Bengals
Following the first offseason program under DC Al Golden, Bengals DT Kris Jenkins Jr. discussed the players’ positive response to Golden and his belief that they will be the most fundamental defense in the league.
“We’ll be the most technically sound defense in the NFL,” Jenkins said, via Geoff Hobson of the team’s website. “We will have every aspect of the defense settled that we can. That’s our job, that’s our mission. It’s on us to be able to achieve that.
“We’re buying into the scheme and you can tell the amount of emotion and passion he has for his scheme and for us.”
Golden touched on the players’ buy-in and the importance of them exaggerating the basics, no matter how mundane they can get.
“What’s important is the buy-in from the players, because here in Cincinnati, you have a head coach that protects the players over the long haul, most particularly in the season,” Golden said. “If you’re not over-exaggerating your technique, if you’re not attacking the ball, if you’re not on the leverage hip, if you don’t have the leverage foot up, on and on and on technically, then you’re not building great muscle memory … We’re always talking about just over exaggerate your technique in walk through, over communicate, and demonstrate that you can understand and execute your assignment and, in this case, not tackling.”
Browns
Browns OT Dawand Jones has dealt with a broken fibula and arthroscopic knee surgery, but has also taken strides to better his health in general, saying he is down 20 pounds of body fat from last season.
“Health-wise, I feel better, I should say,” Jones said, via Akron Beacon-Journal’s Chris Easterling. “I feel like I took care of my body a little bit better this offseason. That was the main thing. Just make those little small adjustments from last year to this year and just things to work on and get better. Lost a lot of body fat, and I pride myself on that and so I’m happy about that. For sure the lingering injury, my knee, and it sucks. I want to be out there, I’m going to do as much as I can but I can only do as far as my body goes. Like I said, I had to have surgery last year and I feel better now. Lost a lot of body fat. I’m kind of the same weight … I would say I lost probably 20 pounds from last year, so no range or nothing, but for sure lost a lot of body fat.”
Ravens
Ravens CB Nate Wiggins is entering the second year of his career after being a first-round pick in 2024. His goal for 2025 is to create over 10 turnovers after missing out on several interceptions last season.
“[I want to] get 10+ turnovers,” Wiggins said, via Clifton Brown of the team’s site. “No matter – interceptions, forced fumbles. I feel I dropped like five, six picks last year. I feel like I owe the team some picks. This year it’s all about catching the ball, looking it through.”
Wiggins has put on 10 pounds since last season and feels it’s giving him more power.
“Since last season to know I gained 10 pounds,” Wiggins said. “This year, it’s going to be like more power, more strength. I’m still training to gain more pounds. I’m not a big fan of eating… [but] I’m forcing myself to eat.”
Wiggins feels things started to click for him around Week 6-7 in 2024.
“Week 6, Week 7, that’s when it really clicked in my head,” Wiggins said. “OK, I can guard each receiver in the league. I was getting confident. Each week I was playing better. Getting the concepts. Getting the plays down. How they run routes. Everything physically, I can do it.”
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