Jackson Carman confident he can be the Bengals starting left guard

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(05-24-2022, 08:59 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Jay Morrison: The Athletic
Bengals coaches, teammates and fans all are hoping to get more from Jackson Carman this season, but the 2021 second-round pick is focused on showing everyone less. As in less weight, less immaturity and less uncertainty.

Carman won and lost a starting job multiple times last year in a season where the Bengals were desperate for stability on the offensive line. He went from a starter in OTAs to third string by the start of training camp. The rises and falls continued all the way through the final game of the year when Carman, who had platooned in the AFC Championship Game couldn’t get on the field for a single snap in the Super Bowl despite poor offensive line play being the biggest difference between a championship and regret.

The Bengals, predictably, blew up the line in the offseason, signing three new starters to play alongside left tackle Jonah Williams before using their first offensive draft pick on North Dakota State’s Cordell Volson in the fourth round.

That sets the stage for what is expected to be the only competition for a starting job in 2022 — Jackson vs. Volson. The team won’t release an official depth chart until a few days before the season opener, but it’s clear much of the faith the organization put in Carman when it drafted him with the 46th pick last year is still in place.

Carman knows the stakes. And he knows that even though 2021 is behind him, the lessons can never leave him.

“I learned a lot, a tremendous amount,” Carman said. “Anything from off-field stuff and how to be a professional to being on the field, learning techniques and just learning more socially, interacting with my teammates, my coaches. I learned a lot.”

Even before the humbling demotion from first to third team before the first game of his NFL career, there were struggles. Carman had to rehab from a back injury that plagued him for the final five games of his college career at Clemson, all while making the switch from left tackle to right guard.

His insertion into the lineup in Week 3 came more on circumstance than merit after starter Xavier Su’a-Filo suffered what would end up being a season-ending foot injury. Carman and the rest of the offensive line not only pitched a shutout by not allowing a sack — the only time in 21 regular and postseason games that happened — they ended the Steelers’ streak of 75 games with at least one sack.

But Carman played poorly the following week against the Jaguars in Week 4, gave up a season-high six pressures in Week 5 against the Packers, fought through illness and puked on the field in Detroit in Week 6 and by Week 9 was back on the bench.

“I think that experience really helped me,” he said.

The physical aspect was only part of the issue. The demotion from May to August stemmed from the coaching staff not being happy with how out of shape Carman was when he reported and troubled by his attitude and approach.

Asked Tuesday if he thinks he’s more mature a year later, Carman said, “Definitely.”

Su’a-Filo not only offered Carman his break into the lineup via the injury, but he also gave him advice, regardless of whether it was solicited, throughout the season. Su’a-Filo is gone, but there are plenty of other mentor candidates with newcomers La’el Collins, Ted Karras and Alex Cappa having started a combined 166 games in the league while winning three Super Bowls.

“Alex and Ted and La’el are all guys that have been through a lot of adversity and had a lot of challenges throughout their careers,” Carman said. “And they all overcame those things and they’ve all done great things, Super Bowls, top of the league. So just being able to learn for those guys, just even the things that they don’t necessarily tell you, just like how they walk around and being able to learn the little things like how they take care of their bodies, how they study, how they do all those things are really good to be able to learn.”

Cappa, who was not at practice Tuesday due to what head coach Zac Taylor called “a core muscle deal” and could miss a couple of weeks, didn’t become a starter until his second year in the league. Karras didn’t crack the lineup until his fourth year.

Rookie struggles are not unique in the NFL, especially on the offensive line.

“For a second-year offensive lineman, they’ve had one year in the NFL,” Taylor said. “They had a chance to see how physical it is, how fast it is, how different it is. So the second training camp is really a big deal not only for Jackson, but Trey Hill and D’Ante (Smith) and all those second-year guys. I’m really excited to see that group take the next step here in the offseason and in training camp.”

Carman said he’s already started a self-improvement regimen. The self-described foodie said he has improved his diet and dropped 12 pounds, helped in part by his enjoyment of making and eating pizza with cauliflower crust and toppings such as spinach, low-fat mozzarella and plant-based sausage.

He also went to Dallas for a month to train with O-line guru Duke Manyweather, working on both technique and body construction.

“It was a combination of everything: diet, nutrition, exercise, mobility, all those things,” Carman said.

Carman said he wouldn’t label himself 100 percent healthy, but “I’m definitely light years beyond where I was at the end of the season.”

Not to mention the start of last season, when life maybe came at him a little too fast.

“I didn’t really have any set expectations, but I obviously expected it to be difficult,” he said. “It’s top-of-the-world competition, so wherever you’re competing top of the world it’s going to be difficult.”

Learning hard lessons is one thing. Correcting the issues that created them is another. Taylor, offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and offensive line coach Frank Pollack are banking that Carman’s maturity is catching up with his athleticism.

And he said he’s embracing the effort needed to reward that faith by winning the starting — and this time keeping — a starting job.

“I feel like I’m just competing as hard as I possibly can,” Carman said. “I’ve always liked competition since I was a little kid, just going against people and proving you’re the best. Getting better, learning, growing. I’m ready to prove it.”

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I’ve been discussing and dueling with Fred Mertz on this. Like I’ve alluded Carman disappointed the staff last year on a few things. But it sure sounds like he’s focused and has matured. I think he’s ready to flourish. I’m excited and I hope he solidifies the line. I feel so much better about things after reading this.

I see this kind of how I saw the coaching staff before last season.  There are no excuses now.  He has had a normal offseason to get healthy, stay in shape, and work on his game.  

One thing that concerns me:  The article mentions rehabbing after the back injury.  It doesn't mention surgery.  I am not trying to put myself at all in the category of NFL athlete, but I herniated two discs and I am avoiding surgery like the plague with PT, Inversion table, and massage.  He can't do that.  His body has 100 times the demands on it than mine.  

I was certain he had the surgery, but if he didn't, my hopes for his development are very dim.