Brian Leonard Likes His Role With The Cincinnati Bengals

Now that summer is here and the dog days of summer are barking with a mighty shout, the Cincinnati Bengals remain on their version of a vacation before the start of training camp. Some players are laying low, working out with other NFL players, but some are also taking the time to conduct their own football camps for children around the country. From Carlos Dunlap, Jordan Shipley and others.

Bengals running back Brian Leonard is holding his fifth annual football camp at the SUNY (State University of New York) Potsdam campus this weekend.

Leonard told Watertown Daily Times:

"When I was growing up, I was fortunate enough to get to football camps at Syracuse and Rutgers. One of our goals with this camp is to give kids a chance to have the same experience," said Leonard during a break in the Friday session of his fifth annual summer camp.

During the same break Leonard reflected on his contributions with the Cincinnati Bengals, saying:

"I like my role with the Bengals. When the ball is in my hands I feel like I can make plays," said Leonard, who is headed into his fourth season with the Bengals and in the final year of his current contract. "I just want to do whatever keeps me in the league for as long as possible. We’ve made it to the playoffs two of the three years that I’ve been there, so we’re heading in the right direction."

Leonard's role during his career in Cincinnati has mostly been as a third-down back, special teams contributor and high-jump champion during third-and-long draw plays.

Yet save for his special teams work, Leonard has been at his most effective out of the backfield in the passing game, blocking for quarterbacks, but also generating 72 receptions for 564 yards receiving and a touchdown (his lone touchdown in a Bengals uniform).