Projecting Bengals’ starting offensive line after first wave of free agency

Left Tackle: Jonah Williams

The last time I projected the o-line, I went with Terron Armstead as the Bengals’ starting left tackle. It felt like for the early portion of the offseason that Armstead was who Cincinnati natives wanted to man the left side of the line but as they learned more about him and his injury issues, they started to stray away from wanting him in the stripes.

People seemed perfectly fine with the team adding a proven left tackle and then moving former first-round pick Jonah Williams over to right tackle. That won’t be happening now, however. Williams, barring an injury or something else that forces him to miss an extended period of time, will be the starting left tackle in Week 1.

Williams isn’t the best left tackle in the league but he’s a fine option at the position. People zero in on his eight sacks allowed last year and use that against him but what he’s not given credit for is staying healthy for the first time in his career.

The only way Williams isn’t the starter this season is if the Bengals are able to land a stud at the position through a trade, a team releasing a stud and Cincy pouncing, or if they’re aggressive in the first round of the draft. Considering that Williams is a solid option, though, I don’t see any of those things happening but you never know in the NFL.