As Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was explaining the progress he had seen from rookie offensive guard Jackson Carman, he remembered answering the same questions about a different Bengals rookie earlier this year.
During training camp, Taylor answered questions about rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s drops and his ability to create separation against NFL cornerbacks. Then Chase caught two deep touchdown passes in his first two NFL games.
According to Taylor, Chase’s experience in training camp wasn’t dissimilar to Carman’s.
“These guys got to make mistakes early on,” Taylor said. “It takes guys a minute to get adjusted to life in this league and how we practice and the competition we’re playing against.