CINCINNATI -- For all the money Cincinnati has spent on quarterback Joe Burrow and the passing attack, it can be easy to overlook running back Chase Brown.
But Burrow can't be lumped into that group. At the beginning of training camp, Burrow offered a glimpse into how Brown's usage might look in Cincinnati's revamped 2026 offense. Throughout training camp, Cincinnati has looked at tweaking its scheme, featuring more reps with Burrow lined up under center.
No matter how it's sliced, expect Brown to play a major role in how the Bengals operate.
Best of NFL Nation
• Why Titans are betting on Cam Ward in Year 2 • How Derrick Henry is driven to be elite • Barron waiting turn in Broncos secondary • Life without Myles Garrett: Browns' D in 2026 • What will Packers get from new arrivals?
"Obviously we're going to get the ball in (wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase)'s hands as many times as we can," Burrow said in late July. "But I think a close second is Chase Brown just because of how explosive he is and the things he can do with the ball in his hands."
Last season, Brown was ninth among all running backs with 1,456 scrimmage yards. Of that total, Brown ranked sixth in his position with 437 receiving yards.
Starting in 2024, Brown has been the team's featured running back. And over time, he has settled into the position and been a featured player in a high-powered offense that features Burrow, Chase and wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Burrow praised Brown's versatility in not just what he did with the ball but also how he helps the offense in pass protection.
"I think there's very few backs in this league that you can say that about," Burrow said. "And when you have a guy like that, you don't have to take him off the field.
"You can put him in on so many different packages. You can build different packages for him in different places on the field."
That versatility is also a testament to his growth as well. Bengals assistant Justin Hill, who is in his sixth season coaching the team's running backs, said Brown has steadily improved each year since the Bengals took him in the fifth round of the 2023 draft.
The more experienced and skilled he has become, the more Cincinnati has tried to manufacture ways to take advantage of Brown's skillset.
"We're going to try to find ways to just move him around and showcase what he can do," Hill told ESPN in August. "Not only in the backfield, under center, in the gun, but also (receiving out of the backfield) as well."