MINICAMP BEGINS 🔥 Updates for Bengals & Chargers + Aaron Rodgers skips OTA | SportsCenter

as we mentioned off the top 18 NFL teams opening mandatory mini camp today you see them all right there one of them the Jets hoping for better results in last year when Aaron Rogers suffered a season ending injury four plays into the season opener however noticeably absent from mandatory meeting cam today was Rogers here's what head coach Robert Salah had to say about it it's new on Sports Center Aaron and I spoke uh before OTA started uh he's been uh very good in communication he's been here the entire time it's excused but um but uh he had an event that was very important to him um which he communicated it's a great opportunity too for Tyrod um to get reps with the ones over the next couple of days but as far as Aaron I mean he's he's been in the league for a while he's played at a very high level I think it it'll be more beneficial for for Tyrod than a loss for Aon an excuse but an event that is very important to him NFL analyst Tim Hasselbeck is joining us right now and Tim to you how big of a deal is it that Aaron Rogers is not at mandatory mini camp right now well for Aaron's you know play this season I don't think it's a big deal it's a little bit like Robert Solis said like he's been in the league a long time he played at a high level and so from in that regard in terms of his preparation I don't think it's a big deal now it's always better to have guys around than have them away especially leaders of your football team so I think it's really probably um you know the biggest detriment in terms of the expectations for the football team when one of your leaders isn't there especially if you have other guys that aren't there or deciding to not be there so you know look Aaron's actually done a very good job probably better than most would have expected in terms of being around for a lot of the voluntary stuff uh that the Jets have had going on this off season um so I'm sure it's been well communicated I'm sure people feel like he's bought in I don't think it's a performance issue come season time at the same time it's good to have your leaders around and you talk about good to have your leaders around I thought it was interesting what Robert Solis said In that clip he said it was unexcused but also an important event for Aaron Rogers what might that say about the dynamic between the two because obviously it seems like Robert Sola does not agree with the fact that he's not at mini camp right now yeah and I think it's one of the things you have to do as a head coach you basically say look I I'm going to even for Our Stars say this is an unexcused absence especially if Aaron is somewhere where it's going to be documented where he is look if he's attending to a family matter and people don't know where he is that's one thing but if he shows up um you know at a publicized event something like that that certainly would raise some eyebrows from the rest of the football team about wait a second why would that be excused so listen it's one of the challenges of being a head coach and I think um Robert Sala probably handled it about as well as he could have is it an excused absence or an in excused absence you got to go to the grammar here what can you tell us well I can tell you that Robert Salah is making clear in that news conference that this was an unexcused absence for Aaron roders I can also tell you though that the Jets are not necessarily concerned about his absence because he did communicate it to the team he also has been present throughout OTAs and quite frankly more so present as the team will tell you than uh he really was at any of Green Bay's off seasons in his later years there the one thing I'll say if there is any looming drama to come out of this and perhaps it will be uh squashed once some people communicate the question is whether Aron Rogers knew that this was excused or unexcused when he did communicate it to Robert Salah so like anything with the Jets we do have a little bit of looming drama but I will say the Jets are trying to make very clear that they are okay even if it's unexcused with Aaron Rogers not being at Mini at the end of the day it would result in a fine and again he's been around the league long enough as you heard sales I don't know that the mini camp would help him as much as some people might think it would on the other hand it could help with DeShawn Watson and the Browns they are also getting some work in we know Deshawn missed a ton of time last year with the shoulder what can you tell us about where he is right now recovering from surgery well I can tell you again I'm gonna put out a caveat here that this is not to say that there's been any kind of setback with DeShaun Watson but in mini camp we should not expect to see Watson throwing full speed during team drills uh throughout this offseason jamus Winston has handled most of the first team reps Watson has been going through simulations as you're seeing here but when it comes to team drills he is not throwing full speed and I don't anticipate based on my conversations that he will do so until training camp they are trying to be as cautious as possible with him he is believing in himself that he is without limitations that he could do these things but for now we should not expect to see see DeShaun Watson at full speed in this it's the Joe burrow discussion we just had a couple of minutes ago you get him out there to get some reps in but he's not going to go slinging it all over the yard like it's week five of the NFL season you always forget how hard it is coming back from injury that's every time it happens I think the same thing because there's always Peaks where you're like I'm