Hue Jackson on AJ McCarron: "I've been really impressed with him"

Considering he missed the offseason training, training camp, the preseason and two months of regular season action, backup quarterback AJ McCarron is finally getting his opportunity to really impress the coaching staff.

So far, so good.

"He's done well," offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said via the Cincinnati Enquirer. McCarron arrived in Cincinnati as a fifth-round pick with a pre-existing shoulder issue. The injury held out him out until December of 2014 at which point Cincinnati promoted him from the Physically Unable to Perform list to the 53-man roster. According to one report last week, McCarron has pulled away from the pool of backup quarterbacks.

"I've been really impressed with him," Jackson said via the Cincinnati Enquirer on Thursday. "He's taken the challenge. He works hard at it. I think he understands the situation he's in and he's doing everything he can. He wants to play. And I like that about him. I have no problem with a guy that wants that opportunity. I think he understands the situation and he works hard at it. He's doing well."

McCarron is competing against Terrelle Pryor and Josh Johnson for the backup quarterback role behind Andy Dalton. Another question heading into mandatory minicamp and training camp is whether or not the Bengals keep three quarterbacks. Only time will tell.