CINCINNATI -- For all the money the Cincinnati Bengals have spent on quarterback Joe Burrow and the passing attack, it can be easy to overlook running back Chase Brown.
But Burrow can’t be lumped into that group. At the beginning of training camp, Burrow offered a glimpse into how Brown’s usage might look in Cincinnati’s revamped 2026 offense. Throughout training camp, Cincinnati has looked at tweaking its scheme, featuring more reps with Burrow lined up under center.
No matter how it’s sliced, expect Brown to play a major role in how the Bengals operate.
“Obviously we’re going to get the ball in (wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase)’s hands as many times as we can,” Burrow said in late July. “But I think a close second is Chase Brown just because of how explosive he is and the things he can do with the ball in his hands.”
Last season, Brown was ninth among all running backs with 1,456 scrimmage yards. Of that total, Brown ranked sixth in his position with 437 receiving yards.
Starting in 2024, Brown has been the team’s featured running back. And over time, he has settled into the position and been a featured player in a high-powered offense that features Burrow, Chase and wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Burrow praised Brown’s versatility in not just what he did with the ball but also how he helps the offense in pass protection.
“I think there’s very few backs in this league that you can say that about,” Burrow said. “And when you have a guy like that, you don’t have to take him off the field.
“You can put him in on so many different packages. You can build different packages for him in different places on the field.”
That versatility is also a testament to his growth as well. Bengals assistant Justin Hill, who is in his sixth season coaching the team’s running backs, said Brown has steadily improved each year since the Bengals took him in the fifth round of the 2023 draft.
The more experienced and skilled he has become, the more Cincinnati has tried to manufacture ways to take advantage of Brown’s skillset.
“We’re going to try to find ways to just move him around and showcase what he can do,” Hill told ESPN in August. “Not only in the backfield, under center, in the gun, but also (receiving out of the backfield) as well.”
Just how much the Bengals’ offense will change with going under center has been a major topic of conversation. Cincinnati has been one of the most shotgun-heavy teams in recent years. Last season, the Bengals ranked second in that category at 81.4%, per ESPN Research.
But that dwindled over the year as the Bengals tried to find more balance, even after Burrow returned for the final six games following a turf toe injury. That pursuit extended into this offseason.
And after a full training camp and preseason, that experimentation has proven to be successful. Earlier this week, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he feels good about where the team is at schematically and likes the inventory available to him as a playcaller.
Cincinnati will still lean on the things that have been successful over the years. But going under center with Brown and the running backs carrying the workload could be a valuable wrinkle at various points this season.
“You’re going to have situations throughout the season where you’re going to be in some cold weather games or maybe just things aren’t clicking in the pass game,” said Bengals assistant James Casey, the team’s run game coordinator. “You have got to be able to run the ball to win some games and close some games out.”
That style of offense is also more conducive to explosive rushing plays, which is something the Bengals have lacked over the years. And that’s another area where Brown can be effective.
“If he can get that little crease, he’s got the speed and he’s strong enough to be able to get through it,” Casey said. “And he’s not timid. He’s going to be able to hit it.”
This season is shaping up to be a big year for Brown. He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract after the offseason failed to materialize an extension. Brown is among many Bengals who are looking to cash in on their second NFL contracts.
But on the cusp of the season, Brown felt good about where things stand both for himself and the team.
“This is one of the best training camps I’ve been a part of, not only for myself but as a team,” Brown said. “Just seeing the way that everybody is operating, it’s really encouraging.
“I’m excited about what we’re going to do this year and I feel like we’re capable of a lot.”
