4 Bengals newcomers projected to be starters in 2023
By Glenn Adams
As much as fans love training camp battles and position competition, the players brought in via free agency and the draft who will start for the Cincinnati Bengals is no secret.
At first glance, going to a Super Bowl-contending roster might not appear optimal for guys looking to be starters. Those teams are usually stacked with talent, and starting roles are difficult to come by. Nevertheless, rookies and free agents found an opportunity in the Queen City. There are four newcomers to the Bengals projected to be starters in 2023.
Orlando Brown Jr.
The literal and figural huge acquisition for the Bengals was left tackle, Orlando Brown Jr. He is expected to improve the left side of the offensive line and help protect Joe Burrow.
His arrival, in part, prompted offensive coordination Brian Callahan to say that this is the best offensive line he has had since he joined the Bengals. Let's hope such praise is warranted once the season has played out.
Pro Football Focus ranks Brown as the 14th-best offensive tackle in the NFL heading into the 2023 season. He should be a marked improvement over Jonah Williams, who did not fall into PFF’s list of top 32 tackles. Or, to more accurately phrase it, we should hope Brown is an improvement over Williams, although we know nothing is guaranteed in that department.
And much to the chagrin of Williams, a major reason why Brown is in Cincinnati is that the team told him he would start on the left side of the offensive line while other franchises think of him more as a right tackle. Therefore, count on Brown as one of the newcomers to have a starting role with the Bengals.