Bengals Training Camp Tidbits Day 1: Joe Burrow Discharged from Hospital, Dax Hill Calling

CINCINNATI – Training camp began for the defending AFC champions Wednesday without Joe Burrow and with a number of key players on the sidelines as the Bengals carefully manage players coping with injuries.

As for Burrow, the quarterback left the hospital Wednesday after an appendectomy on Tuesday.

“He had a procedure done for an appendicitis,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “Procedure went well. The timeline is obviously to be determined, but again, everything went smoothly.”

Taylor said that despite Burrow’s absence, the team will still be able to get valuable offensive reps for everyone with quarterbacks Brandon Allen, Jake Browning and Drew Plitt.

“It doesn’t because we still got a bunch of other guys that we’re gearing towards,” Taylor said. “It’s a really good opportunity for Brandon and Jake to get more reps than they would have with different groups than they would have. So, you have to look at the bright side of things, it’s a good chance to see them, evaluate them, let them work with some other guys. And then when we go from there.

“Then when Joe comes back, he jumps back into those reps. But those guys have to maximize those opportunities they are going to get.”

Taylor said there’s been no decisions made yet regarding whether Burrow will even play in the three preseason games.

“We were going to make those determinations as we got closer to the games,” Taylor said. “(We’ll) see where we were at as a team as training camp unfolded. Certainly, had some thoughts but nothing was set in stone in either way.”

Alex Cappa and La’el Collins:

Zac Taylor said the team will take it easy with Cappa and Collins at first, and true to his word, Isaiah Prince got first team reps at right tackle while Hakeem Adeniji continued his work from OTAs when he filled in for Cappa at right guard with the first unit. Jackson Carman also remains the first-team left guard.

Cappa was cleared to practice and taken off PUP before Wednesday’s practice while Collins was in sweat pants one day after his 29th birthday.

Stanley Morgan great catches:

The receiver made several eye-catching grabs, including two on sideline patterns. Morgan filled in for Tee Higgins during OTAs as Higgins was rehabbing his shoulder. Higgins returned to practice Wednesday.

Dax Hill working with starting linebackers in calling defensive signals:

The rookie is filling in for the missing Jessie Bates and one of the more notable signs of this responsibility came as Hill was working with first team linebackers to coordinate defensive calls and getting in the right position.

Trey Hendrickson was back with the team as the full complement of defensive linemen attended:

After missing voluntary spring practices and OTAs to work out on his own, Hendrickson returned Wednesday as camp officially got underway.

Joseph Ossai was taking edge reps, working with Germaine Pratt and Akeem Davis-Gaither after practice on blocking sleds.

Evan McPherson was a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals at end of practice, going a perfect 3-for-3 with Kevin Huber and Clark Harris and backups Drue Chrisman and Cal Adomitis.

Reserve running back Elijah Holyfield was the first casualty of camp, carted off with a leg injury midway through practice.

Fans back:

For the first time in three years, fans were permitted and turned out for the opening of training camp. They sat in the temporary stands on the far west side of the Kettering Health Training fields.