The latest injury update on La'el Collins is beyond devastating

When it rains, it pours. Unfortunately for the Cincinnati Bengals on Christmas Day, they got hit with some devastating news when it comes to offensive tackle La'el Collins. This couldn't have come at a worse time for the Bengals as they prepare for the NFL Playoffs.

As confirmed by Kelsey Conway of The Enquirer, it was revealed that Collins tore both his ACL and MCL, effectively ending his season with the Bengals. An injury of this magnitude can take up to seven months if not longer to fully recover from.

Now the Bengals will have to hope that his backup, offensive tackle Hakeem Adeniji, can step up and hold the fort. It's no secret that the Bengals' offensive line has been an area of concern for most of the regular season but as of late, they've improved to where it allows quarterback Joe Burrow and company to do what they do best.

La'el Collins will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL and MCL injury

It obviously remains to be seen if Adeniji can fill in as a starter without any hiccups but the good news is that he has experience all across the offensive line. He's played at both right and left tackle and even played as a right guard last season.

If anything, he does have the skillset to hopefully step in and take care of business. It's a shame this happened to Collins as he started in every game this season so far with the Bengals but as they say, it's the "next man up" mentality. It's an unfortunate part of football but all the Bengals can do is continue moving forward in their quest to make back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.

Hopefully, with two games left in the regular season, Adeniji gets acclimated to starting duties and doesn't miss a beat. Needless to say, his success to protect Burrow and do his part in establishing rushing lanes is crucial to the overall success of the Bengals this postseason.