Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II not only leads the NFL with 14 passes defensed and leads all cornerbacks with at least 38 targets in Pro Football Focus coverage grades heading into Sunday's game in Pittsburgh (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12), he's also leading at the front of the secondary room.
"I've been a captain on every team I've ever been on. High School. Michigan," Turner said this week. "I don't have a C yet, but I've always done this. It's not a new thing for me."
What Turner is doing is getting ready to cover DK Metcalf and follow the Steelers' best receiver from Clairton (Pittsburgh home of Tyler Boyd) to McDonald (Pittsburgh home of Marvin Lewis). It worked out well last month, when Turner held Metcalf to three catches for 50 yards and robbed him with a spectacular sideline interception in the last minute of the first half. That set up Evan McPherson's walk-off field goal that meant everything in a 33-31 win.
These types of exploits have allowed Turner to not only speak, but to be heard. Backup cornerback DJ Ivey says in the defense's player-only meeting following the Jets game last month, Turner mentioned some of the things he's done in his daily routine that he thinks has made him better, and Ivey has adopted a meditation part of his day after hearing Turner talk about it.
"When players see guys playing as well as he has and as consistent as he is. … I think they gravitate toward him because they want a piece of that," says cornerbacks coach Charles Burks. "DJ has done a really good job with everybody sharing his routine, how he responds to adversity good and bad. He's really starting to be a leader on this defense."
Ivey is in Turner's 2023 draft class, and Burks points to Cam Taylor-Britt, a cornerback drafted in the second round in 2022 who has bounced back from some tough early-season sledding.
"Listening to coaches is one thing, but watching teammates you're watching go through the NFL process day in and day out, I think that's significant for not only young guys, but three- and four-year vets," Burks said. "He's had a great effect on Cam. Cam's responded the right way and has played well the last two games, but he's also being able to see DJ carry himself the way he's carrying himself."
Turner isn't a big media talker, but that apparently changes in meeting rooms and on the field. Burks, who calls him "Drago," short for his first name JuanDrago, says, "The Drago I know isn't quiet in meetings."
Turner says he leads by not telling guys stuff, but by telling them to "Watch me."
"I definitely talk to the whole defense," Turner said. "I lead by example. 'Watch how I work. Watch how I prepare. Watch how I do my body. Watch what I do off the field.' I can't tell you something I won't do. That's my biggest thing."
Burks says the leadership of the secondary a few years ago was so strong with safety Vonn Bell, nickel Mike Hilton, special teams maven Mike Thomas , hat it has been passed down to the next generation. Also in the group is Jalen Davis, a practice squad nickel who has been here since 2020.
"Getting here early," said Turner of what Bell taught him. He was not only here early Friday, he was one of the last to leave on what is their early day.
"He's still in the tub," said Ivey, who just got out of the recovery pool himself.
The sounds of silence.
"He's a guy who has a voice," Burks said. "He's getting that voice by production on the field, and his production on the field comes from how he works."
Ced Gets A Say
With NFL sack champion Trey Hendrickson (hip/pelvis) and rookie edge Shemar Stewart (knee) ruled out for Sunday after not practicing all week, here comes Cedric Johnson often off the edge. Johnson, who racked up three pressures in his season debut two weeks ago, has now had another week of practice after coming back from a training camp calf injury late last month.
The 6-3, 264-pound Johnson, a sixth-round 2024 draft pick, has collected fans in the weight room after he spent the summer leading up to training camp working out with director of player performance Joey Boese and his staff.
"He's a guy that goes about his business the right way. Very hard worker in my area," Boese says. "I'm excited for him to get a chance. That's what he needs. More reps."
In Johnson's last three games dating back to the last two of his rookie season, he's been active off the edge with a handful of pressures and his first NFL sack. With just three days in pads before playing the Bears Nov. 2, Johnson delivered 28 snaps in the kicking game to go with his 14 plays from scrimmage. That was his most defensive plays since he got 24 in last year's 34-24 win over Carolina.
Johnson may have said he was gassed, but Boese was the least surprised guy at Paycor as Johnson logged those 42 snaps first game out.
"He can run all day," Boese says. "The thing about Ced is he shows up. He was here in the summer and worked hard every day, on time, acts like a pro. Usually, those are the guys that succeed.
"He's not the biggest guy, but he's strong. You can see that on the field. Some of that pass-rushing ability is just a relentlessness to keep on going. He has that."
Slants and Screens
Turner says that acrobatic pick of Metcalf, the one where he wrenched it away from his 6-4 body as he was going out of bounds, is not his greatest pick of all-time.
"I'd have to think about it, but I've had better." …
Rookie running back Tahj Brooks is looking at getting the most snaps of his career with Samaje Perine (ankle) out. That's huge, given Perine was in on 19 pass plays against the Steelers last month. PFF has him for only two pass blocks, he executed both and was graded the Bengals' top pass protector in that game …
Backup guard Lucas Patrick (calf) went limited Friday after getting hurt Thursday and is questionable …
As expected, quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) didn't practice Friday after his only practice all week was going limited Thursday. But he has no status on the injury report, which means he's probable, also expected …
Backup wider receiver Jermaine Burton (illness) went full Friday after missing Thursday …
Backup cornerback Marco Wilson (hamstring) went full all three days …
