The regular season hasn’t even started yet, and the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense is already tired of the questions that it has been hearing all offseason.
How will they replace safeties Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell? Can a younger Bengals’ defense be as versatile in 2023? Can the defense keep that same edge that carried it last season when the group called Tom Brady old, called out Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, danced in the end zone in Buffalo and referred to Arrowhead Stadium as Burrowhead Stadium?
During Wednesday’s joint practice against the Green Bay Packers, the Bengals’ defense started to show that the answer is yes with leaping pass breakups, vicious tackles for loss, a pick six, a few punches thrown and even more trash talk.