feeling great and then a couple months later you have a couple days where it's like man I'm not I'm not feeling that great and in the past I push through that and cause problems for myself and this year I'm not doing that it's a constant process us that's what coming back from injury is there's going to be good days and bad days and we're going to take it day by day I'll be ready to go by the season Bengals reporter Ben baby joins us right now and Joe burrow missed the final seven games of last season with that wrist injury you heard Joe burrow talking about it right there Ben what did you see from Joe burrow at practice today yeah Mina like you just heard Joe said he'll be ready for the season but when I asked him what percentage he'd put that risk that's coming back from surgery he said that that it was hard to put a number on it and we saw him today in drills and one thing that was notable was that he did participate in seven on seven drills today but the Bengals did not have any 11 on 11 team reps and we did see Joe flexing that wrist at times especially after individual drills early in practice and one of the themes for him this whole offseason has been finding that balance on when to push through an injury and when to listen to his body and I asked him about that and he said that the caf he suffered last year was a big Catalyst for that and this offseason he's picked up some Hobbies including playing the piano he told us and when I asked him about that he said that that's something that he picked up in order to help with that rist recovery and that it's helped with his dexterity so that's something he'll be doing as he gets ready for training camp in July yeah and Joe burrow also kind of hinting at the fact that it's not only a physical Journey back but also an emotional and mental Journey back as well from injury Ben baby we'll have more from you in just a bit so stay with us yeah I me the Bangals are hope that burrow composes some sweet music on the field for him this year as Tim hasselbach is with us and Tim you kind of heard him allude to it there a second ago talking about taking his time with the injury so how much concerned based on what you heard burrow say based on what you heard Ben baby say how concerned do you about the quarterback at his health I I do think you have to be a little bit concerned and and it's not just you know Ben's reporting and and what Joe burrow said it's also the fact that this is an injury that's not a typical injury for quarterbacks you know a lot of times if somebody is coming off of an injury and other player is at his position uh has had an injury in the past and there's been a traditional path to recovery and rehab and um you know while it won't always look exactly the same you know there's a program and a protocol to follow I think it's is a little unique um you know in this situation it's not a common injury uh it's been clear and and burrow has talked about you know just getting the range of motion and the flexibility back in as wrist uh obviously important for a thrower and it seems like you know taking your time with that rather than just aggressively pushing through it probably is the best path to be help to be when the season rolls around yeah he gets nothing out of having zip on his ball at at mini Camp Road nothing right I mean just it's get there go through the motions make sure you know if he were to miss everything right now M be ready to play during the season there'd be no problem if he was full go right now and was going to miss games during the regular season that'd be a major issue for the Cincinnati Bengals if he's healthy in playing they have a chance to compete with anybody if he's not available much like we saw a year ago it's a disaster for Cincinnati well to that Andy he's only been one season where Joe burrow has played in every game his health is always top of Mind Tim sit tight we got more in the Bengals in just a second Amina Joe Burrow's top Target Jamar Chase is also at mandatory mini camp Chase is eligible for a new contract and today made his first appearance at the Bengals offseason program Ben baby back here with us Jamar Chase was at mandatory mini camp but did not speak to reporters we also know that t Higgins is not at mandatory mini camp right now Ben what's the latest on both of those receivers for the Bengals let's start with Jamar he did not participate in the second half of practice he did do walkthroughs and so I asked him if he wanted to speak to reporters today he said he did not but I did ask are you healthy and he said said what I don't look healthy and that's good information to have as you noted he is looking for that contract extension his he was waiting on Justin Jefferson's deal to get done something he has been talked about last year so we'll see how that continues to develop as for T Higgins he is still not signed his franchise tag he has not reported throughout the entirety of this offseason program a Joe burrow talked about the communication he's had with Higgins this offseason he's noted that it's been good he's seen him several times and he would be very open to throwing with t who has indicated previously in the off season that he does intend to play for the Bengals in 24 despite asking for a trade earlier in the off season if you're a fan you always worry when your top receiver is not at mandatory mini cam but it's sounds like something will get done in the near future Ben baby thank you so much for the Insight if you think the fans are concerned that the top star receivers aren't there think about the quarterback Joe burrow who's who isn't healthy and he needs his stars there so Tim you look at the two receivers both want money both are saying the right