Call this the Shoeless Joe news conference.

Bengals Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow met the press standing in socks after Tuesday's first day of mandatory minicamp, and he put his foot down when it came to the good vibes emanating from his 2025 offense.

Why not? The Bengals are on a star trek where they've never been before. Of his five mandatories, this is the first one all four of his top receivers are back and operating at full tilt with him.

"I think we're in a spot that we haven't been before," Burrow said. "Guys coming off a season healthy, getting all of our guys back. It's been weird this offseason not having to really take a new guy that we're counting on under my wing and trying to teach him what I'm looking at, what we want out of each play. That takes a lot of time."

But not this year. There is no new tight end, such as Hayden Hurst or Mike Gesicki. There's no departing starting receiver like Tyler Boyd. There's no franchise tags or hanging extensions.

Gesicki is back after his 65-catch year. So are the league's two highest-paid receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, as well as a blossoming third-year receiver named Andrei Iosivas.

"Signing Mike back was big. Andrei coming back. We have all the guys in the wide receiver room back that we've already had all these discussions," Burrow said. "So now you can take it to the next level and talk a little more in depth about those things and that's just going to continue to make us better."

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A-Plus For Andrei

Last week, Higgins couldn't say enough about Iosivas' improvement, and on Tuesday Burrow kept going about the man he has found for 10 red-zone touchdown passes in the last two seasons.

"Number one, he never gets tired. He's in great shape. That comes from his track background," Burrow said. "He knows we're going to run plays to throw the ball to Ja'Marr and Tee, and the off-schedule plays are going to be his opportunity to go and make big-time plays for us. And he takes full advantage of that.

"He really understands how to get open in those situations, what I'm looking at, what I'm expecting. He's always trying to create more dialogue between us and talking about routes and what I'm looking at."

PRESEASON PLAY

When the Bengals break camp Thursday morning, there'll be about 40 days and 40 nights of discussion about how much Burrow should play in the preseason games. Burrow has said he wants to play more, and we'll see if head coach Zac Taylor opts to give him more than his career-high 16 preseason snaps of last year.

"My clock is a little slower when there's not a live rush coming at me," Burrow said. "I think those reps will be very beneficial."

As usual, Burrow isn't thinking about ways to reduce his exposure in the preseason or regular season.

"It depends on how the games play out," Burrow said. "As you get older, you realize those hits definitely add up a little bit. I'd love to take less, but we'll see how the games play out.

"If we're in defensive battles, then you come out and you don't turn the ball over, you get the ball out of your hands, you play the field position game. If they're scoring, then you go try to make plays, and run around and do all those good things. I go into every single game ready to adapt to whatever the game needs for me to try to win."

PLAYOFF SALUTE

The Bengals cut linebacker Germaine Pratt earlier Tuesday and from one playoff hero to another, Burow bid farewell.

"I love Germaine. Germaine has made some big-time plays for us over the years. We're going to miss him around here," Burrow said. "He was a leader, a guy who created turnovers, made a lot of tackles, and made some of the biggest plays in franchise history. So we love him. He's a vocal guy, very vocal, and we didn't have a ton of those the last couple years. Germaine filled that role and filled it well."

HAIR TRIGGER

Former Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh showed up Tuesday just in time to see protégé Jermaine Burton have one of those practices people have been raving about this spring.

Houshmandzadeh, who coached Burton leading up to last year's draft, particularly enjoyed a route where Burrow hit Burton over the middle despite nearly grazing cornerback Josh Newton’s fingertips. Burton's eyes never left the ball, and he caught it in stride.

"Joe threw it the only place where Jermaine could catch it and Jermaine caught it," Houshmandzadeh said. "When Jermaine is mentally locked in like that, every practice is going to be good."

Burton has been open about his struggles as a rookie last season adjusting to the league, and he's concentrating on leaving them behind. That was symbolized Tuesday by the pile of hair he recently left at the barber chair. He opted to shear his head to a close-cropped look for the first time since high school.

