Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has taken a step toward clearing the concussion protocol.
Pictures and video from the open portion of Thursday’s practice show Chase dressed for and participating in the workout. Chase suffered a concussion last Sunday and did not do any work on Wednesday.
Chase’s reaction to the uptick in activity will mark the next box for him to check in the return to play process. If that goes well and he practices again on Friday without any issues, the chances he’ll play against the Dolphins on Sunday will look pretty good.
Tee Higgins left the loss to the Jaguars with an adductor injury, but he practiced on Wednesday and Thursday’s development keeps the door open for the Bengals to have both wideouts on the field in Week 5.
After the Bengals had just 13 designed runs for 18 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars, Joe Burrow’s response was, “Let’s throw it more.”
After letting the result digest for a few days, Burrow backtracked on that sentiment in his Wednesday press conference.
“I might have been a little emotional after the game,” Burrow said, via Geoff Hobson of the team’s website. Hobson noted Burrow had a wide smile when he delivered the remark. “Obviously, you want to have balance as an offense, and the run game wasn’t good enough on Sunday, and I feel confident in myself that you put it in my hands and I’m going to make it work.”
The Bengals finished with just 23 total rushing yards on 15 attempts in the loss to the Jags — the lowest output of Burrow’s 81 career starts. Burrow’s 54 passing attempts were the third most he’s had in his career.
“When you get into a game like Sunday, and they’re a really good defense, really good front seven, and I felt like we were moving the ball pretty well in the pass game,” Burrow said. “I could have been better in spots to help our guys and not put our defense in bad positions with the turnovers. We’ve got to be more balanced going forward, and a big part of that is the run game.”
To that end, Burrow noted Cincinnati may start more plays from under center instead of shotgun.
“I’m comfortable doing whatever is needed and will execute my best,” Burrow said. “We obviously have to be better at it. We’re still going to stick with it and keep getting reps invested in that. I think it’s very valuable, so we have to be able to do it. But we need to be better.
“Under center play actions are built off the run game. Teams have to respect the run first and foremost so you don’t just get jet rushers off the edge. That just puts your offensive linemen in a bad spot when they’re trying to sell run but the defense isn’t respecting the run and just rushing the passer. That’s not a recipe for success, so that starts with the run.”
The Bengals will try to get their ground game going on the road against the Dolphins in Week 5.
The Seahawks, who are thin at running back, brought Joe Mixon to town for a workout on Monday. It seemed to be working out, until it wasn’t.
The team ultimately didn’t proceed with signing him to the practice squad, based ostensibly on his physical.
Coach Mike Macdonald was asked about the decision not to sign Mixon during Macdonald’s Wednesday press conference.
“Didn’t work out,” Macdonald said. “Probably the most we should say about it with respect to the process. Those things happen and it’s a part of the process.”
Mixon’s health continues to be shrouded in mystery. He was on the Texans’ non-football injury list for all of the 2025 season. There was never a clear answer as to what the problem was.
And so Mixon continues to be a free agent, available to sign with any team. And there are teams (like the Eagles) that need help at the position.
The Bengals had six players miss Wednesday’s practice. Their top two wide receivers were among them.
Ja’Marr Chase (concussion) and Tee Higgins (groin/neck) were injured in Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars. Chase played 15 of 76 snaps and Higgins 60. Their departures from the game left the Bengals to finish with three healthy wide receivers on the game-day roster.
Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (rest/knee), linebacker Swayze Bozeman (groin), safety Bryan Cook (ankle) and safety Kyle Dugger (quad) also were out.
Safety Jordan Battle (hamstring), linebacker Barrett Carter (ankle), defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (wrist), offensive guard Dalton Risner (knee) and wide receiver Colbie Young (knee) were limited.
Defensive tackle B.J. Hill (Achilles) was a full participant.
The Seahawks are signing running back Joe Mixon to their practice squad.
Coach Mike Macdonald confirmed the Seahawks worked out Mixon on Monday and are “going through the process” of getting him on the practice squad.
The Seahawks placed Jadarian Price on injured reserve last week, and Zach Charbonnet had his 21-day return-to-practice window opened last week after an ACL tear in the playoffs ended his 2025 season. George Holani, Emanuel Wilson and Velus Jones Jr. are the running backs on the active roster.
Mixon has not played since January 2025, missing all of last season with a foot injury. The Texans released him in March.
In 2024, Mixon rushed for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl honors in his first season with the Texans.
A second-round pick of the Bengals in 2017, Mixon has 7,428 rushing yards and five 1,000-yard seasons. He spent his first seven seasons with the Bengals.