things off the field who knows if they're happy or not how concerning is that for the quarterback that both of his receivers are looking for the exact same thing yeah I think it's tough I think the biggest issue in this Matt is that this is probably the last time that Joe bur is going to have both guys now I think ultimately uh just like you know in Ben's reporting there look the Bengals been clear that they want to get a deal done with Chase Chase had reason to wait around and see some other deals take place before signing his deal now Higgins is a different story they've obviously made chase the priority because of the you know current collective bargaining agreement it does not make sense for for Chase to have a hold out now a hold in where look you've got a tight hamstring and can't play that would certainly you know cause some angst if I were the Cincinnati Bengals as an organization as well as burrow it doesn't appear that that's going to be the case and so I would just say that you know patience is probably going to be um you know the key word here for both guys with how it plays out but this typically this probably is the the last ride with for burrow and both of these you know really true number one wide receivers which means you know being healthy and playing well is going to be critical because it's going to be probably the last time you have both guys yeah you can pay one big time money we know the franchise tag T Higgins $21.8 million that'll be a one-year deal if and when he signs it but that's a great Point Tim last chance with these three guys together one of the best offenses in the NFL Tim hasselbach Herbert suffered a broken fingure on his right hand in week 14 which required surgery and ended his 23 season numerous changes in the receiver room with the Chargers cutting Mike Williams and trading Keenan Allen however La drafted Georgia wide receiver lad makoni with the 34th pick in the 24 draft and then there's new head coach Jim harball hired this off season second stint in the NFL after having zero losing seasons in his four years with the ners from 2011 to 2014 Harbaugh spoke today and raved on his quarterback athleticism and strength really I mean he could play tight end here he could play Edge rusher here uh an he can really and the arm Talent is even better than advertised um it's ex exciting thing I mean I found myself just sitting at my desk at times and going we he's on our team you know not once as a coach said about Tim Hasselback that he could play Edge rusher in tight end Force ever quarterback quarterback only for Timmy Hasselback tyter folen back with us as we break down a little bit of what Harbaugh just said uh so you heard Harbaugh is very bullish on the quarterback and the skill there what bet when you look at the Chargers holistically do you like I'm going to bet that the Chargers finish second in the AFC West and the way I'm going to make this worthwhile for you is to make it a straight forecast bet now if you're into horse racing this is an Exacta I need to get the AFC West first and second in that exact order well we know who's finishing first in the AFC as long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy the Chiefs are going to win this division now when you look at who's going to come in second you have Justin Herbert playing quarterback with Jim Harbaugh as the head coach for the LA Chargers you have Aiden oconnell Garder muu with Antonio Pierce in Vegas you have Bo Nick Zack Wilson with Sean pton and Denver big Advantage at the quarterback spot for the Chargers so I don't know if they'll be in the playoffs CU there's a lot of depth in the AFC I think they'll be second in that Division behind the Chiefs and if it is one two Kansas City LA that's a plus 160 wager we'll get to the Chargers portion of this hassle back in a minute but when you look at that graphic that's really low for Denver don't you think year two Payton listen I I do especially if they think that b knck is going to play well I do think the quarter back play going to be easily improved um you know while Russell Wilson was there it was such a disaster that I do think there's a shot that bonick plays better so I I would agree with you on that that that Denver seems low considering what Shawn Payton's accomplished as a coach okay so now back to the Chargers question you heard fulum he wants to bet him in at second of the AFC West we know that the chiefs of the class of this division what needs to happen for the Chargers year one of Harbaugh to have them compete compete in this Division I think we're going to see an identity change out of the Chargers in terms of what they've wanted to be on offense so while he's going to gush about what Justin Herbert can do in terms of his talent they're going to run the football Greg Romans is offensive coordinator for a reason look and everywhere Jim Harbaugh has been they've run the football and so you just look at the backs that they have physical backs and like it doesn't matter when he was the head coach of San Diego when he had and luck is his head coach at Stanford Toby Gart ran the football ran the ball then uh at Michigan while it certainly fit the identity of that program look they wanted to run the football even if they had a good quarterback so they're going to run the football that's going to be the biggest change and they're going to commit to it that's it he's khakis he's quarterback he's run up the middle not much dazzle with him but always dazzle with a Tim and titer production gentlemen thank you [Music] the [Music] [Applause] [Music]

Channel: NFL on ESPN

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Length: 16min 10sec (970 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 11 2024