- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 784,818
- Reaction score
- 53
For the Cincinnati Bengals, T.J. Slaton was one of the more understated additions to the roster this offseason.
A former fifth-round pick in 2021 who spent every year with the Green Bay Packers, Slaton came over on a two-year contract in free agency and has had a nice and quiet start to things for a rebuilding defense.
But internally, there are whispers about Slaton emerging as a leader in the locker room.
"I've never been in this position before," Slaton told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "We've got a lot of young guys on this defense, so I'm trying to communicate and be a great teammate."
RELATED: Bengals, Shemar Stewart nuclear option includes 2026 NFL draft route
Another leader stepping up next to B.J. Hill would be a welcome thing for a Bengals defense restarting under Al Golden. It would also fill some of the void left years ago by DJ Reader’s departure.
The loss of Reader is one of the reasons Slaton hasn’t been as hyped amongst fans. Going from a major market deal for Reader, who made the whole defense tick, to not keeping him when they probably should have (at least in the eyes of fans) makes it tougher on the next guy. So does the presence of notable sophomores Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson, guys expected to take next steps.
Still, Slaton sounds more than ready to exceed expectations and be a core instrument in the defensive rebound for the Bengals, even if he didn’t arrive with a big dose of hype.
RELATED: Bengals standouts after mandatory minicamp includes surprises
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals' overlooked free-agent signing stepping into leadership role
Continue reading...
A former fifth-round pick in 2021 who spent every year with the Green Bay Packers, Slaton came over on a two-year contract in free agency and has had a nice and quiet start to things for a rebuilding defense.
But internally, there are whispers about Slaton emerging as a leader in the locker room.
"I've never been in this position before," Slaton told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "We've got a lot of young guys on this defense, so I'm trying to communicate and be a great teammate."
RELATED: Bengals, Shemar Stewart nuclear option includes 2026 NFL draft route
Another leader stepping up next to B.J. Hill would be a welcome thing for a Bengals defense restarting under Al Golden. It would also fill some of the void left years ago by DJ Reader’s departure.
The loss of Reader is one of the reasons Slaton hasn’t been as hyped amongst fans. Going from a major market deal for Reader, who made the whole defense tick, to not keeping him when they probably should have (at least in the eyes of fans) makes it tougher on the next guy. So does the presence of notable sophomores Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson, guys expected to take next steps.
Still, Slaton sounds more than ready to exceed expectations and be a core instrument in the defensive rebound for the Bengals, even if he didn’t arrive with a big dose of hype.
RELATED: Bengals standouts after mandatory minicamp includes surprises
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals' overlooked free-agent signing stepping into leadership role
Continue reading...
