Bengals former first-round pick avoids major injury

The Bengals seem to have some luck after avoiding a significant injury to their defense.

Former first-round defensive end Myles Murphy was carted off Tuesday’s joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts with a non-contact injury. NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo has since reported that “all indications are he avoided a serious injury, and sources say he should only miss a few weeks.”

Garafolo did add that evaluations are still ongoing, but barring any significant findings, Murphy could be back in time for Cincinnati’s Week 1 or 2 game.

Overall, it’s excellent news for the Bengals after losing defensive end Cameron Sample to a season-ending torn Achilles this summer. Defensive end Sam Hubbard has been dealing with an injury, too.

Still, it’s a tough break for Murphy, the No. 28 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He hoped to bounce back from his disappointing rookie campaign, which registered just 20 tackles and three sacks.

“There’s a difference between combine condition and football condition,” Murphy said via Bengals radio announcer Dan Hoard. “I was in great combine condition last year, but not in good football condition. Now I’m in really good football condition.”

Murphy’s underwhelming rookie year was due to playing behind edge-rushers Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard, who combined for 101 tackles, 23.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries last year.

While that is the case again this season, Murphy will still be in line for a bigger workload as the primary rotational edge-rusher when he returns. The question that now remains is when that will be.

In the meantime, Cincinnati will need to rely on Hendrickson, Joseph Ossai and Cedric Johnson coming off the edge as the team looks to be a Super Bowl contender in 2024.