Quote:The Cincinnati Bengals have made strengthening their offensive line a priority in recent years in hopes of keeping $275 million quarterback Joe Burrow healthy.

Now, the Bengals are projected to have an elite offensive line in the NFL in 2024 when it comes to pass blocking and could be one of the more improved offensive lines overall, according to several media outlets.

The Athletic’s Ben Baldwin has the Bengals ranked as the No. 7 team in pass protection based on a metric that figures in the five projected starters for the team and past performance in pass projection.

“If Joe Burrow has the seventh best pass blocking offensive line this season, then the Bengals’ offense is going to be one of the best in football,” wrote Sports Illustrated’s James Rapien. “Especially since Cincinnati has Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and could add extra weapons and linemen to their roster in the 2024 NFL Draft.”
Cincinnati Bengals Have Struggled on Offensive Line
Pro Football Network’s Dallas Robinson has the Bengals projected to have an offensive line in the upper half of NFL teams in 2024, ranking them at No. 14 out of 32 teams.

“Cincinnati hasn’t been afraid to spend on its offensive line, signing (Orlando) Brown, (Alex) Cappa, and (Ted) Karras in free agency over the past three seasons,” Robinson wrote. “That approach didn’t end in 2024, as the Bengals agreed to terms with Trent Brown to play right tackle. While Cincinnati is still likely to consider a right tackle in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, (Trent) Brown is a high-upside placeholder.”

The Bengals ranked No. 10 in the NFL in most sacks allowed with 50 in 2023. The impetus on protecting Burrow has been front and center since 2021, when Burrow was sacked 51 times in the regular season and 19 more times in four postseason games.

Could Bengals Add More O-Line Help in NFL Draft?
The Bengals return four starters on the offensive line in 2023 with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., left guard Cordell Volson, center Ted Karras and right guard Alex Cappa. Trent Brown, a free-agent signee in 2024, will presumably start at right tackle.

Orlando Brown Jr., Karras, Cappa and Trent Brown have all won Super Bowls with different teams. Volson won four FCS national championships at North Dakota State.

Three mock drafts project the Bengals to take an offensive lineman at the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft — Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham by Yahoo Sports, Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga by The Athletic and Washington guard Troy Fautanu by the NFL Network.

ESPN’s Field Yates has Latham ranked as his No. 2 offensive tackle prospect and Fuaga at No. 5. Yates has Fautanu ranked as his No. 1 guard prospect.

“Beyond his size — 6-6, 324 pounds — (Fuaga) brings pure nastiness and finish to his game,” wroe The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. “For 2024, he could offer positional flex to guard if injuries required it, but he could then lock into right tackle for the duration of his rookie contract. He wouldn’t have to play immediately with Trent Brown in the fold, but supporting Joe Burrow will always carry the day, and Fuaga falling would be enough to turn the team away from (Texas defensive tackle Byron) Murphy.”

(04-10-2024, 10:33 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The OP might be truly tired of hearing the fix the OL crowd, but some in the sports media world seem to think that the Bengals are going with OT in the 1st round.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/bengals-projected-to-have-elite-offensive-line-in-2024/ar-BB1llEc2?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=f19295332c734efbbbba0a3d33e5ac63&ei=1155

(04-10-2024, 12:11 PM)Joelist Wrote: We’ll be fine. At 18 we will get a good OT prospect.

(04-10-2024, 11:29 AM)Synric Wrote: I don't like the fact the Colts and Jaguars are prime trade targets if a team wants to move up for an OT. The Steelers and Ravens have brought in all the first round tackles for top 30. 

The Steelers are in a prime spot to jump the Bengals and who the hell knows what the Ravens will do and that's just the AFC North.

(04-10-2024, 10:33 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The OP might be truly tired of hearing the fix the OL crowd, but some in the sports media world seem to think that the Bengals are going with OT in the 1st round.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/bengals-projected-to-have-elite-offensive-line-in-2024/ar-BB1llEc2?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=f19295332c734efbbbba0a3d33e5ac63&ei=1155

(04-10-2024, 11:29 AM)Synric Wrote: I don't like the fact the Colts and Jaguars are prime trade targets if a team wants to move up for an OT. The Steelers and Ravens have brought in all the first round tackles for top 30. 

The Steelers are in a prime spot to jump the Bengals and who the hell knows what the Ravens will do and that's just the AFC North.

(04-12-2024, 03:25 AM)puddycat Wrote: The beauty of the Bengals' situation is that there will be a very good player available at 18 that won't be a reach.  If the Steelers or Ravens want to give up future picks and not really hurt the Bengals, all the better.

(04-12-2024, 10:38 AM)Lucius Cincinnatus Wrote: Just like there will be a really good player sitting there for us at 18, there will also be a really good player sitting there at 20 for the Steelers if they want to sit there. I'm not sure I can remember the Ravens trading up that drastically in a draft (or in the first round in particular). It would take a lot of draft capital to move up 13 spots ahead of us and they tend to hoard their picks. 

(04-12-2024, 12:29 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: They went from 52nd to 32nd to get Lamar.

Agreed they do seem to largely not be a team that trades up, though. They are just so dang good at drafting. Previous 10 drafts they've only had 4 picks in the first round earlier than the 20s and they got CJ Mosley (5x 2nd Team All-Pro), Ronnie Stanley (1st Team All-Pro), Marlon Humphrey (1st Team All-Pro), and Kyle Hamilton (1st Team All-Pro) and all 4 were their own natural pick.

(04-12-2024, 02:33 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yes, the Ravens know what they are doing in the Draft it seems like every year. I don't remember a Ogbuehi/Billy Price pick from them ever.

I am sure they have one, but I sure cannot remember one.

(04-12-2024, 03:38 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: Certainly not price or Ced, but in the last 10 years:
Rashod Bateman
Hayden Hurst (but they got OBJ jr and Andrew’s later in this draft)
Breshad perriman
Matt Elam

(04-12-2024, 12:29 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: They went from 52nd to 32nd to get Lamar.

Agreed they do seem to largely not be a team that trades up, though. They are just so dang good at drafting. Previous 10 drafts they've only had 4 picks in the first round earlier than the 20s and they got CJ Mosley (5x 2nd Team All-Pro), Ronnie Stanley (1st Team All-Pro), Marlon Humphrey (1st Team All-Pro), and Kyle Hamilton (1st Team All-Pro) and all 4 were their own natural pick.

(04-11-2024, 09:20 PM)Tomkat Wrote: How in the hell could ANYONE be tired of hearing "fix the O-Line?"
This team needs to PROTECT JOE BURROW at all costs!

(04-13-2024, 04:46 AM)Housh Wrote: Because the Bengals follow these boards and this is probably someone from the scouting department complaining. 

Ofc a mofo from the scouting dept wants us to stop bringing up their failures in grading lineman. The best lineman we got came from the Chiefs. A team that actually doesnt suck ass at grading lineman 

(04-10-2024, 12:11 PM)Joelist Wrote: We’ll be fine. At 18 we will get a good OT prospect.

(04-13-2024, 08:54 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Great draft for RTs , and with the normal run on QBs and WRs  we should be fine if we go RT