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TRAINING CAMP REPORT | Bengals Host Saturday Night Practice at Paycor Stadium, Vets Weigh In On Rookie DL Shemar Stewart

The Bengals went live Saturday night at Paycor Stadium during a brisk 90-minute workout, and the sun-splashed fans enjoyed the pleasant 77-degree weather as well as another good practice from first-round pick Shemar Stewart.

Stewart, working with the second team, broke up a Jake Browning pass off the edge, would have had a sack on a play that was called off, and backed up tackle Devin Cochran into Browning as the Bengals continue to flop him on the edges.

Other takes from Saturday:

A good night for other rookies as well:

Left guard Dylan Fairchild, a third-round pick, had a dominant night in one-on-one pass rush, either face-planting his foe or stoning them at the point of attack. Running Tahj Brooks, a sixth-rounder, darted into the second level often on screens and runs. Fifth-rounder Jalen Rivers got the nod at right tackle with the first group and had some good moments and not-so-good moments against Myles Murphy in team and one-on-ones as he continues to give the coaches things to show progression as a backup swing tackle …

Vet Lucas Patrick got his first shot with the first group at right guard as Cody Ford moved to the second team …

Safety Daijahn Anthony had an opportunistic interception in the middle of the field when he caught Browning's deep ball that went beyond wide receiver Cole Burgess

Cornerback Josh Newton also had pick of Browning in 7-on-7 when he cut in front of wide receiver Charlie Jones on a crosser …

The loudest cheers were, of course, for quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. They didn't disappoint. Safety Geno Stone did knock a ball away from Higgins in an preseason-game-type-mid-field collision, but Higgins came back to run a nice out route against cornerback DJ Turner II and QB Joe Burrow threw a perfect ball to the sidelines that went for about 15 yards …

Burrow also found Chase on the sidelines in classic fashion when the two conspired to beat tight bracket coverage …

Kicker Evan McPherson came into Saturday with just three missed field goals and hit his first five Saturday. He missed his last two, both wide right from 56 yards. Incumbent Cal Adomitis took the first three long snaps, rookie William Wagner the last four …

During routes on air, wide receiver Jermaine Burton made a one-handed catch on a deep post from Browning …

Still sitting out with injuries that have been deemed more on the cautious side than a serious one were defensive tackle B.J. Hill, right tackle Amarius Mims and cornerbacks Cam Taylor-Britt and Marco Wilson

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Veterans Praise The Rookie

Prior to Saturday's night practice on the Paycor Stadium turf, two veteran defensive tackles weighed in on what they've seen so far from Stewart.

"I think he's a very smart player the way he's been picking up the defense," B.J. Hill said. "He's been here, what? Less than a week. He's picked it up pretty well."

Stewart, the 17th pick in the first round, is flashing the athleticism he glittered at Texas A&M, where he received the highest of grades for defensive linemen in the 40 years they've been keeping the Relative Athletic Score metric.

"Very quick, twitchy guy. Fast. Naturally strong guy," nose tackle T.J. Slaton said. "He's got the physical tools. All he needs is the details that help him out. I think he'll be a great player."

Hill has taken notice of Stewart lining up at both ends as well as on the inside on third down to give the offense a different look.

"He's been making some plays out there for us," Hill said. "He's a strong, physical, big-time athlete who can do a lot of things for us. Inside or outside. Glad to have him on our side. When he learns this defense, things are going to very explosive for our defense."

Satellite Campus of Tight End University

New Bengals tight end Noah Fant, who arrived after Thursday's practice, spent his first full day with teammates who aren't all new faces. He can thank Tight End University for that.

TEU, a three-day summit held in Nashville, Tenn., in June, has been going strong for five years bringing tight ends from across the league to bond. So, Fant has already crossed paths with Mike Gesicki and Drew Sample.

"So not everyone is an alien face. That's always nice," Fant said. "It's like mutual friends getting together."

Fant is a first-round pick from the 2019 draft, and Sample is a second-round pick, while Fant and Gesicki are two of the more productive tight ends of the 2020s.

But when it comes to watching tape around the league, Fant has zeroed in on two founders of TEU in Travis Kelce and George Kittle

Kittle is the man Fant succeeded at Iowa.

"Obviously, George and I have a good relationship," Fant said. "I'm trying to improve my yards after catch, and I think Kittle takes it to another level. He's impossible to bring down when he gets into the secondary, and I'm going to continue to make strides.

"George is an unbelievable athlete and he's fast. People don't give him enough credit for that. His blocking in the run game is elite among tight ends. Kelce's ability is route running. He has the ability to find space in zone and still beat man coverages. He runs routes like a wide receiver."

Slants and Screens

Everyone is watching NFL sack champion Trey Hendrickson work with Stewart on the field, and Stewart has been all ears.

"He's very calculating with everything he does. Everything he does, he plans it out," Stewart said. "It's not easy to copy and paste. You really have to get in there and work at it."

One nugget Hendrickson has given him is arm extension:

"You want to be all extended when you make some kind of contact with O-linemen. If it's not, and he reaches you, your rush is basically over. Make sure your arms are fully extended before making contact with the offensive line." …

Sample says bring on the tight ends: "The more the merrier."

"I think we're just trying to put together a good football team this year. Our coaches are kind of like mad scientists. Just giving them all the options, and they kind of piece everything together and see where everyone fits. Having the most flexibility let's us do whatever we need to do to win games." …

Fant got his first look at quarterback Joe Burrow, and it might not have been much, but it was enough.

"He's all about his business," Fant said. "He's one of the best to do it, if not the best in the league. I haven't got to know him yet. I'm just excited to work with him and earn his trust."

View some of the top shots from the Bengals' 2025 Saturday Night Stadium Practice at Paycor Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025.

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