Cincinnati Bengals: 4 Reasons to put Zac Taylor on a warmer seat

The Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive line should look better in 2020.

Cincinnati Bengals signal-caller Joe Burrow was fantastic in 2020, but he’s still rehabbing a knee injury that cut his season short. Every quarterback hit won’t fall on the offensive line, but it was no secret that the unit needed some work this offseason. Cincinnati did not sit on their hands.

Still, the question of if adding 32-year-old Riley Reiff on a short term free agency contract and waiting until night two to address the offensive trenches in the draft is enough to keep the franchise quarterback upright in 2021 is a fair one, especially when a top offensive line prospect like Penai Sewell was there for Cincinnati to take.

Taylor has essentially bet his job on the three offensive linemen Cincinnati drafted panning out. Second-round pick Jackson Carman is more likely to make an immediate impact than the offensive linemen drafted on day three.

Carman had back surgery in the offseason and there is some debate over whether he will end up at tackle or guard. Taylor reportedly likes him as a guard for now.  Can he have a good career in stripes? Yes, he can. Based on the offseason surgery and position debate though, he is far from a safe bet.

The new faces, getting more out of the linemen already on the roster, and the return of offensive line coach Frank Pollock are the keys to keeping Burrow upright and leaving the franchise with at least some degree of hope this season and beyond.