CINCINNATI (WKRC) - After predicting that wide receiver Tee Higgins and linebacker Logan Wilson would be the Bengals offensive and defensive breakthrough players in 2021 in a column on Tuesday, here is who quarterback Joe Burrow and head coach Zac Taylor said they expected to be breakthrough players this season:

Burrow also went with Higgins on offense: ""I'm excited to watch Tee. Tee had a great offseason. You can tell he really put in the work and, you know, really grinded the whole year and came in looking great. He looks more explosive, looks bigger, stronger, catches the ball better. I'm really excited to see what he's going to do."

Burrow selected cornerback Chidobe Awuzie on defense: ""I think Chido (cornerback Chidobe Awuzie) is going to have a big year. I’m excited, he’s a tough guy to go against every day in practice. There are no easy ones with Chido. He’s on his stuff, understands the weaknesses of a coverage and leverage and what receivers are trying to do with releases. He’s going to be a big part of this team and I’m excited to watch him."

Taylor also selected Higgins on offense, but made sure to praise the consistency of veteran wide receiver Tyler Boyd: "Tee has always been very confident since he got here in his own abilities. I think now he's more confident, because he's been through a whole NFL season and he knows what's going to be thrown at him. He knows the type of competition he's going to face, the elevated steps he has to make in his game coming from Clemson to the NFL. He's done a remarkable job attacking that in this offseason, getting in great shape, playing really fast on every single snap, being consistent, going up and making plays down the field. You really saw that on the backstretch of last season, because he struggled with that early on, really before the bye. You look at games in the last stretch of the season he was making every 50-50 play whether it was in bounds or out of bounds, he would go up and make that play.

"I think the guy that goes unspoken is Tyler Boyd. He just goes out there and makes the plays and everyone sees it and it's not always 80 yard touchdowns. He has been as consistent as any receiver I've ever been around in my life this training camp. He's a guy that Joe, I know, has an extremely high degree of confidence in. We all do as a staff. He kind of goes unnoticed sometimes, because we talk about the first-round pick and we talk about the second-round guy who is in his second year and had a great end of season, but TB is just consistent as a player. He truly has become a captain who has earned that right. He is consistent every day. He's exactly what we're looking for and it's critical to have that type of leadership in the receiving room."

Taylor wasn't asked specifically about a defensive player he thought would have a breakthrough season, but praised second-year middle linebacker Logan Wilson: "Extremely smart, fast, physical, can diagnose plays very quickly, fights to get the ball out on every snap and every opportunity he has. He's not a big rah-rah yeller and screamer. He doesn't have to be, we don't need that from him. He just has to be consistent and be a really good communicator. There's not a lot of negatives to Logan Wilson. He's in his second year, but he plays way above that and that's what's been impressive with him."

CALLAHAN SAYS GUARD BATTLE WAS CLOSE: While rookie second round pick Jackson Carman struggled early in camp converting from college tackle to guard and rookie fourth-round pick D'Ante Smith dealt with dehydration issues late in camp after making a successful switch from tackle to guard that led in part to veterans Quinton Spain and Xavier Su'a-Filo winning the starting guard spots, offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said the battle was close.

"The two young guys, D’Ante and Carman, really came on as camp went along," said Callahan. "They played better as they got a taste of real, live NFL action, albeit was against backups as well. They weren’t seeing the top guys for 60 plays, that changes it, but what they did every week was get better. They were learning, they were getting used to it. Both of them were in position switches. That part of it was fun to see. D’Ante started camp really well then got set back with some injury issues. Jackson started slow but finished on the arrow going up as camp ended. Real optimistic about where those guys are. They are just young players that got to keep coming along. I think both of them have really bright futures as guards in this league. They just got to keep coming. It’s a marathon. There’s a lot of football ahead of us still."

Spain and Su'a-Filo started the final four games of the season together in which the line allowed just four total quarterback sacks, and while Burrow didn't play when they started together, he praised them both.

"Those guys are pros that handle business the right way," said Burrow. "Those guys are going to do exactly what they’re supposed to do. They’re not going to have any MAs (missed assignments). I’m excited to play with those guys. Those are tough, physical veteran guys that know what they’re doing."

WILLIAMS LAUDED: Much was made and detailed about the battle for the starting guard spots in camp, but not much was said about the performance of left tackle Jonah Williams, who didn't allow a single pressure in the handful of snaps he played in the first two preseason games, nor right tackle Riley Reiff.

"I think it's really the first string of an offseason and a training camp where Jonah's just got the work at left tackle in the same system," said Taylor. "I've seen a lot of progress from Jonah. Sometimes you just don't mention his name for a long time. Him and Riley (Reiff) both. That's a really good thing. So we don't sit up here and talk about him too much, that's good that you guys aren't asking a lot of questions, because he's out there doing his job. That's what we expect from Jonah and Riley. That's a really good tandem to have out there at tackle."

NEWLY SIGNED BROWNING MAY PROVIDE VIKINGS INTEL: The Bengals on Tuesday announced they signed quarterback Jake Browning to the practice squad after he had spent the last two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings after being signed as undrafted free agent out of the University of Washington in 2019, so it begs the question was he signed to provide inside information on the Vikings?

"He’s just happy to be here," said Callahan. "Looking for a job and he got one. I’m sure anything he feels like he can help us with he’ll help us with, but it’s more we are excited to have him on the team as opposed to having him spill his guts."

Callahan said he has watched Browning since college.

"Watched Jake Browning when (tight end) Drew Sample was coming out; thought he was at Washington for like 10 years," said Callahan. "I have been aware of Jake for a long time and I am not surprised. He was always a really smart young player at Washington. Played a bunch of football, been hanging around the league for a couple years now. Doing something right."

Burrow joked that he wouldn't use any intel from Browning at all.

"Of course I’m not going to talk to him about what the Vikings do," Burrow said with a grin. "Of course not."

BENGALS/VIKINGS PRACTICE PARTICIPATION UPDATE: The Bengals had every player participate in Wednesday's practice except cornerback Trae Waynes, who has already been ruled out of Sunday's game due to a hamstring injury suffered in practice on Aug. 25.

The Vikings are also pretty healthy as only three players were limited participants in Wednesday's practice: tight end Tyler Conklin (hamstring); linebacker Anthony Barr (knee) and offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw (groin).