The Cincinnati Bengals made it through just a couple possessions before their oft-criticized offensive line faced some real adversity. Thankfully, unlike some years past, they had a contingency plan at the ready.
Lucas Patrick joined the Bengals this offseason as a depth player and potential fringe starter. Alas, there was a real lack of competition on the interior offensive line in training camp, and Patrick, in essence, won the starting right guard job by default.
Let's just say the preseason discourse wasn't too kind toward him. While Patrick looked pretty good on Cincinnati's opening touchdown drive on Sunday against the Browns in Cleveland, he was unfortunately sidelined in the early going.
Dalton Risner to the rescue as Lucas Patrick exits with calf injury
The Bengals announced that Patrick's return was doubtful due to a calf issue that forced him off the field. Again, in prior seasons, any sort of injury to the o-line would be devastating. Like of course Joe Burrow is still going to ball out because he's a baller and does baller things.
But wow, how refreshing is it that somebody like Dalton Risner, an elite pass protector who the Bengals signed just recently, is waiting in the wings to take over?
Signing of Dalton Risner paying off very early.
— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) September 7, 2025
2nd offensive possession of season. https://t.co/3Xnlw8lhJr
Welp. As I write this, Cincinnati has marched down to the end zone yet again, capped by a one-yard touchdown catch by another later offseason addition in dynamic tight end Noah Fant.
As reactive and lamely stubborn as the Bengals were during Trey Hendrickson's negotiations, you have to give the front office credit for their proactive approach to building out the rest of the roster with actual quality depth.
Here's to wishing Lucas Patrick well, but Risner may very well never let the right guard gig go now that he's entered the lineup. By any conceivable measure, he's been a superior overall player to Patrick throughout his NFL career. Risner's excellence in pass protection is such a great fit for the Bengals' offense, which features as many true pass sets as any in the sport.