As questions mount about who will back up Cincinnati Bengals starters Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims at tackle, the front office seems unconcerned for now.
Their only move to address the situation was to cut veteran Cody Ford and move second-year player Jalen Rivers back to tackle after he either didn't show enough at guard or they looked to him as the answer at tackle.
And while they may try to spin that narrative into gold, it doesn't erase those concerns from those who fear the Bengals haven't done enough to secure the offensive line this offseason.
However, other teams aren't waiting until the final whistle of the preseason to improve their offensive line depth, while the Bengals seem content to wait before making any changes there.
Other teams are not holding the line
While the Bengals are either waiting or have no plans to make any moves, other teams are active in the offensive line market.
Kansas City just made a move for a backup guard by acquiring Josh Ezeudu from the New York Giants. The G-Men received a seventh-round pick in return.
The Washington Commanders did not have to give up anything as they reached into free agency to sign tackle DJ Humphries to a one-year contract.
Some in the nation's capital believe that Humphries could be an option as a starter to begin the season. They should not go that far.
Perhaps signing Humphries was the best that the Commanders could do under the present circumstances. While that is not an exciting signing, it speaks to the desperation of teams trying to improve their OL situation as the preseason comes to a close.
The signing further proves that there will be NFL teams scouring the waiver wire for offensive line help once the final cuts come down.
Bengals might already have their answer
In Cincinnati, tackle Javon Foster has acquitted himself well against the competition in front of him this offseason. He is the leader in the clubhouse for the first tackle in case it’s needed.
It would be nice to see what the athletically gifted, undrafted rookie free agent Corey Robinson II could do in extended action against the Eagles on Friday night. However, the Bengals seem intent on keeping him out of the spotlight, possibly wanting to stash him on the practice squad.
Nevertheless, the Bengals seem intent on making it work with either Fostser or Rivers as the primary backup at tackle if it comes to that.
Another option that the front office could already have in mind is signing free-agent tackle Cam Robinson, as Cincinnati has already been linked to him. Those conversations could be happening outside of our purview.
Time to act is if backups aren’t deemed ready
The Bengals' best bet is that either Rivers or Foster can earn enough trust from the coaches to make an offensive lineman unnecessary.
However, if they still aren't convinced after the final preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles that one of them is up to the task, the next-best and most prudent option would be to make a trade, which could be costly.
But maybe they will shock everyone and make another blockbuster move that includes next year’s first-round pick.
For now, while a few other teams make OL moves ahead of cutdown day, the Bengals are holding the line. Hopefully, their patience pays off.
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