As for the hot-button topics, in no particular order, the Bengals are intent on extending running back Joe Mixon before the season, newly-signed Brandon Allen could qualify as the Bengals' first-ever quarantine quarterback and while observing the lack of positive Covid-19 tests at Paul Brown Stadium Tobin isn't sure if more than two Bengals are going to choose to opt out of the season.
"The people that are coming in the building and the people that are interacting with players and the players themselves have all tested negative for COVID," Tobin said. "That's a comforting fact when you walk around the building and you know everybody is getting tested on a daily basis. I've been really impressed with the health of our players and staff. We haven't, to this point, knock on wood, been hit hard with it. If everybody does their part and holds each other accountable and holds themselves accountable, hopefully we'll be able to stay safe together. "
Tobin says he respects the opt-out decisions of back-up nose tackle Josh Tupou and reserve tackle Isaiah Prince while acknowledging the Bengals are in the market for depth on the defensive front after tackle Ryan Glasgow was waived following a failed physical. After all, Tupou was probably their best player against the run last year while playing 44 percent of the snaps, but it's hard to go get guys off the street at the moment.
The Bengals can't bring free agents in for workouts and a physical until they get below the 80-player limit. Plus, said player is looking at a five-day covid testing period before he can get that tryout and physical. Throw in the fact that the Bengals have the No. 1 waiver claim in a preseason of no games and upgrading once camp is underway is a lot tougher now.
"Maybe it's not the best year to be there because we will have less to evaluate," Tobin said of the top waiver spot. "But some of the young guys we'll go back to our college evaluations and we'll just roll off of those, which isn't a bad way to go because it's not too far from where they are now. But it'll be a challenge identifying bringing other guys in for sure."
But while the undrafted rookies have it tough, the quarterbacks may be treated with kid gloves. The Bengals brought in Allen over the weekend to cover their bases with four quarterbacks in opting for a five-year veteran journeyman backup grounded in Taylor's system.
Tobin says it's a possibility one of them will be quarantined away from the other quarterbacks, but he's not sure how head coach Zac Taylor going to play it.
They're not sure a quarterback can just sit at home and be ready to play without being involved in some practices. But the next five weeks are all about adjusting.
"That's the hardest position to get up and going to play on a short notice, and we want to have enough guys to get us through the season that know what we do and how to operate our offense," Tobin said. "And that position is so vital that we felt like it was necessary to have another guy in the fold, learning our system, being able to operate it and being able to call our plays and being able to give us a chance, if it comes down to that. "
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