Although the Cincinnati Bengals just invested two draft picks in the offensive line, their swing tackle position is very much up in the air. Incumbent Cody Ford is better suited to play guard, and rookies Connor Lew and Brian Parker II have futures at center and guard respectively.
Parker did play tackle in college at Duke, yet he'd be more of an emergency break-glass option than anything else. And Ford hasn't proven that he can step in there and play at a high level.
Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. negotiated his own team-friendly contract extension this offseason. Amarius Mims is living up to his first-round billing on the other side, and should be on his way to a big payday either next year or the year after. If either one of them gets banged up, though, Cincinnati's stellar o-line that returns all five starters from 2025 could be in peril.
That is, unless a previous mid-round pick can rise to the occasion in training camp to solidify that spot.
Will Javon Foster seize the Bengals' swing tackle job?
The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted former Missouri left tackle Javon Foster in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The 114th overall pick was a first-team all-SEC selection during his last college season, and made 39 starts at left tackle for the Tigers.
Unfortunately, Foster didn't blossom into the pro the Jags were hoping for. Their new regime waived him during last year's training camp before he could even get rolling.
Cincinnati wasted no time in scooping Foster up and adding him to the practice squad. The coaching staff and scouting department evidently saw enough from him to keep him around at least through the offseason program.
Here's what NFL.com draft guru Lance Zierlein had to say about Foster after his NFL Scouting Combine, which, blended with his pro day workout, produced a pedestrian 6.32 Relative Athletic Score:
"Durable three-year starter whose arm length and strain can help make up for below-average athletic qualities as a tackle. Foster lacks fluidity in his pass sets and proper footwork with certain run blocks, but he gets his job done. He’s very capable as a zone blocker, maintaining his pacing and sustain, and he’s a thinker in pass sets with a nice approach to diversifying his punch to keep rushers guessing. Foster isn’t a natural knee-bender and that lack of leverage shows up as a drive blocker and when handling bull rushers. The question for Foster will be whether he can improve his footwork enough to become a more efficient blocker. He has the tape to project as a backup with starter potential."
For a Bengals offense that loves to air it out, Foster's perceived shortcomings in pass protection don't bode terribly well. On the other hand, his zone run blocking chops could make him an effective stand-in if Cincinnati does indeed open up the playbook and diversify its run scheme.
Outside of Ford, there aren't many other viable swing tackle candidates on the Bengals' roster. Ourlads' depth chart lists Ford ahead of Foster at left tackle, and Andrew Coker checks in as the No. 2 right tackle behind Mims.
Not the most inspiring group to say the least. Yes, the Bengals had to spend big to upgrade their defense. They were right to do that. It just came at the expense of adding another offensive tackle.
Given his immense collegiate experience and reps banked against top-flight SEC competition, Foster is as worthy of a contender as any to rise up in training camp and emerge as the No. 1 swing tackle. Regarding the prompt in question, yes, I believe Foster will get the gig, if only as the lesser of all evils.
Backhanded of a compliment as that may be, Foster's rise would be a most welcome development as the Bengals quest to keep Burrow healthy for only the second time in four seasons.
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