The Bengals’ first round pick, center Billy Price, is getting closer to seeing full action on the football field. Following a pectoral injury suffered in February at the NFL Scouting Combine, Price is already taking his workout to the next stages, and it doesn’t seem like real on-the-field work will be much farther behind.

”I’m going to be cleared next week when I go for my all check,” Price told Jay Morrison of Dayton Daily News. “I just did 305 this morning on the bench. We’re OK.”

Price was doing reps of 225 pounds at the Combine when the injury occurred, so it is obviously a great sign to see that he is already lifting 305 pounds.

After suffering the injury, Price was relieved to find out that he would likely still be ready for training camp. He had a minor tear and was essentially guaranteed he’d be back on-the-field in July.

Even in talking to the media, Price shows that infectious confidence that was part of the reason the Bengals drafted him with the 21st overall pick in the draft. Cincinnati took him in that spot after moving back from the 12th overall pick to acquire left tackle Cordy Glenn from the Bills. Together, they are the only major personnel upgrades the Bengals made to an offensive lime unit that was an absolute mess last season, so understandably there is some pressure on the new Bengals duo.

Price hasn’t done any 11-on-11 drills yet, but that hasn’t stopped him from being engaged with learning the offense or how to read what the defense is doing.

”I sit back there with coach Pollack and go through them,” Price said. “As I see the adjustments and see the defense start to unwrap, I’m letting him know what my correction would be, what my call would be. I think I’ve got a good handle on things. Being able to sit back there and do the mental stuff has been helpful, but sometimes you need to learn by fire. I’m eager to get cleared and actually be able to do things.”

It is great to see Price trying to keep up with all the rookies mentally. He is taking his injury situation very seriously and professionally, which seems like the obvious thing to do, but that doesn’t mean that players always do that. Price is putting his best foot forward, even if he isn’t medically cleared to engage in contact just yet. There is no doubt that his growth will continue once he takes the field. The Bengals finish up minicamp on Thursday before a summer break that will keep them off-the-field until July 26 when training camp kicks off.