Bengals-Bears Joint Practice Had EVERYTHING! Biggest Takeaways + Bengals vs. Bears Preview, Matchups

The Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears got plenty of valuable work in during Thursday’s joint practice, and now the focus turns toward Saturday night’s preseason matchup at Paycor Stadium. The joint practice gave both teams an opportunity to see their starters and young players compete against a different opponent, and for Cincinnati, the defense was one of the biggest stories of the day. The Bengals generated consistent pressure, with Dexter Lawrence making a major impact, while Myles Murphy and rookie Cashius Howell also flashed as pass rushers. The secondary created some big plays as well, including interceptions from Josh Newton and Barrett Carter.

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There were positives offensively, too. Joe Burrow connected with Tee Higgins on a deep completion and Ja’Marr Chase made a terrific sideline catch, while Chase Brown continued to show why he is such an important piece of this Bengals offense. At the same time, the Bears' defense created some pressure and made plays of its own, making the practice a valuable test for Cincinnati heading into the weekend.

Now, the Bengals turn the page to Saturday’s preseason game against the Bears. Zac Taylor has announced that Cincinnati’s starters will not play in the remaining preseason games, meaning this matchup becomes even more important for rookies, young players and those fighting for roster spots. Players like Cashius Howell, Tacario Davis, Colbie Young, Landon Robinson and Jack Endries will have opportunities to make their cases.

With the regular season getting closer, Saturday night will be another important evaluation period for the Bengals as they continue figuring out their 53-man roster and building depth across the team.