The Bengals' rookies took the field for the first time Friday morning on the Paycor Stadium turf for their rookie minicamp, and third-round pick Dylan Fairchild had a leg up on the offensive line group.

Fairchild, the left guard from Georgia who the coaches say has the job to win, has spent the last couple of days bunking at the home of center Ted Karras.

Fairchild celebrated his 22^nd birthday Thursday reporting to Paycor and said Karras has been running through tape with him.

QUICK GAME

Head coach Zac Taylor is set to break the camp early afternoon Friday, but the rookies are back Monday when they join up with the veterans in voluntary workouts.

Taylor kept it brief with install meetings and a 45-minute on-field session focused on position fundamentals and playbook basics with all of it geared for Monday.

Back in the day, after those grueling five-practice, three-day minicamps, the rookies had to leave for a week and often more. No more of that.

"You get a chance to make a tremendous impression on Monday when you walk in the door," Taylor said. "You know the information, you can communicate it, you can align correctly, you can execute the job, and that's going to open eyes. 'This guy can help us now.'"

The last of the unsigned draft picks, defensive tackle Shemar Stewart and linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., didn't work and were on the side in uniform. "They're working through their contracts," Taylor said of his top two picks.

One veteran who won't be out there Monday is starting defensive tackle B. J. Hill. He was wearing a boot on his foot while he was on the side Tuesday, and Taylor said, "We're going to very slow with B.J. in the offseason."

UNDRAFTED MANTRA

The Bengals' undrafted class of 13 includes a player from the NFL's International Pathway Program. Dante Barnett, 22, a defensive tackle from Birmingham in the United Kingdom, comes to the Bengals after playing just five games for Division III Dickinson College. But he showed some athleticism at his pro day, impressed the Bengals during a pre-draft visit and has been working in a two-month program at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He also brings a practice squad exemption.

"We'll always take the extra guy (for practice), but he's got real talent," Taylor said. "We'll see how it goes."

Taylor gave the college free agents the same pitch when they agreed to bring them in last week. All he had to do was point to linebacker Maema Njongmeta and tight end Cam Grandy as undrafted rookies who contributed significantly in the playoff push last year.

"If you're undrafted and you want to get a chance to make a roster and play football, come to Cincinnati. We're going to give you the same opportunity we give our draft picks," Taylor said.

On cue, Tayor said there's now a long-snapper battle between incumbent Cal Adomitis and undrafted rookie William Wagner of Michigan, a finalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award given to the nation's top long snapper.