Joe Mixon, John Ross work through rookie growing pains

[-GoBengals-]

Joe Mixon, John Ross work through rookie growing pains

p

• 
  Katherine TerrellESPN Staff Writer

CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Brandon LaFell took only a few seconds to sum up what he saw when he watched the newest members of the team.

"Speed," he said. "We've got a lot of speed in our room. We've got a lot of talent in our room, and there's going to be a lot of competition for the rest of camp."

Whether LaFell was thinking specifically of wide receiver John Ross or running back Joe Mixon in that moment, he didn't say. It wouldn't be a stretch to think he meant both.

Speed is just one of the things the Bengals were looking at when they took Ross and Mixon in the first two rounds of the 2017 draft. Through the first week of practice, it has been apparent they got it.

"He's [Mixon] got great vision, great speed," LaFell said. "Pretty much everybody has seen the speed in practice."

While some players tend to regress once the pads come on, Mixon hasn't appeared to slow down, putting together runs of 50-plus yards on back-to-back days.

 

Given the controversy that arose when Cincinnati drafted him, Joe Mixon appreciates signs of progress such as celebrating a practice touchdown with Bengals fans. AP Photo/John Minchillo

Mixon's best play came Monday. With Ryan Hewitt leading the way, the line opened a large hole for Mixon, who darted down the sideline and dodged the safety for a touchdown run of about 70 yards.

After he scored, he jogged back to the huddle slapping hands with the fans in attendance, receiving only cheers.

"That's a great feeling for them to cheer me on, but I just do what the coaches ask me, which is to make plays and be the best teammate," Mixon said.

 

Were Mixon any other player, those cheers might be routine. However, his very presence has been controversial because of an incident that occurred when he was a freshman at Oklahoma.

Mixon was caught on camera punching a woman in the face, breaking several bones in her jaw. Mixon reached a civil settlement with the victim this year.

The Bengals took heavy criticism after selecting Mixon in the second round of April's draft, but the public outcry appears to have died down significantly.

At training camp, Mixon has been just another rookie. And like all rookies, he and Ross still have a lot of learning to do.

Coaches have been emphasizing getting Ross to turn upfield instead of running out of bounds on plays close to the sideline. Ross has worked through growing pains while fielding punts and had a few drops on his first day. Quarterback Andy Dalton has taken him aside after practice for extra work because Ross, who underwent labrum surgery in the offseason, has not yet been medically cleared to do team drills.

More people play on ESPN than anywhere else. Join or create a league in the No. 1 Fantasy Football game! Sign up for free!

Mixon dropped a pass in a red zone drill then dropped to the ground and did pushups as punishment on Tuesday.

"We're going to ask him to do a lot and there's a lot that's been thrown at him," running backs coach Kyle Caskey said. "He just needs to continue to absorb all that so we're not constantly having to stand behind and help if needed, to let him go out there and do it on his own. He's getting there. It's Day 5 of training camp. He's got a long way to go."

At this early point in camp, coaches are just pleased to see day-to-day progress.

"He's come along with the mental side of it better than most rookies do. He's taken to his playbook and asking questions, asking the right questions and trying to know the offense inside and out so he can play faster," Caskey said. "A lot of guys just try to learn their position and where they should be. He's wanting to know why he's there and why he should be in certain places."

Added Mixon: "At the end of the day you've just got to understand the playbook and do whatever you can to separate yourself."