From what NFL leading receiver Ja'Marr Chase can see, Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco looks fine.

"Regular. The same," Chase said when he was asked how Flacco looked during Thursday's practice at the IEL Indoor Facility. "I wouldn't have known he was injured."

But the AC joint in his throwing shoulder is, which is why Flacco was listed as going limited after not working Wednesday, when head coach Zac Taylor called Flacco 50-50 for Sunday's game (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) against the Bears at Paycor Stadium.

Chase says they're preparing for both Flacco and Jake Browning to play, yet he didn't see the ball coming out any differently from Flacco than it has during this 100.1 passer rating skein in three Flacco starts with the Bengals. Like Taylor, Chase is impressed with Flacco's commitment at age 40.

"He still wants it. He loves this game," Chase said. "Obviously, you could tell about the way he plays and just the performance he gives off, the energy he gives off, but he still attacks it the same way at practice during the week."

Inside Info

When Bengals returner Charlie Jones heads into his early Friday morning return meetings with special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons, he'll have all the answers.

Bears punter Tory Taylor was Jones' roommate for three years at Iowa, and it's safe to say he's handled the most kicks in his life from Taylor.

"We'd always go out on the field, and he'd kick and I'd catch," said Jones after Thursday's practice. "When I go in there with Darrin, I'll go in with a lot of facts and knowledge on him before even studying him."

Taylor was picked in the fourth round out of Iowa in 2024, a year after the Bengals took Jones in the fourth round out of Purdue. Jones remembers that game, too.

"When I was at Purdue and we played Iowa, I don't think he gave me one chance," Jones said. "I hope that changes. I want to get at least one."

Jones, who turned 27 Wednesday, says he has no problems keeping in touch with Taylor this week, as they often do.

"I can separate it through the week," Jones said. "I can be boys through the week and then those few hours on the field, it's all business. Then after, it's just going back to being boys."

Slants and Screens

Chase, a New Orleans native, said he read about being on pace to tie Michael Thomas' single-season record of 149 catches for the Saints, and he's only excited because he saw Thomas do it in New Orleans. Thomas did it in 2019, Chase's last year at LSU when the Tigers went unbeaten and Chase was the top receiver in the country.

But it doesn't have him that excited.

"Not really," Chase said. "I just remember when he did it because I was watching it as a fan." …

NFL sack champion Trey Hendrickson (hip) didn't practice Thursday for the second straight day …

Neither did linebacker Logan Wilson (calf) …

Also same with cornerback Marco Wilson (hamstring) and guard Dalton Risner (illness) …

The Bengals have been getting cleaned out at linebacker. After signing two to the practice squad Thursday when they signed Joe Gilles-Harris to the roster to replace Shaka Heyward (leg) on injured reserve, Oren Burks was a late add to the injury report when he injured his groin at practice …