It would appear that the Cincinnati Bengals have a lethal allergy to make no-brainer depth acquisitions in free agency at this stage of training camp and the preseason.
Frustrating as that stubbornness can be, there may very well be hope inside the building for at least one lackluster position group. It's no secret the interior offensive line is a problem spot in Cincinnati, and it's not as if they didn't address that this offseason. The question is, will it be enough?
Much of the Bengals' plans in the trenches to protect rookie quarterback Joe Burrow could very well hinge on an underrated, undrafted rookie free agent who's finally hitting the practice field after recouping from a major injury.
Seth McLaughlin has upside to be agent of change for Bengals' offensive line
As a full-time, three-year starter for blue-blood programs Alabama (two seasons) and Ohio State, center Seth McLaughlin was quite simply a stud. Even before he got his first live camp reps as a pro on Tuesday, I slotted him into my first 53-man roster projection.
Despite some self-admitted rust and not much offseason fanfare, McLaughlin held his own at Bengals practice when he got reps with the second-team o-line.
5 observations from Day 13 of #Bengals camp:
— Dan Hoard (@Dan_Hoard) August 12, 2025
1. Seth McLaughlin could play on Monday after getting reps as the #2 center today.
“First time playing some real live situation football,” he said. “It’s a ton of fun. Definitely feels a bit rusty, but the rust is knocking off quick.” pic.twitter.com/4JpHS5Cl21
Bear in mind that 2024 seventh-round pick Matt Lee is also in the mix for the backup center gig behind Ted Karras. A lot of in-the-weeds Bengals folk love Lee for his athletic profile and high level of play at the University of Miami.
But McLaughlin just won the Rimington Trophy last season at Ohio State as the nation's best center. That's despite suffering a torn Achilles in November that knocked him out for the final stretch of the Buckeyes' national championship run.
To already be back on the field some nine months removed from that devastating setback is a testament to McLaughlin's work ethic, and an apparent freakish healing factor. Per PFF, in his 1,058 pass blocking snaps over the last three seasons, McLaughlin yielded only one sack and five QB hits.
Karras has experience playing guard in the NFL. If there's a world where McLaughlin could be healthy enough to take the reins at center, Karras could kick over to right guard to solve that problem spot and fortify the o-line far better than expected. That would bode very well for this 2025 Bengals team that's eager to return to the playoffs.
However, the impact of McLaughlin already being back in action could have longer-term implications. While it'd be disappointing for Cincinnati to admit defeat on Lee as a draft pick, it's totally fine if McLaughlin winds up being a long-tenured starter.
Continuing on the bigger-picture train of thought, Karras will turn 33 next March when he hits free agency. The Bengals won't pay a lower-tread, 30-year-old, admittedly more expensive Trey Hendrickson right now, so it's hard to imagine they'll fork over the money Karras is looking for.
My thinking is that the preseason and the rest of camp present golden opportunities to bank reps for McLaughlin, and see if he can't step up to that center spot, or at the very least push the likes of Lucas Patrick and Cody Ford at right guard. I'm a far bigger believer in McLaughlin's upside compared to those two vets.