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There’s good news for the Cincinnati Bengals with Shemar Stewart looking good. And the team is trying to find ways to use Ja’Marr Chase more. However, here is the Bengals' biggest reason to panic after the start of the 2025 NFL training camp.
For all of the talk about the Bengals around Joe Burrow and his receivers, there hasn’t been enough conversation about the state of his offensive line. The Bengals rank a shockingly low No. 31 heading into the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
“The Bengals overhauled their guard pair with journeyman Lucas Patrick and third-round draft pick Dylan Fairchild,” Zoltán Buday wrote. “However, the rest of one of the worst offensive lines in 2024 remained in place. The offensive tackles, in particular, will need to improve drastically.
“Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.’s 58.2 PFF overall grade ranked only 66th among 81 qualifiers, while rookie right tackle Amarius Mims’s 57.8 mark placed him 67th.”
Will HC Zac Taylor find a way to protect Joe Burrow?
As good as Burrow is, the offensive line woes will likely be the Bengals’ breaking point in 2025. And that means Taylor’s tenure with the Bengals might end.
Things aren’t looking rosy in the Bengals' training camp, according to nytimes.com.
“Rookie fifth-round pick Jalen Rivers has run at tackle with the second team,” Paul Dehner Jr. wrote. “Jaxson Kirkland kicked out to tackle one day. Ford played there last year, but the staff is hoping to gain an extended look at him playing guard this summer.
“On top of concern regarding rookie third-round pick Dylan Fairchild, currently the leader in the clubhouse to start at left guard, the cast of question marks lacking experience, floating behind the starting tackles, is startling. If the Bengals had to play Cleveland this Sunday without Mims, they couldn’t tell you who would hold down the starting spot.”
Bengals' offensive line coach Scott Peters has pushed the envelope with right tackle Amarius Mims, who must perform at a high level if the Bengals’ offense is going to operate consistently.
“We need you with us every game,” Peters said of Mims. “That’s something that without having all that experience, your cup is bigger than you think. Your capacity is bigger than you think. He knows that. It’s a matter of, ‘Hey, you got to get out there today, you got to press, you got to get better.’ That’s part of being a pro in the NFL. We want him to peak and grind and grow. And be present with us on the field. That’s the biggest thing he’s focused on right now.”
Other Bengals' battles are playing out on the line
There are several other things on Peters’ radar as well, according to fox19.com.
“My approach has been get these guys acclimated at one spot where they understand all the techniques,” Peters said. “Then once you get to that level, it’s time to move people and see how they adjust. If you’re not a starter, you’ve got to have positional flex. The more you’re trusted to do, the more value you have for us. That’s something we’ve really emphasized.
“Building depth on an offensive line is just as important sometimes as getting starters. Everyone will play at some point. When you carry a roster and thin the numbers down, you want guys who can do it and they can be trusted to do it in different positional roles.”
Fairchild is another key. The Bengals' third-round pick has shown good things in camp, Peters said.
“(Fairchild) has done a good job,” Peters said. “He’s a real pro. He really wants to learn. If he makes a mistake, he takes it really seriously. You’re always going to make mistakes as a rookie. The thing is if you can make corrections and keep rolling. Everyone is impressed with his approach. He has been doing really well with the mental stuff. And he’s making adjustments technique-wise.
“He has had a few where you can see his strength, recoverability and quickness. As he gets more comfortable, those things will start to show themselves more. He certainly has all the physical abilities you’re looking for in a guard. Now, it’s about being more consistent and learning and growing every chance he gets. He has done a nice job so far, but there’s quite a bit of room for improvement.”
As for Bengals' right guard Cody Ford, he has been earning trust with the Bengals. Ford said he’s doing OK so far.
“I’m playing pretty decently,” Ford said. “I’m still getting into this thing. There’s always room to improve. It’s about learning the techniques he’s coaching and applying them. Realizing that things happen faster and more powerfully inside.”
