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Who should the starting guards be for the Cincinnati Bengals?

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The Cincinnati Bengals biggest question mark so far this offseason and into preseason has been if the offensive line is good enough to protect Joe Burrow and stay consistent enough not to be a weak spot that other teams expose. The addition of veteran Riley Reiff has made it easier to fill out the line, but many questions remain as preseason winds down.

The guard position right now seems like the biggest question mark. Currently, head coach Zac Taylor has moved several players around to find the right fit at those two spots. Quinton Spain looks as if he could be one of the top candidates for the job, while Michael Jordan has started there over the first two preseason games and seems like the favorite to win the starting right guard spot.

Second-round pick Jackson Carman has slowly progressed in the right direction, but do not expect him to be one of the starting guards in Week 1. It also seems like another rookie offensive lineman D’Ante Smith has the upper hand on Carman for the job after his recent success in training camp and Week 1 of the preseason. He was out against the Washington Football Team due to dehydration but was rumored to be getting the start alongside Jordan with the first-unit offense.

Xavier Su’a-Filo is another candidate to evaluate when determining who should start at one the guard spots. Su’a-Filo was brought in last offseason, where the expectation was that he would come in and be a difference-maker on the line. Unfortunately, having his season be cut short due to injuries and underperforming when active has made him more of a longshot to win one of these jobs.

With only one week of preseason remaining, the starters for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins will most likely be the starting unit you see against the Vikings if, in fact, everybody is healthy and active. Ultimately, Zac Taylor’s decision for these two starting guard spots will be crucial due to the dying concerns everyone is waiting to find out about. Most of the criticism the Bengals have faced this offseason revolves around the lack of moves on the line in free agency besides adding Riley Reiff. Expect Taylor to reveal the starting line within the next week or so.

My projected starting offensive line depth chart entering Week 1

RT- Riley Reiff / Fred Johnson

RG – Michael Jordan / Xavier Su’a-Filo / Jackson Carman

C – Trey Hopkins / Billy Price / Trey Hill

LG – Quinton Spain / D’Ante Smith

LT – Jonah Williams / Isaiah Prince

Why the Bengals Could Exceed Expectations This Season

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Finishing 4-11-1 in 2020, the Bengals suffered through another tough season especially after the prosperous Joe Burrow went down with a traumatizing knee injury.

Many remain that do not see the potential in this young team. However, adding Burrow’s former teammate at LSU, Ja’Marr Chase, with the fifth overall pick to the plethora of talented receivers the Bengals already have in Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Auden Tate could make for one of the more dynamic offenses in the league. Not to mention a healthy Joe Mixon in the backfield who is a capable 1,000+ yard rusher. 

The big concern that the NFL world still continues to question is the quality of the offensive line and there could be backlash still in passing on Oregon tackle Penei Sewell in the draft. But, hiring offensive line coach Frank Pollack, who has an excellent track record, plus the additions of veteran Riley Reiff and the second round pick and Fairfield, Ohio product Jackson Carman out of Clemson could be game-changing moves. During his collegiate career at Clemson, Carman played 1,934 snaps throughout 40 career games. He was stout for the Tigers, playing against the best of the best. Carman played against Ohio State and Alabama each twice over his three-years at Clemson. Cincinnati also added other lineman later in the draft in D’Ante Smith from East Carolina and center Trey Hill from Georgia while also re-signing guard Quinton Spain. If Jonah Williams continues to take strides in the right direction, he could also become a centerpiece for the Bengals line after they selected him in the first round in the 2019 NFL Draft. 

Additionally, the Bengals went all out on the defensive side of the ball through the draft and free agency this off-season to boost the pass rush, which ranked 29th in the league, and limit chunk plays that the defense often gave up. 

Notable moves include: 

  • DE – Trey Hendrickson (Four years, $60 Million) 
  • Edge – Joseph Ossai (3rd Round, Texas) 
  • CB – Chidobe Awuzie (3 years, $21.75 Million)
  • CB – Mike Hilton (4 years, $24 million)
  • DT – Larry Ogunjobi (1 year, $6.2 Million) 
  • S – Ricardo Allen (1 year, $1.5 Million) 
  • CB – Eli Apple (1 year, $1.2 Million) 
  • DE – Cameron Sample (4th Round, Tulane) 
  • DT – Tyler Shelvin (4th Round, LSU) 

Ultimately, Cincinnati will have its ups and downs throughout this season. With high-level talent on the offense however, critical replacements to the offensive line, and the new key additions to the defense, the Bengals have the potential to shock many if they can remain healthy. Cincinnati may be a dark horse come January.