offense is really good. We kept it intact for the long run. That’s a very big positive. We’re rebuilding on defense under Al’s vision and Al has given us a very clear vision of what he sees and what he would like to have.”

Here’s the fascinating quote.

“I don’t think our team absorbs, right now as we sit, a bunch of rookie starters,” Tobin said.

Whether they like it or not, the Bengals might be rolling with Burks and Geno Stone and banking on massive leaps from players like Kris Jenkins, McKinnley Jackson, the backup linebackers, the young corners and Battle

The exception to that comment from Tobin would be a first-round pick like Jihaad Campbell or Malaki Starks (I heard good things about both of them, along with James Pearce, from some former SEC players in the Bengals’ locker room on Monday).

Myles Murphy is under the brightest spotlight in the locker room as the Bengals look for a leap

Myles Murphy knows the stain that zero sacks in 2024 puts on his resume. The tape shows that he actually did create a lot of pressure.

Murphy said, “The NFL is a production, what can you do for me now kind of league. Watching it back over, I did set up a lot of sacks. In the building, the team and the D-Line knew that and saw that. But I want to help the team and do whatever it takes to help the D-Line get to the quarterback and get him on the ground.”

The knee injury that forced him to miss the first four games of the season made a real impact, but he didn’t want that to be an excuse.

“Early on, it was pretty big,” Murphy said. “Tough to bend at times. The knee brace adds a bit of weight. I don’t like giving excuses. I see players play with it. Why couldn’t I? I don’t want to give an excuse. I most definitely could have handled it better with nutrition.”

More news and notes

-Karras highlighted three defensive players particular who deserve more recognition: Murphy, Maema Njongmeta and McKinnley Jackson.

Karras said about Jackson, “McKinnley can be a really dangerous player. He’s a unique nose tackle in that he has a penetrating style.”

Karras also highlighted Logan Wilson: “Logan is going to have to be that captain style guy that Sam (Hubbard) was for a long time.”

-Last year, Battle wasn’t in good enough shape heading into training camp, which translated in to a slow start for him in 2024. Battle on the next step for him in 2025: “From the jump, I have to be locked in. That’s with my communicating, my tackling and my ball disruption. Making plays. Making it be known that I’m on the field.”

-It sounds like Golden is a much bigger proponent for leaner, faster and twitcher edge rushers than Lou Anarumo was (Lou prioritized power and size more).

-Dax Hill should end up playing both outside and inside if his training camp and rehab goes the way the Bengals expect it to. The Bengals could play more 4-3 looks on early downs, and Hill will be competing to be one of those two base corners. Third down roles will come down to matchups.

-One player said to me about Cam Taylor-Britt: “Cam knows what he needs to do, and we have his back.”

-Ossai and Andrei Iosivas win the Phase One OTAs great shape award. Ossai’s shoulders are much broader, which could help him play with more power. He said, “I want to be in the best shape possible and make sure that I can move well.” My hot take on Iosivas is that he’ll be the Erick All Jr. replacement as the Bengals go back to using more 11 personnel and look for a dirty work blocker at receiver (Iosivas can also contribute plenty as a pass catcher).

-Tobin gave a big TBD on Germaine Pratt’s future with the Bengals (Pratt requested a trade and is also a cut candidate). He added that the Bengals didn’t sign Burks and immediately lock him into a starting spot. Linebacker is a big need this week in the draft.

-Amarius Mims said that he played with a broken hand as well as a “banged up” ankle down the stretch last year. He said that his main focus to start offseason was “healing.” In each of the last three games of the 2024 season, Mims only played a limited number of snaps (there was also the one confrontation with Frank Pollack on the sideline after Mims exited the Browns game with an injury).

Mims declined to discuss what happened down the stretch. He said, “I’ll leave that in last year.”

Mims said that his rookie season had ups and downs as well as plays that he’d like to clean up.

This year, he’s setting the bar high.

“When the season ended last year, I told coach when he pulled me in for my exit meeting that this year, I want to make the Pro Bowl. There’s a lot of growing up that I’ve done and maturing that I’ve done to get to that level. Just playing the football that I know I can play.”