Cincinnati Bengals listed as dark-horse contender for Orlando Brown Jr.

The Cincinnati Bengals‘ offensive line is always a topic of conversation and for good reason, as Joe Burrow was sacked a league-leading 51 times in the 2021 regular season. Getting Burrow solid protection needs to be priority No. 1 this offseason and the team has the funds to give him the o-line he deserves.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report brought up an interesting scenario in which the Bengals land Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. this offseason as a dark-horse candidate.

The biggest thing that stands out here is that the Bengals already have a left tackle. Jonah Williams has at least one year remaining on his deal pending a fifth-year option, which feels likely to get picked up. That ties him to the Queen City for two more years, so going after Brown feels odd but I guess that’s why he’s listed as a dark-horse.

Here’s what Knox had to say:

"The Bengals should at least consider upgrading at left tackle. With Riley Reiff set to be a free agent, Cincinnati could also use a new right tackle. While Brown may be opposed to moving back to right tackle, Williams might accept an audition there.Cincinnati is on the cusp of being a perennial contender—if it isn’t already there—but the Bengals have to do a better job of protecting Burrow. Whether it also means replacing or repositioning Williams, signing Brown could be one way to do that."

Is Orlando Brown Jr. a fit for Cincinnati Bengals?

The part about Williams potentially moving to right tackle is interesting but it’s unlikely the team goes in that direction. Knox mentions in the article how Williams was hit and miss this year but he more than held his own against the Raiders in the Wild Card round and had more good performances than bad performances. That’s why I’d be okay with sticking with him on the left side of the line.

Brown is a great left tackle, however, and if the Bengals want to give their franchise quarterback the best possible o-line possible, there’s no debating that Brown would be a step in the right direction. He’s been very vocal about wanting to be a left tackle though so making this move would cause some drama as far as who would move between him and Williams.

While I’d love to see Cincinnati be aggressive with their offensive line this offseason, Jonah Williams isn’t the guy who needs to be replaced.

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How would you feel about the Bengals adding Orlando Brown in free agency?