After several years amongst the most dominant teams in the NFL, the Cincinnati Bengals will find themselves in a unique position during the 2024 NFL Draft. The AFC North powerhouse had made it to back-to-back AFC Championship games but unfortunately, injuries torpedoed their playoffs hopes during the 2023 season. While that may have been a tough pill to swallow during the season, the benefit has finally come around as the franchise will have its best draft position since the team drafted elite wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase at number five in 2021.
Bengals Offensive Line Coach Describes Key Attributes for 2024
While defense was the biggest statistical weakness throughout the 2023 season, the team has a dire need on the offensive side of the ball. After being drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Alabama, offensive tackle Jonah Williams appears to have played his last game for Cincinnati after his rookie contract officially expires this offseason. Williams may have struggled but his absence leaves a massive void at the right tackle position that Cincinnati will need to address this offseason.
What better place to address that need than a draft where the offensive tackle class appears to be better than it has been in years. There are five offensive tackles that are ranked in the top 20 overall players in this draft class according to ESPN and it looks like Cincinnati has plenty of players to choose from with the 18th overall pick of this draft.
The real question is this: which tackle will Cincinnati take and when? Offensive line coach Frank Pollack gave an in depth response at a recent media session regarding what characteristics he will factor into the search.
“They’ve got to have range, got to have very quick feet. Length helps. Length will help you overcome some of your deficiencies in your feet and your athleticism,” Pollack stated, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.
“Balance is a big one. Being able to bend is a big one. Out there on the edge in space, you’re going to face the cream of the crop as far as what this league has to offer. Left side, right side is irrelevant these days. I’m sure all the guys that face the Watt kid in Pittsburgh think that they’re facing the elite just as much as everyone faces the other guy in Cleveland on the left side. So, either side is going to be important. It’s not like it what it used to be back in the day. Left side was kind of the premier (tackle) and it’s not that way anymore.”
My greatest criticism of Pollack over the past few seasons is that while it may have been the second thing he said, the product on the field indicates that Pollack has not accentuated quick feet enough to his players. When you see either of the offensive tackles give up a sack (which has happened far too often under Pollack’s tenure), it is typically because of lazy footwork and sloppy technique.
During a pass set, a defensive tackle is supposed to remain square to the line of scrimmage and drop step back to stay in between the defensive end and the quarterback. The reason for staying square is that in gives the offensive player a balanced defense: he can step down if the pass rusher tries and inside move and he can simply keep stepping back to protect against the outside move.
The problem that was far too apparent for both Williams and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. last season is that is common for offensive tackles to get lazy. It is common when a tackle gets tired and loses discipline for the tackle to not move their feet but to instead turn their shoulders 90 degrees to face the defensive lineman head on. While this may seem instinctive, its much slower than simply kicking back and with the athleticism at the pass rusher positions in the NFL, it usually allows the defensive end the extra time the need to beat the offensive tackle around the corner.
If you watch the replays from last year, that is the number one cause of sacks given up by Cincinnati. The number one priority at the offensive tackle position by Pollack should be foot speed and then pad level (which he mentions later on). With good technique, foot speed and pad level, it is virtually impossible to give up sacks barring tremendous plays by the defenders. While it is likely he will be gone at the 18th pick, Olumuyiwa Fashanu is the best pass blocker in the draft. Given the pick, JC Latham will likely be the best pass defender available and hits on all of the traits that Pollack is looking for as well.
Regardless of which of the top five tackles Cincinnati selects in the first round, look for a first round offensive tackle selection to provide a huge lift to the offense in 2024.
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