Bengals’ offensive line still in flux for opener against Ravens
By Emile Pierce
The Bengals’ offensive line is going to be an important part of the puzzle for 2017. Getting the pieces in place is proving to be a chore.
It’s not a newfound bundle of information that will turn heads. But, it is something that has to be addressed before the season gets real in a month’s time. The number one concern going into the offseason was the state of the Bengals’ offensive line. Now, with training camp in full swing and a preseason battle looming, the words fans don’t want to hear are ringing true. The O-line is still taking shape.
Being an eternal optimist and someone who likes to pull victory from the jaws of defeat, I feel the Bengals will be fine. But, as a diehard fan of 42 years, the truth of this situation rings loud and clear. If the Bengals are going to be the offensive juggernaut predicted by so many, the line needs to gel quickly and effectively.
There are trickles of good news about individual players and how they’re going to make the situation tolerable. Yet, it’s hard to get a grip on things being fine when the heart of the offense is in a holding pattern around the airport. In other words, there’s no clearance to land with the current cast of characters. The prognosis isn’t horrible, but it isn’t something to sweep under the rug either.
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Having a shaky offensive line isn’t going to crush the Bengals’ chances of a postseason run. But, it’s a blemish on a potentially lethal unit. After a successful draft and the acquisition of speed on top of speed, there has to be a foundation to launch from. Fans and experts questioned the rationale behind letting Kevin Zeitler and Big Whit walk. Andrew Whitworth was a journeyman and leader that brought a tough tenacious grit to the line. Zeitler was a young stud drenched with talent and potential.
As training camp pulls out the truth of the situation, players will either shine or shrink. So far, one of the standouts has been Cedric Ogbuehi. He’s the heir apparent for the left tackle position. Essentially, the spot is his to lose. Bengals Hall of Fame LT, Anthony Munoz, likes what he sees in Cedric.
"“He’s big, strong, athletic,” Munoz commented, via Bengals.com. “The thing I would say is that you’re a No. 1 pick. They expect you to take over for the other guy. It’s time. He can be the guy. They’ve shown that they believe in him. When they made me the No. 1 pick, my goal was to come in and prove them right. It took me three days, but the attitude was I’m going to do whatever it takes to prove they were right.”"
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Another bright, versatile player is Trey Hopkins. In his fourth season with Cincinnati, Hopkins is turning out to be a key component for the offensive line.
A broken leg kept him at bay for the majority of his time with the Bengals. But, his presence at camp is giving O-line coach Paul Alexander a reason to be hopeful.
"“I have always liked him. He’s always done a good job,” Alexander says. “Heck, as an undrafted rookie he started in the first preseason game. That kind of talks about the way we operate here. If you are the best guy here you play. We are a long way from saying, ‘OK, here is our team we are ready to play the opener.’ We got a lot of work to do.”"
The Bengals kept him around and it may have been one of the wisest decisions of the past few seasons. Hopkins was a line-jumper at Texas. He started 28 games at left guard and 14 at right tackle. At this point, the Bengals need a player of his capabilities. He’s smart and a specimen of a prototype lineman (6’3”, 310 pounds).
The line should take shape by the time Baltimore rolls into town September 10. That’s what the preseason is for. But, it would really be nice to have a grasp on the O-line’s final look…now.