The 3 worst Bengals who will make the roster post-training camp
- A familiar tight end might be on his last leg in Cincy
- A former third-round pick needs to show something
- Is the end finally here for a former second-rounder?
Zach Carter
Similar to Drew Sample, Zach Carter was drafted rounds ahead of his projected landing spot due to the team being thin at his position group. While the Bengals have one of the most underrated defensive tackle duos in the league with Reader and Hill, the depth behind these two studs has been a concern. With the departure of the injured Larry Ogunjobi after the Super Bowl loss, Cincinnati looked to the draft to supplement their trenches in third-rounder Zach Carter from the Florida Gators.
Carter was projected to be a developmental fifth-rounder who needed time to hone his skills as a versatile player on the defensive line. While he came in to relieve Reader and Hill, Carter notched a single sack and only eight assists. His final grade for the past season, 32.1, is an abysmal showing for a third-rounder who is developing to be the long-term replacement at defensive tackle.
However, there is still hope for Carter who reportedly added 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason, hoping to gain the necessary weight to overpower offensive linemen. The start to his career has no doubt been a rocky one, but he still has some time to develop behind B.J. Hill.
Zach Carter will no doubt make the team due to his third-round billing, but if he delivers another poor performance, he could be looking at a swift exit from the team before his contract is up.