The Cincinnati heat wasn’t the only thing burning at Paycor Stadium Sunday. Tempers flared, comebacks emerged, and the Bengals’ defense found its backbone after getting torched earlier in camp. Joe Burrow had been picking apart the secondary like a surgeon all week. His precision passes left defenders grasping at air while receivers celebrated in the end zone. But Sunday told a different story entirely. The defense finally bit back.

The defensive adjustments created ripple effects across the field. With Marco Wilson sidelined by an undisclosed injury requiring weekly evaluations, DJ Turner and DJ Ivey shouldered heavier workloads during another sweltering practice session. Their increased snaps provided valuable depth testing. But what caught more attention was that Jordan Battle brought the intensity that everyone wasn’t expecting.

During red-zone drills, a fade ball sailed harmlessly over the media section. Battle immediately got in tight end Mike Gesicki‘s face about the incompletion. “I ain’t having that s—,” Battle barked at the veteran receiver. As a result, Gesicki fired right back without missing a beat. “Shut the f— up,” he responded. The exchange epitomized the competitive fire brewing without pads even strapped on yet.

However, later, when the reporters asked Battle about it, he laughed it off with a big smile on his face, saying, “I love him.” It is clear that the fight wasn’t too serious, and that both players are still on good terms with each other. On the other hand, besides this playful banter, Dax Hill emerged as the catalyst for the team’s defensive resurgence in the camp. Before his season-ending ACL injury derailed everything last year, whispers around the building suggested he was their top cornerback. Those whispers are getting louder now.

Hill returned to team reps with renewed purpose, though coaches kept him on a pitch count alongside Cam Taylor-Britt. Coach Zac Taylor remains cautiously optimistic about Hill’s progression. “There will be some days we just pull him back to make sure we’re not going too far, too fast,” Taylor explained. His measured approach reflects hard-learned lessons from Hill’s previous setback. “But so far, he has been on a pace we hoped he would be on.”

The defensive line also showed promising signs of evolution. Second-year tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. praised the mental challenges defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery brings daily. “He’s really challenging us mentally,” Jenkins noted with genuine appreciation. The new coaching staff’s approach clearly resonates with young players eager to prove themselves. “They’re putting a lot on our plate, so when we get to game time, we can handle it and we’re ready for anything.” Even former Browns head coach Hue Jackson made an appearance, watching opening periods before escaping the brutal humidity. His presence added another layer of intrigue to an already eventful practice. The defense’s rebound performance set the tone for what promises to be a competitive camp battle, while Shemar Stewart enjoyed his busy first day.

Defense finally stops Joe Burrow’s perfect practice streak

The Bengals‘ defense waited until the absolute last second to make their stand. Joe Burrow had carved them up for four straight practices, throwing dimes like he was playing catch with his kids. Then Sunday’s final snap changed everything. Veteran nose tackle Slaton crashed the party right when it mattered most. With Burrow sitting pretty at the 2-yard line, ready to cap another flawless practice, Slaton blew up the middle. The 6-5, 340-pound mountain of muscle forced Burrow into a rushed throw that fell incomplete.

“He’s just been a force on the run or pass,” Kris Jenkins Jr. said about Slaton’s dominant week. “He makes his presence known. Very athletic.” The praise carries weight coming from a fellow defensive tackle who’s watched Slaton terrorize offensive lines daily. Slaton’s mindset explains why the defense finally found its backbone. “We’re not going to let you get in in practice,” he declared with conviction. “If we let somebody in in practice, they’re going to get in during the game. So when it’s the red zone, nobody gets in.” The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Monday brings pads for the first time, meaning the real battles start now. Slaton provided the perfect preview of what’s coming.

First-round pick Shemar Stewart made his debut on that same final play, lining up over right tackle Mims. The rookie’s arrival adds another weapon to Al Golden’s retooled defense. Stewart got his welcome-to-the-NFL moment early, getting caught between three blockers on his opening snap. “That’s football. You just got to man up, get up off the ground, dust yourself off, and the next play,” Stewart said, showing veteran composure for a first-day player.