Cincy Jungle
The defensive line is intriguing.
The Cincinnati Bengals kept their playoff wins alive with a win over the Cleveland Browns this weekend. Over the past few weeks, injuries have begun to mount, which has created opportunities for youths and newcomers to emerge, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
This week, two rookies started on defense, and four rookies, or second-year players, contributed. The most interesting position on the field has to be the defensive line.
In the absence of Sam Hubbard, Joseph Ossai has fully stepped into the starting role opposite Trey Hendrickson. This week, Hendrickson took 52 snaps, and Ossai played only one less. Ossai did not squander this opportunity, notching five tackles and a sack on the day.
2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy played a significant role, taking 34 snaps, but clearly, the preference was for Ossai in that role. Rookie Cedric Johnson also made an appearance, playing six defensive snaps.
It is no surprise that on the interior of the defensive line, BJ Hill took the most snaps with 49. Kris Jenkins trailed with 31, while fellow rookie McKinnley Jackson and veteran Jay Tufele had a few fewer, totaling 21 and 18 snaps, respectively. Hill had five tackles on the day. Jenkins had two. Jackson and Tufele each had one.
Of course, what really stands out on the stat line is that both of Jenkins’s tackles were sacks, as was Jackson’s. Not a bad day for the Day 2 picks. The Bengals need an interior pass rush, and these two are showing promise.
It stands out that Jackson’s snap count remains pretty low based on the production we have seen from him in recent weeks. I am not suggesting that he take Hill or Jenkins off the field, but does Tufele really need to get 18 snaps? Perhaps Lou Anarumo sees it as a less is more sort of situation.
Jackson tips the scales at just over 330, but you wouldn’t know it from the effort and athleticism you see on the field. I’d love to see how he would perform if they doubled his snap count. Until we see what he can do with a larger workload, it is hard to project him as anything more than a rotational player.
Another interesting note is that despite the injury to Logan Wilson and some struggles from Germaine Pratt and Akeem Davis-Gaither, no other linebackers are getting a serious look. Rookie Maema Njongmeta took a mere six snaps, and Shaka Heyward played only one.
