Rodney Anderson progressing, hoping to make impact for Bengals this season

Rodney Anderson progressing, hoping to make an impact for Bengals

Bengals running back Rodney Anderson continues to make progress after tearing his right ACL last season. 

It's not the first time he's had to recover from a torn ACL. He suffered the same injury to his right knee in college during the 2018 season. 

"They're [rehab and recovery] going really well," Anderson told Dan Hoard on the Bengals Booth Podcast. "I'm back cutting, running full speed." 

"I've been working at this training facility in Kentucky called PeakFAST — just conditioning and strength stuff — pretty much Monday through Saturday."

Anderson was a sixth-round pick by the Bengals in the 2019 NFL Draft. 

He posted a video of him running and cutting last month. 

Anderson only played in two preseason games last year, but he flashed his potential — finishing with four catches for 51 yards in his debut. 

He admits the injuries have been frustrating. He broke his left leg just two games into his freshman season at Oklahoma and missed the entire 2016 campaign due to a fractured vertebrae in his neck. Combine that with two torn ACLs and it's easy to see why he'd be frustrated with his body. 

"It's tough," Anderson said. "You don't want it to happen to you, but like I said, God has a plans that we really don't understand. I just try to trust in that and whatever happens next — I'll just take it as it comes."

The 23-year-old believes he benefitted from being around the team last season, even though he wasn't on the field. He regularly attended meetings to make sure he was mentally prepared for life in the NFL.

"Staying in the meeting rooms whenever I was able to be more mobile after my surgery was definitely a huge help," Anderson said. "It helped me get a bigger understanding of the offense and just things as a whole. It kept me connected with my teammates as well. I didn't get to do anything physically with them, but mentally, I would consider myself on the same page."

Anderson only appeared in 17 career games for the Sooners. He put together an impressive sophomore season, finishing with 1,161 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He averaged 6.2 yards per attempt in 13 games. He also had 17 receptions for 281 yards and five touchdowns.

The Bengals have seven running backs on their roster. It may be an uphill climb to make the team, but Anderson has the talent to make it happen. He just needs his body to hold up its' end of the bargain. 

"I'm anxious to get started," he said. "I feel confident in myself and I also feel confident in the team. I feel like it's going to be a way better season than last year. I think it's going to come together."

Listen to his entire conversation with Hoard on the Bengals Booth Podcast: