Cincinnati Bengals coach provides update on rookie from Auburn

When the Cincinnati Bengals selected former Auburn standout Connor Lew in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on April 25, the team knew they were investing in future potential while managing a recovery timeline.

Navigating the Road to Recovery

Lew’s path to the NFL hit a major hurdle during his time with the Tigers, as he sustained a torn ACL in his left knee during the team's 23-17 loss to Missouri on October 18. The injury sidelined him for the final five games of the 2025 season. Despite having eligibility to return to Auburn for 2026, Lew chose to enter the draft, leading the Bengals to call his name with the 128th overall pick.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor provided an update on the rookie center's status during his Wednesday press conference. While the organization is pleased with his progress, Taylor stopped short of confirming a training camp return date.

"I don’t want to make any predictions on that," Taylor said. "He’s done a great job and moved along as we hoped he would. But I don’t want to put a timeline on when he’ll be back."

Camp Outlook and Roster Context

The Bengals concluded their offseason program early by canceling the final two days of mandatory minicamp. With the team now looking ahead, the first practice of training camp is set for July 29 at the Kettering Health Practice Fields in Cincinnati.

The center position in Cincinnati currently features veteran Ted Karras, who is entering his 11th NFL campaign and has started every game for the Bengals over the last four seasons. The team recently moved on from depth option Matt Lee, who was released on April 7 after an injury-plagued 2025 season.

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