'He Set The Standard For Me' - T.J. Slaton Highlights Bengals Coach He Can't Wait To Work With

 New Bengals defensive tackle T.J. Slaton dove into his decision to pick Cincinnati in free agency during a sitdown with team media recently.

The mauling run-stopper previously played for Green Bay on his rookie deal and is trying to bring a brutal run defense back to palatable status. Cincinnati allowed the 19th-most yards per game (124.8 yards per game), 28th-best EPA/rush and 31st-best success rate allowed last season.

Slaton noted the relationship with new defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery as a seamless way to make an early impact.

"He set the standard for me to become a great player and make the best of the opportunity," Slaton said about Montgomery, who worked with him in Green Bay from 2021-23. "I got him back to help me, and I get to play for this city. I have family who grew up here, and now they get to come to the games. When I was here, I felt the atmosphere, the fans go crazy for this team."

Slaton is coming off a 2024 season with 30 tackles (two for loss), and three QB hits.