Bengals Training Camp Reveals Major Offensive Changes Under Zac Taylor

It's been hard to complain about the Cincinnati Bengals' offense over the past few seasons. Ja'Marr Chase won the NFL's receiving Triple Crown in 2024, and Joe Burrow emerged as an MVP candidate that same season. The offense has been so productive that just a few additions on the defensive side of the ball, admittedly significant ones, have turned the Bengals into immediate contenders.

However, during the first week and a half of training camp, the Bengals have shown signs of reshaping their offense into a more modern unit. On the first snap of 11-on-11 drills last week, Burrow lined up under center, the Bengals used pre-snap motion and they deployed two tight ends.

Then, on the first snap after the team put on pads on Monday, Cincinnati did the same thing: under center, motion, and two tight ends on the field.

Gregg Rosenthal of the NFL Daily podcast noticed those trends and said this offense looks significantly different from what he called the "Joe Burrow offense," which primarily operates out of the shotgun and rarely uses motion.

According to Sharp Football Analysis, the Bengals used motion on just 50.1% of their offensive snaps last season, ranking 19th in the NFL. They also ranked last in the league in play-action rate, using play action on just 11.2% of offensive snaps. Increasing the use of play action could create more explosive plays, an area in which the Bengals struggled last season.

Some of the NFL's most dynamic and efficient offenses use motion on what seems like nearly every snap. The Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers all ranked in the top 10 in motion usage last season and also finished among the league's top 10 in points per game.

What else do those teams have in common? Talented quarterbacks, talented receivers,  and offensive-minded head coaches. Given that Zac Taylor came from Sean McVay's coaching tree, many expected him to adopt more of McVay's offensive principles sooner, including heavier use of motion and 12 and 13 personnel. Instead, it has taken until 2026 for the Bengals to begin embracing changes that could benefit the offense.

Training camp is still in its early stages, and those offensive personnel trends could certainly change. However, opening camp with a noticeably different offensive approach sends a clear message. Fans should watch to see if this kind of offensive approach continues during training camp this week.