PFF Final 2021 Offensive Line Rankings (Regular Season)

[*ochocincos*]

(02-20-2022, 08:41 PM)Nepa Wrote: The loss of Riley Reiff was obviously huge, along with Hopkins and RG. If Reiff had not been injured, it might have partially mitigated the problem at RG. Hopkins improved, I believe, as the season went on. But, basically, if Reiff had not been injured, 3 of the 5 were fine, according to PFF. But the two weaknesses made the entire line unstable.

Hopkins' overall grade is skewed by a terrible first half of the season.
Since the bye, he was a Top 10 C when it came to pass blocking.
He is still very much not a good run blocker though.

Injuries derailed the plans for the OL this past season.
Hopkins still recovering from his 2020 injury, Reiff going down mid-Dec and missing the last four regular season games plus all the playoffs, and even XSF getting hurt after just two weeks and not playing again. 
Given XSF started those first two games, you gotta think the Bengals planned for XSF to be the starter all this year and Carman groomed.
EDIT - By no means am I saying Reiff, XSF, and a healthy Hopkins would have made the OL really good. I think it would have been better than it was though.

So they need to 1) get more proven talent in FA who can play better than average, and 2) draft a couple more players to improve the depth behind the proven starters.