Andrei Iosivas Breaks Down Slot Wide Receiver Transition

 Burgeoning Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas chatted with our James Rapien ahead of training camp next week. The young playmaker went through a switch to being a slot wide receiver last season and broke down the transition.

Iosivas played 450 slot snaps in 2024 compared to 41 in the 2023 season. He posted 36 catches for 479 yards and six touchdowns this past campaign.

"I wouldn't say I was uncomfortable. I was just kind of like, 'Okay, what is this going to be like in the slot?'" Iosivas noted on Cincinnati Bengals Talk. "I've seen a bunch of film, on TV, obviously. It's just like, a different kind of game in there. There's much more you have to maneuver. You're really in tune with what the defense is doing. The rotation of the safeties, you are always locked in on that kind of stuff in the slot, because then you have to go block, 'Okay, is the safety rotating down? Okay, got to go motion over there to take him out.' 

"It's fun because it helped me learn the game more, and I think it will help my career in the future. I'm very comfortable on the outside, but now that I'm so comfortable in the slot, I think it just expands my game so much, and I do have the tools to be successful on the outside and on the inside. So it really just helped my career out, to be honest, and my path. At first, I was confused, and now it's starting to make sense."

It's a great mentality from Iosivas, who understands the hierarchy in the Bengals' pass-catching core. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are going to get a vast majority of the snaps outside, leaving the slot for guys like Mike Gesicki and Iosivas.

Cincinnati is pulling off the rare return of all four of its top receivers from last season, and Iosivas could take another step forward amidst the continuity.