Bengals Roster: Realistic expectations for Joseph Ossai in 2023
With their third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals nabbed Joseph Ossai out of Texas. He looked promising during the preseason games that year but ended up getting injured and missed his entire rookie season.
That meant that this past season essentially served as Ossai's rookie year. He looked good for the most part but unfortunately for him, people are only going to remember him for the ill-advised hit he had on Patrick Mahomes in the AFC Championship Game.
Furthermore, Ossai was injured on that play and had to have surgery in the offseason.
Joseph Ossai says he hyperextended his knee against the Chiefs, tore his labrum agains the Browns in Dec. Had offseason surgery on it in early Feb. will likely miss the offseaon program due to rehab pic.twitter.com/h7XZZT3Ldv
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) May 1, 2023
It was an unfortunate end for Ossai in his first full season as an NFL pro. The good news is that it's in the past and hopefully, he can move past it and learn from his mistakes. If that one play becomes what's Ossai known for, then hopefully he can at least help the team win a Super Bowl of their own in the coming years.
What should Bengals fans expect from Joseph Ossai in 2023?
Ossai is projected to backup Sam Hubbard on the left side of the defensive line, according to Our Lads. He shouldn't have to worry about his roster spot unless he has a really bad summer but even then, it'd be shocking for his roster spot to be in jeopardy.
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Last year, he finished with 17 tackles, 10 QB hits, and 3.5 sacks and the hope is that he builds on those numbers this year. The Bengals need more from their pass rush in 2023 and Ossai did okay in that department last year but he needs to up the ante this time around.