The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off the heels of a disappointing campaign that saw them miss the playoffs for the second straight year. This has seen them reshift their focus over the NFL offseason with the implementation of the young talent into the mix.
Among those incoming players that have caught the attention of the coaching staff has been rookie defensive end Sam Hubbard over the last several weeks in the offseason workouts. According to Mike Dyer of WCPO, head coach Marvin Lewis has been impressed by what Hubbard has shown up to this point on the practice field.
“He has been way ahead of the curve,” Lewis said. “We’re just excited about that. He’s going to really complement and add to our football team right away. I’m just excited because he’s probably out here a little mature beyond his years right now.”
Given these comments made by Lewis, Hubbard has a chance in front of him to latch on to a significant role along the defensive line in his first campaign. He has proven he can a make a significant impact with his ability to get to the quarterback along with being a factor against the run. Hubbard is coming off a strong junior year at Ohio State where he had 7.0 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss.
The 21-year-old could step in to provide a stronger pass rush alongside proven talents in Carlos Dunlap and Carl Lawson on the edge while helping Pro Bowler Geno Atkins become a more effective factor from the middle. The fact that he's picking up things in such a quick manner should bode well to him possibly finding success on the field from the get-go.
Ultimately, only time will tell if this will translate to Hubbard prove that he can be an impact player in his rookie campaign.
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