We're going camping! Bengals, Colts, Lions and Vikings

Summary of We're going camping! Bengals, Colts, Lions and Vikings

by The Athletic

1h 43m•August 22, 2026
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Overview of We’re going camping! Bengals, Colts, Lions and Vikings

This episode of The Athletic Football Show is a four-stop training camp check-in with beat writers Paul Dehner Jr. (Bengals), James Boyd (Colts), Colton Pouncy (Lions), and Alec Lewis (Vikings). The focus is on each team’s biggest camp questions: schematic changes, QB health/stability, line play, and whether the roster depth is good enough to support a real playoff run.

Cincinnati Bengals

What stood out

  • This has been one of the calmest Bengals camps in years: good health, strong continuity, and far less drama than recent summers.
  • The big offensive story is the team’s push to spend more time under center.
    • The goal is to improve early-down efficiency.
    • It should help the run game, play-action game, and potentially protect Joe Burrow better.
    • The staff is trying to build a more versatile offense without abandoning the core Burrow/Chase/Tee Higgins identity.
  • The Bengals believe the change can also help them finish games better and be less predictable in short-yardage situations.
  • Biggest offensive concern: tackle depth and how well the new protection rules/route timing hold up once the season starts.
  • On defense, the staff is still trying to sort out roles, especially at linebacker and nickel, while getting comfortable with Al Golden’s system.

Indianapolis Colts

What stood out

  • Daniel Jones looks fully healthy and has been running the offense without apparent limitations.
  • The biggest offensive storyline is whether the Colts can upgrade the receiver room around Josh Downs and Alec Pierce.
    • A veteran addition like Keenan Allen makes sense stylistically.
    • The offense has a clear top end, but the depth behind the main targets is still a concern.
  • Tyler Warren is emerging as a potential centerpiece: a unique tight end who can be deployed all over the formation.
  • Offensive line questions remain, especially at right tackle and in the backup group.
    • Jalen Travis is stepping into a major role.
    • The Colts are clearly trying to build more depth and competition up front.
  • On defense, the biggest unresolved issue is linebacker, with the coaching staff still experimenting with combinations and trying to find the right balance of talent, experience, and reliability.

Detroit Lions

What stood out

  • The Lions’ defense is the biggest source of uncertainty.
  • The secondary is the main concern:
    • Health has been an issue.
    • The team is still waiting on key contributors to return.
    • Nickel and safety roles are still being sorted out.
  • The front seven has some clear anchors:
    • Aidan Hutchinson looks like himself again.
    • Alim McNeill returning to form would be a huge boost.
  • The opposite edge spot is still more of a rotation than a settled answer.
  • On offense, the new coordinator is leaning into more motion, sequencing, and formation variation while keeping the core talent in place.
  • Sam LaPorta looks healthy again, and Jahmyr Gibbs is expected to be used heavily as a hybrid weapon rather than a traditional every-down back.
  • The offensive line has turnover and moving parts, so the team still needs its new combinations to gel.

Minnesota Vikings

What stood out

  • The quarterback situation is settled, which gives Kevin O’Connell’s offense a much clearer baseline than last year.
  • The major offensive mission is to build a more defined run-game identity.
    • The staff is being more intentional about how it wants to run the ball.
    • There’s more gun/pistol, motion, and fullback usage being built in.
    • The idea is to make the offense less predictable and more complementary to the passing game.
  • The offensive line, especially Christian Darrisaw’s health and effectiveness, is central to whether the plan works.
  • Jordan Mason looks like a real part of the backfield mix, but Aaron Jones still matters because of his pass protection and receiving value.
  • Defensively, Brian Flores’ unit still has a high ceiling because of scheme and pressure, but there are real questions:
    • Lots of youth and inexperience
    • Depth concerns at defensive tackle, linebacker, and safety
    • Heavy reliance on young players to hold up over a full season
  • Dallas Turner is a critical swing player. His development could determine how high this defense can climb.

Big-picture takeaways

  • Health and continuity are the common threads across all four teams.
  • Offensive identity is a major theme:
    • Bengals are trying to diversify with more under-center work.
    • Vikings are trying to create a more coherent run-game foundation.
    • Colts are trying to build around a healthy QB and a more flexible pass-catching group.
    • Lions are trying to preserve their offensive strength while integrating a new play-caller.
  • Depth matters everywhere:
    • Bengals: tackle and protection depth
    • Colts: receiver and line depth
    • Lions: secondary and edge depth
    • Vikings: defensive depth and durability
  • The two teams with the most obvious “if everything clicks” upside are probably the Bengals and Vikings.
  • The Lions and Colts both have strong offensive cores, but their seasons may hinge more on whether the supporting cast and defensive units stabilize.

Bottom line

This episode paints a picture of four teams at very different stages, but with a shared reality: the gap between contender and disappointment may come down to a handful of health decisions, schematic tweaks, and whether the younger/less proven parts of each roster can hold up once the games start.