DJ Turner II, the Bengals' lockdown cornerback with the locked-in mindset, is lasered on the voluntary spring workouts and doesn't have time for such annoying afterthoughts as personal goals.

"I don't do that kind of thing," Turner said this week after practice.

Pro Bowl?

"Nope," Turner said.

Not surprising to position coach Charles Burks, who has overseen every practice snap of all but one Bengals cornerback in his five seasons here and worked the ladder from Division II. None of those players, says Burks, has done what Turner has.

"This entire journey, he has made the biggest turnaround that I've ever seen a player make," Burks says. "Everything. From routine. To the way he takes care of his body. He's revamped all of that. It's amazing."

As he heads into his fourth season with the fallout of a break-out season swirling (Exhibit A the media horde asking about his contract year), Turner looks as focused and as good as ever. He got his hands on everything last year but a Pro Bowl when his 18 passes defensed were the most by a Bengals cornerback in 16 seasons, but the only money he's talking about is wins.

He could have extended his Far East junket until next week's mandatory minicamp and no one would have said a word. But he didn't. Extremely sharp since he showed up two weeks ago for the start of the on-field work, Burks says, displaying the experience of 34 NFL starts. The workouts away from the facility have also surfaced, as has his command of such details as formation recognition and situational awareness.

"At a high level," Burks says. "He's really focused on winning. He knows the personal accolades will come."

He also broke out last season in the locker room, where he emerged as an ascending young player to follow. Safety Jordan Battle, the third-rounder from 2023 who followed him in the draft, says Turner has been an influence.

"A little bit," Battle says. "But don't tell him that."

They've become good enough friends that they met up in Japan during the offseason for a few days to enhance their knowledge of meditation. Battle admits they're a bit of an odd couple. Both intense. But while Turner simmers, Battle exudes.

"They say opposites attract," Battle said. "Even though he might not be that vocal guy, maybe I can help him with that, and he can help me be quiet like that at the right time. We're real cool. We hang a lot outside the building. He knows a lot about me and I know a lot about him."

Battle likes the way Turner plays the game. He always seems to be picking people's brains. But what he also likes is that it's not just about football.

"He always has people over, always wants to hang out," Battle says. "Try to get to know people. He relates to my friends back home from that aspect, being able to have somebody I can speak to outside of them. Someone I could trust like DJ. Great player, greater person."

Burks can see the impact stately Ravens cornerback Chidobe Awuzie had on him during the one season they were together when Turner was a rookie, and now he sees Turner having the same kind of impact in his room. Turner's ability to look inside himself through meditation, Burks knows, is something not many people are willing to do.

"I'm really impressed with him as a player," Burks says. "I'm more impressed where he's at as a man."

Jordan's Battleplan

If Turner's not making any goals, Battle has revealed he'd like to be a captain. He's had some good ones to emulate, and he starts on his side of the ball with retired defensive end Sam Hubbard and moves quickly to quarterback Joe Burrow.

He also points to two former DBs in his room who led so well and didn't always wear the 'C' in cornerback Mike Hilton and safety Michael Thomas, as well as one who did, safety Vonn Bell.

"Sam's one of the main ones. A guy who did everything the right way. Speaks up when needs to. When things aren't going right," Battle says. "Joey B. is a great captain who probably doesn't say much around you guys (the media), but he says a lot to us in a team environment.

"Mike was more leading the DBs. Vonn was a guy doing the right things off the field and helping us that way."

Battle has taken a page from Turner's meditation routine, and says it's something that has to be done away from the stadium, where there's simply not much time.

"Practice at home or off to the side. Like everything else, it has to become a creature of habit," says Battle, who believes it's a good primer for stadium Sundays. "Not as much as (Turner). I do it a little differently. I'm trying to tap into the mind. I'm trying to wire my mind a little differently now that I'm getting a little older.

"The game is 90 percent mental. It's a mindset going into each game. Who are you going to cover? Who are you going to tackle? Who are you reading most of the game? Meditation helps with that. Helps you focus on one thing."

The best state of mind can also help choosing the right words at the right time.

"Being able to calm yourself with encouraging words. Not saying the wrong things at the wrong times and saying the right things at the right times and the thought behind it. Every situation, take a deep breath."

Slants and Screens

Yes, top draft pick Cashius Howell, the edge from Texas A&M, is learning those 3-4 linebacker drops. But, let's face it. The man is here to get low and bend the edge on the pass rush with his unique short space burst. And he's been talking to the vet rushers as much as dropping.

"Not anything ground-breakingly new, but I have good vets and good guys around me who are able to look at certain ways I rush and critique them in a very intentional way and hone in on the small details," Howell says. "Things like hand placement, false steps, get-off. The small things so I can be as much as a technician as I can." …

Howell signed his rookie deal last week and admits it's a load off. A long way from the Bowling Green days.

"It was a good feeling just to put it behind me and not have to worry about anything with finances," Howell says. "The mindset is still the same. Just come in and do my part every day. Being on time, making sure I've got attention on every facet of the game."

The money means he can buy one of the houses he's been looking at in the Cincy area for the past month. He's not looking for an apartment or a condo. A house.

"I've lived in apartments and dorm rooms since freshman year. From Bowling Green to A&M. I'm ready to upgrade and get a house and maybe try to get a dog," Howell says. "I didn't want to try and get a house and I'm not financially able to get it." …

Battle says he ate about twice as much as usual in Japan during his nine-day stay and ended up losing ten pounds: "It shows you how processed the food is in America." …