Bengals former first-round pick gives hard truth about rookie season

The Bengals didn't get a ton of production out of their 2023 first-round pick, edge-rusher Myles Murphy, last season.

The former No. 28 overall pick finished his rookie year with just 20 tackles and three sacks.

Murphy has since opened up about his disappointing rookie campaign and revealed why he believes that won't happen again in 2024.

"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."

Like many players who are coming out of college and trying to make it to the NFL, Murphy spent a lot of his offseason training for the Scouting Combine and other predraft workouts.

It's important to put up good numbers throughout that process as it will only help raise players' draft stocks, but Murphy seems to believe that hindered him in his first year in the league, and rightfully so.

However, there are still other factors that likely resulted in Murphy's underwhelming rookie season. One of which was joining an already talented edge-rusher room.

The 22-year-old began his NFL career behind veteran edge-rushers Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard, who combined for 101 tackles, 23.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries last year.

Unfortunately for Murphy, that is unlikely to change this season either as Hendrickson and Hubbard are both on track to return to playing for Cincinnati.

A bigger role could potentially open up for Murphy if Hendrickson, who requested a trade in April, is dealt, but the Bengals reportedly have "zero interest" in entertaining it and Hendrickson took part in the team's voluntary workout on Monday.

If that remains true, Murphy will have to hope his improved conditioning is enough to get him on the field more as a rotational edge-rusher.