"Fresh start. I definitely felt like it was time. I like it," Burton said. "My mom wanted me to do it. My sister as well. I was in the barber's chair, and I just called them and said, 'Should I do it?' and they said, 'Yes, yes.' A little bit more wind up there. I have to get used to that."

But he's used to the frequent talks with Houshmandzadeh and likes to hear about the path that led to Houshmandzadeh becoming one of five Bengals with at least 500 catches.

"We talk a lot about his experience in the league and obstacles. The stuff he's had to overcome," Burton said.

Houshmandzadeh says his advice has been simple: "If you don't stay up to it in the NFL, your ass is going to get left behind."

DOWNHILL CHASE

Running back Chase Brown likes how offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher and Taylor have tweaked the running game this spring. With new offensive line coach Scott Peters sharpening double-team blocks, there's a whiff of familiarity coming downrange for Brown.

"It's exactly how I ran it at Illinois. It will be awesome," Brown said after Tuesday's practice. "We're going to be a more downhill team this year. Eliminate some negative plays. Keep ahead of the chains. That's what matters in this league. Staying ahead of schedule. It's extremely important and I think it's going to help us a lot."

The Bengals moved on from their run-game coordinator of the last few seasons, former offensive line coach Frank Pollack, and it sounds as if Taylor and Pitcher have been at the blackboard. A downhill game usually denotes safer, quick hitters designed for between the tackles.

"Being more downhill lowers the possibility of a negative yardage play. That's kind of our mindset as a run unit this year," Brown said. "Those quick hitters can be big plays when you make guys miss."

SLANTS AND SCREENS

Bengals Ring of Honor member Tim Krumrie, who has the most tackles of any defensive tackle in history, got another one Tuesday when he intercepted new Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery as the team jogged between drills.

It wasn't their first meeting. Krumrie, well-known for his intense hands-on workouts of college prospects while he coached the position for 15 years in the NFL, worked out Montgomery when he was coming out of Iowa. Montgomery remembered. He also invited Krumrie into his room anytime.

Iowa vs. Wisconsin. …

Houshmandzadeh was in town because the NFL sent him to talk to the club about the dos and don'ts of gambling. He's headed to Chicago with the same message for the Bears Wednesday. That message is also vintage Housh-blunt: "If you think you can get away with it and be sneaky, your butt is going to get caught."

Houshmandzadeh says with players and everybody else able to bet on their phones these days, the key is letting them know when, where, and what they can bet on.

"You don't want them to muddy the integrity of the game," Houshmandzadeh said.

He naturally stood with the receivers and he looked like a proud dad on this Tuesday before Father's Day as he surveyed Burton and Tee Higgins. He coached Higgins during a couple of weeks leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft and stood on the table for him that Draft Friday the Bengals mulled the first pick of the second round. He recalled how he took a call from Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin "very early," that day when they asked him about two guys he coached in Clemson's Higgins and USC's Michael Pittman Jr.

Houshmandzadeh was closer to Pittman at the time, but he had seen enough of Higgins to give him an endorsement as "a taller A.J. Green," and the rest is history.

"It worked out for both," Houshmandzadeh said.

The Bengals got Higgins at No. 33, Pittman went next to the Colts, and five years later, both are working on big second deals.

"You look at Tee and you just don't realize it," Houshmandzadeh said of the 6-4, 220-pound Higgins. "You just don't realize how big he is." …

First-round pick Shemar Stewart remained unsigned Tuesday and was on the field but didn't participate. He says from the edge he's watching every move of his old Texas A&M teammate, sophomore defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson.

"I've known him since I was 18 years old," Stewart said. "I see how good of a leader he is. I just follow his lead on everything. He's very underrated. I feel like he's a great leader, and I feel like the harder he works, you're going to see it out of him." …

Trey Hendrickson, seeking a contract extension, didn't attend Tuesday …

Yes, Burrow is looking forward to his second and third starts vs. new Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers leads him, 1-0, with 2021's overtime thriller to his credit.

"That'll be a fun, fun two games," Burrow said. " Obviously, I got a lot of respect for Aaron and like him as a person. I only played him one time, so it will be nice to play him twice." …