Murphy had two tackles and one quarterback hit in 34 defensive snaps against the Packers but for the most part was ineffective in the pass rush, despite expectations he will be able to step in as a rotational defensive end behind Sam Hubbard or Trey Hendrickson this season.
“It was a lot of good stuff, a lot of things to work on, but all-in-all just a big learning experience,” Murphy said. “Walking away from it, there’s a lot of things I need to ... build on. One of the biggest things probably is going into the game with more confidence and coming in with a plan when it comes to pass rushing.”
The Bengals drafted Murphy as a versatile defensive lineman that could help bolster the pass rush, but he also was a long-term investment. A three-year starter at Clemson and first-team all-ACC defender in 2022, he adds depth at a premium position, whether that ends up being impactful now or in the future.
Cincinnati was among the bottom five in the league in sack total last season with 30.0 sacks, and Murphy was viewed as someone who could help, or at least push the competition. Murphy finished his junior season at Clemson last fall with 40 tackles, 11 for loss, 6.5 sacks and two pass breakups in 13 games and 11 starts, and he checked all the boxes with his pre-draft testing results, including a 4.51-second 40-yard dash time and prototype edge rusher measurements at 6-foot-5, 268 pounds.
For now, with Cam Sample and Joseph Ossai both showing well in training camp, Murphy has much to prove for a chance to be active Week 1 at Cleveland.
“Again, I think a lot of those guys, first NFL game, we’ll chalk it up to that,” Anarumo said when asked about Murphy’s debut. “Hopefully, we’ll see an improved group when they’re out there as one, but he’s (Murphy) gotten better every day out here. He’s getting better. He’s just gotta shift it into a different gear when he gets out there in the game.”
That’s what Murphy wants to do, as well. He called his preseason debut “a big milestone” being his first game against an NFL opponent, but he knows he needs to do more.
“I want to be unblockable, going 200 miles an hour the whole time I’m on the field and just be almost like a bullet out there on the field,” Murphy said. “That’s the biggest thing I want to show next preseason game.”
Murphy has been getting tips from the veterans on the team, but Trey Hendrickson especially has been stepping up as a mentor, showing him different things with his pass-rush technique and providing feedback after reps in practice.
The rookie from Clemson is known as an astute learner and someone who is very methodical, so Murphy is especially paying attention to the small details that could make a big difference in the adjustment to the NFL.
“It’s the small details, being very specific in your pass rushes, hand placement, anything like that,” Murphy said. “Every day in practice, I’m always working on something, whether it be hands, feet, timing, anything like that. Really just trying to make my approach look the same, almost like I’m slicing tomatoes or something like that.”
Anarumo said Murphy has shown some good things in camp, but it’s still early to judge. Murphy should get plenty of opportunities over the final two preseason games, though he is listed as the third string left defensive end behind Hubbard and Sample on the team’s depth chart and hasn’t broken into the top eight yet.
“We’ll find out more as we go forward,” Anarumo said. “He’s shown that he can rush. He’s shown his athleticism, his length, and he’s using that well. All these young guys you can put in the same bucket. … Until we get some of these games under our belt, we as a staff will have a better feel for what these guys are all about.”
FRIDAY’S GAME
Bengals at Falcons, 7:30 p.m., NFL Network, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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