Bengals News (7/29): Looking for extra work

Burrow, The Talk And The Bengals' Bid To Write History With A Proud Ohio QB
So when Bengals president Mike Brown did what he always does but couldn't do last year because of the pandemic, Burrow was all ears earlier this week when Brown opened training camp with his annual talk in front of the team.

Camp Notebook: Joe Mixon, Joe Burrow highlight the Bengals offense
As limited as the action was, new offensive line coach Frank Pollack's presence could be felt by the urgent tempo of a position group that begins camp splayed under a microscope. The pace already been predicted before practice by one of the two players Pollack coached when he was here in 2018.

Quick Hits: Joe Burrow pronounced himself 100 percent ahead of training camp
"Lost a bunch of fat, gained a bunch of muscle," said the 220-pound Burrow. "Still about the same weight but got a lot leaner. I'm feeling really good. Knee feels great. Body feels great. Throwing it really well. I'm excited about where we're going … . I don't really eat dairy anymore. I guess that's the biggest one for me. Just kind of eat what makes me feel good and don't eat what doesn't make me feel good."

Joe Burrow puts injury out of his mind as Bengals try to be cautious
A black brace supporting Burrow’s surgically-repaired left knee was the only indicator that the quarterback was a little more than eight months removed from a season-ending injury. Aside from that, Burrow went through all the usual motions that indicate the regular season is a few weeks away.

Joe Burrow hopes to play in the preseason, despite Bengals brass saying he 'probably' will sit out
The last time we saw Joe Burrow on a football field was all the way back in Week 11 of last season. It was there when the Bengals' No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft suffered a torn ACL, stopping an extremely promising rookie season short. The good news for Cincinnati is that the young quarterback is "just about 100 percent" in his recovery from that knee injury and seems to be on track to start for the club right out of the gate in Week 1, when they host the Minnesota Vikings.

Bengals training camp: Jackson Carman's long road ahead, Joe Mixon's progress, rehab storylines and more from Day 1
CINCINNATI – On Wednesday, for the first time since Joe Burrow was drafted in April 2020, I looked him in the eye and asked a question in person. He still couldn’t see my mouth behind a mask and sweat building in the 90-degree heat outside off the steamy visitor tunnel, but eye-to-eye, nonetheless. And what do you know, doing so even allowed for a casual follow-up.

Around the league

Xavien Howard trade fits: Four teams that could use Dolphins CB
Miami cornerback Xavien Howard revealed Tuesday night at the onset of Dolphins training camp that he has formally requested a trade, the latest expression of continued displeasure with his contract. Howard explained via social media that the Dolphins declined efforts by him and his agent, David Canter, to re-work his existing deal -- a five-year, $75.25 million pact that he signed in 2019, and which he believes he's outperformed -- to include more guaranteed dollars, leaving him feeling disrespected.

Aaron Rodgers says he considered retirement during Packers standoff, wanted more say in team decisions
While most notable public figures save their tell-all moments for their book deals or exclusive sit-down interviews, Rodgers generously spilled the seeds of his discontent during his first meeting with media members during training camp. The reigning AP NFL Most Valuable Player was remarkably candid, spending more than five minutes answering the opening question posed to him by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and including the names of a dozen former teammates he felt hadn't been treated properly on their way out of Green Bay.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts 'above' trade chatter, focused on earning starting job
He's the presumptive new starter in Philadelphia following a whirlwind of a rookie year that included a season-long meltdown for the man he was backing up, Carson Wentz, and a late-year insertion into the starting lineup. The latter call was made by a coach who is no longer in town, just as Wentz is no longer an Eagle.