Bengals OC Dan Pitcher looks forward to Zack Moss and Chase Brown competing for the RB1 spot during preseason.

The Cincinnati Bengals look to bounce back after a disappointing season that saw them eliminated from playoff contention after losing QB1 Joe Burrow to injury. While they still had a winning record of 9-8, the Bengals failed to make the NFL playoffs for only the first time since 2020. Moreover, the Bengals faced the Rams for the Super Bowl in 2022, which just proves that anything can happen in the NFL. Still, as the preseason rolls around, Bengals OC Dan Pitcher looks excited about the roster, particularly about running backs Zack Moss and Chase Brown.

Asked about what he thinks of Moss and Brown, Pitcher was positive.

“I’m super pleased with both,” he said to reporters at Bengals training camp. “Zack’s been the consummate pro. He’s where he needs to be, every single play, regardless of what we ask him to do. He’s caught every ball we’ve thrown to him–like, a lot of contested, hard catches off his body. Can’t be happier with Zack.”

Meanwhile, he was no less excited about Brown.

“Chase is the young, budding talent that we all expected him to be, who adds an explosive element to our rushing attack, and catching the ball out of the backfield. So, feel really, really good about that spot,” the Bengals OC said, per The Coachspeak Index on X, formerly Twitter.

The Bengals’ 2024 roster

While the Bengals’ first depth chart showed Zack Moss as RB1, Chase Brown still has plenty of opportunities to show that he’s good enough to sit in that spot. Besides training camp, the team has the preseason to look forward to, which they will open against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Moreover, the second-year Brown has already earned good reviews from the team. Last season, the running back tallied 179 rushing yards on 44 carries, averaging a respectable 4.1 yards per carry. He also made 14 receptions for 156 yards.

Stepping in the shoes of previous RB Joe Mixon, Moss will also want to make the most of his opportunities with the Bengals. Moss may have played longer than Brown in the NFL, but the team might want him to prove himself some more, considering the upside of the latter. One can also assume that the team might want to divide running back duties among the two by committee if both show similar performances during training camp and preseason.

Zac Taylor, Dan Pitcher, and the rest of the coaching staff might even want to see how Joe Burrow plays with either Moss or Brown. As of Wednesday, Burrow should come back against the Buccaneers. All three players should look forward to getting enough reps and getting better together.