Bengals: Pro Bowl OT reveals he worked with Jonah Williams this offseason

Pro Bowl offensive tackle Joe Staley revealed he worked with the Cincinnati Bengals’ talented bookend, Jonah Williams, this offseason.

There have been many positive developments to come out of the Cincinnati Bengals’ training camp so far. Joe Burrow has been as advertised, under-the-radar players are outperforming expectations, and the team chemistry seems to be surging. Perhaps one of the most encouraging pieces of news to come to light, however, has been the performance of Jonah Williams.

The 2019 first-round pick has had heavy expectations placed on his broad shoulders heading into his second year with the club. There have been countless videos surface showing the former Alabama standout impressing in one-on-one drills against the squad’s top defensive ends, causing optimism to spread that he can handle the pressure.

The clips were enough to generate plenty of buzz on social media and even retired tackle Geoff Schwartz commented to note Williams’ impressive patience in his technique.

Most recently, the San Fransisco 49ers’ blindside protector, Joe Staley, revealed that he and Williams worked together this offseason. For a player as inexperienced as Williams, getting work with a tackle heading into his 14th season is a huge deal.

The Bengals need Jonah Williams’ offseason work to pay off

While Jonah Williams has been performing well in camp so far, the same can’t be said about the rest of Cincinnati’s line. Trey Hopkins has been solid but others along the trenches have reportedly struggled at times.

In order to pick up the slack and ensure Burrow has enough time to utilize his skillset, Williams may have to perform better than the average “rookie”. Considering the uncertainty of those lining up next to him, along with the slate of pass rushers he’s set to face, he will need to be an outlier if the Bengals are to be competitive this year.

Thankfully, Williams had a full year of mental reps a season ago, put in tremendous work this offseason, and is being mentored by one of the best in the game. If any player is capable of living up to such high expectations, it’s him.