The Cincinnati Bengals have whiffed on many a first-round pick in recent years, but right tackle Amarius Mims is showing signs of being a legit star at the position.
Mims was the 18th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Although that class looks like a full-blown disaster outside of him, scoring a franchise tackle would make all those other misfires worth Cincinnati's while.
However, Mims still has something to prove. The 23-year-old will be extension-eligible next offseason, too. Now that he's a little more on the larger NFL radar, and many expect a breakout 2026 campaign from him, how will he respond?
Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims has great expectations and big money at stake entering Year 3
PFSN compiled a list of one player from each team who's under the most pressure this coming season, and Mims was the choice for Cincinnati. Here's the rationale:
"With an increase in PFN OL Impact Scoring from Year 1 to Year 2, the arrow seems to be pointing up with Amarius Mims. He went from a below-average starter to a slightly above-average one in 2025. At that current rate of ascension, he could prove himself as a top-tier tackle by the end of 2026. That could set him up for a monster extension after this season."
This trend from Mims via Gridiron Grading was as of Week 16's 45-21 rout of the Dolphins in Miami, and it held true for the final two games of last season:
Amarius Mims has graded at 70+ in 4 of his last 5 games, per PFF and today’s initial grade.
— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) December 21, 2025
He graded at 70+ in only 2 of his previous 25 games.
He is still 23 and already looks like a long-term plus starter at RT.
A draft hit for the Bengals.
If you go through the Bengals' entire, much-improved roster, Mims earns the "most under pressure" honors almost more by process of elimination than anything else.
The argument that superstar quarterback Joe Burrow is under massive pressure to deliver is totally misguided. Burrow has experienced a full-on catharsis this offseason amid Cincinnati's flurry of moves to improve the defense in particular.
So who's left? My only major candidates are second-year linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter.
What makes them unique is the fact that they were so awful as rookies, expectations for them are in one of those Dante's Inferno circles. Or Hades if you like. Subterranean.
Plus, the Bengals coaching staff and personnel department are so confident in Knight and Carter that they've not been challenged by a single new addition. Instead, Cincinnati has built up the talent around them with the likes of Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, Boye Mafe, Cashius Howell, and Bryan Cook.
Like I fully expect Carter to not be good. Where's the pressure there? Anything resembling a modest, passable professional starter will be downright glorious.
Meanwhile, Mims is indeed playing for a second contract. He'll be tasked with blocking dynamic edge rushers and will never hear the end of it if he blows an assignment to get Burrow injured again.
I've maintained all along that Mims, at 6'8" and 350 pounds with ridiculous athleticism, is too gifted to not be at least a serviceable NFL tackle. My nickname for him is "Too Big to Fail." Because well, at that size, with such massive talent, Mims should have no trouble achieving that baseline.
But with the arrow pointing up and a potential top-market payday on the horizon, Mims can really vault himself into a whole new class of the NFL with a stellar season. Dalton Risner's return at right guard should only help Mims' mission. That said, we're officially at the point where Mims will be counted on more as a leader and tone-setter in the trenches.
So to recap: Huge contract possible, scrutiny to not put the face of the franchise in harm's way, capitalizing on one's own seemingly limitless potential, and a fledgling leadership role.
Yeah. Amarius Mims will be feeling the heat this season.
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