Over the course of training camp and early on in the preseason, the Cincinnati Bengals appeared to be thrilled with the production of 2024 first-round pick Amarius Mims. After all, Mims stepped into the starting role early in training camp and has given the organization plenty to be happy about after the Georgia product fell to the franchise with the 18th overall pick in the NFL Draft. Unfortunately for this organization, durability was the biggest flaw that caused Mims to drop as low as he did in the draft.
Critical Injury for Amarius Mims Likely Huge Win for Free Agent Acquisition
That durability concern is officially on full display after the star right tackle out of the University of Georgia suffered a strained pectoral muscle in his first preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mims played through the relatively minor injury but imaging on Monday morning revealed that it was more serious than expected. After he went through an MRI, it was revealed that the strain will keep Mims out for several weeks and may cost him the first week of the regular season.
While that may be horrible news for the fans, there is one person who may not be particularly upset about Mims sitting out a few weeks. That person would be the listed starting right tackle for Cincinnati Trent Brown. Even after Mims blew the coaching staff and his teammates away with his spectacular arrival to training camp, the coaching staff listed Brown as the starting right tackle even though the former Patriots star has yet to practice for the Bengals organization after missing all of Optional Team Activities (OTAs) and sitting out most of training camp with ‘tightness’.
It is certainly possible that the coaching staff will make a decision on Mims based on his exceptional camp, the likelihood is that his absence will pave the way for Brown to become the de facto starter during the first week of the regular season. Mims essentially needed to have a perfect next month or so in order to force this conservative coaching staff to force a move in the depth chart. Without the ability for Mims to play the rest of the preseason, Brown will likely be anchored in that starting position.
Even though it will just be a formality at this point, it will be interesting to see if the injury forces Brown into action during the preseason. Even though this coaching staff has a tendency to allow starters to completely rest and relax during the preseason, Cincinnati would either have to start Brown or pickup a practice squad-level talent to start the remaining two preseason games. If Brown doesn’t play up to the new standard that Mims set at the position, look for the fans to be clamoring for Mims to steal the starting job once the rookie is fit to play again.
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