Cincinnati Bengals could be starting a little Illinois football flavor in 2024

It was a big NFL offseason for the Illinois football program, as many former players are now scattered through the league.

Four Illini were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft led by the fourth pick in the second round when the Washington Commanders picked Jer’Zhan Newton.

The 2024 NFL Draft marked back-to-back years Illinois has had at least four players picked. In 2023, we saw Devon Witherspoon go No. 5 overall to the Seattle Seahawks. Bookending that great draft was running back, Chase Brown.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected the great Illini running back in the fifth round. That deep draft selection looks to be a good one, as Cincinnati used Brown in 12 games last season, and he had 44 carries for 179 yards.

Brown wasn’t looked at as just a speedy running back with power, though. Despite only having 521 yards receiving in five seasons of college football, Brown had a big rookie year catching the ball out of the backfield. He gave the Bengals 14 receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown last season.

The Bengals also had some big changes in the backfield this offseason. Long-time running back Joe Mixon, after seven seasons in Cincinnati, departed for the Houston Texans. He leaves 257 carries for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground and 52 receptions for 376 yards and three touchdowns through the air to be had.

What does Mixon’s departure to the Texans mean for Brown? A potential starting job in the waiting.

On Wednesday, Jeremy Rauch of the Cincinnati Fox affiliate posted a video on social media of Brown running the football for the Bengals. He mentions in the post that Brown was getting first-team reps.

Illinois football is providing two big pieces to the Cincinnati Bengals offense for the 2024 season

Brown getting first-team reps is exciting. He is one of the quickest running backs in the NFL, and he proved he can be a workhorse, as he had 355 touches for 1,883 yards in his final season with the Illini.

It won’t be an easy backfield for Brown to win, though. The Bengals also brought in Zack Moss from free agency. He amassed 986 yards from scrimmage last season with the Indianapolis Colts. Moss also averaged 4.3 yards per carry, which is impressive.

If Brown does with the starting job, Cincinnati would get a full dose of Orange and Blue fever. While Brown would be starting, blocking for him would be center Ted Karras. The eight-year NFL veteran was a two-time All-Big Ten offensive lineman at Illinois.

The Bengals are in for a good season, as long as health doesn’t become a factor. Having a running back like Brown to help ease the stress off of quarterback Joe Burrow should prove to be greatly beneficial.