ClutchPoints
There’s good news for the Cincinnati Bengals with Shemar Stewart looking good. And the team is trying to find ways to use Ja’Marr Chase more. However, here is the Bengals’ biggest reason to panic after the start of the 2025 NFL training camp.
For all of the talk about the Bengals around Joe Burrow and his receivers, there hasn’t been enough conversation about the state of his offensive line. The Bengals rank a shockingly low No. 31 heading into the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
“The Bengals overhauled their guard pair with journeyman Lucas Patrick and third-round draft pick Dylan Fairchild,” Zoltán Buday wrote. “However, the rest of one of the worst offensive lines in 2024 remained in place. The offensive tackles, in particular, will need to improve drastically.
“Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.’s 58.2 PFF overall grade ranked only 66th among 81 qualifiers, while rookie right tackle Amarius Mims’s 57.8 mark placed him 67th.”
As good as Burrow is, the offensive line woes will likely be the Bengals’ breaking point in 2025. And that means Taylor’s tenure with the Bengals might end.
Things aren’t looking rosy in the Bengals’ training camp, according to nytimes.com.
“Rookie fifth-round pick Jalen Rivers has run at tackle with the second team,” Paul Dehner Jr. wrote. “Jaxson Kirkland kicked out to tackle one day. Ford played there last year, but the staff is hoping to gain an extended look at him playing guard this summer.
“On top of concern regarding rookie third-round pick Dylan Fairchild, currently the leader in the clubhouse to start at left guard, the cast of question marks lacking experience, floating behind the starting tackles, is startling. If the Bengals had to play Cleveland this Sunday without Mims, they couldn’t tell you who would hold down the starting spot.”
Bengals’ offensive line coach Scott Peters has pushed the envelope with right tackle Amarius Mims, who must perform at a high level if the Bengals’ offense is going to operate consistently.
“We need you with us every game,” Peters said of Mims. “That’s something that without having all that experience, your cup is bigger than you think. Your capacity is bigger than you think. He knows that. It’s a matter of, ‘Hey, you got to get out there today, you got to press, you got to get better.’ That’s part of being a pro in the NFL. We want him to peak and grind and grow. And be present with us on the field. That’s the biggest thing he’s focused on right now.”
There are several other things on Peters’ radar as well, according to fox19.com.
“My approach has been get these guys acclimated at one spot where they understand all the techniques,” Peters said. “Then once you get to that level, it’s time to move people and see how they adjust. If you’re not a starter, you’ve got...
