Bengals Remain Confident in Jonah Williams, Despite Offseason Trade Request and Position Change

The Bengals' offensive line will look a bit different this season.

Author:
James Rapien
Publish date:
Jun 23, 2023 7:39 AM EDT

In this story:

CINCINNATI — It hasn't been the smoothest offseason for Bengals offensive tackle Jonah Williams, but his coaches and teammates were certainly excited to see him at minicamp.

The 25-year-old has been rehabbing his knee this offseason as he prepares to move from left to right tackle—a position he hasn't played since his freshman year at Alabama.

The Bengals weren't actively looking to replace Williams this offseason, but anytime you can get a player like Orlando Brown Jr., you do it, especially a team that has been as inconsistent in the trenches as Cincinnati has been in recent seasons.

The coaching staff is confident Williams can make the move to right tackle and play at a high level this season.

"He's a proven player. He's played a lot of big games for us," head coach Zac Taylor said. "A lot of big match ups understands what we want in our offensive lineman and he's always done everything he could to meet those expectations."

Williams didn't report for the voluntary portion of the offseason program. He was training and rehabbing in California, while also getting used to fatherhood. His wife gave berth to a baby girl in March.

The Bengals' offensive line should be the best it's been during the Joe Burrow era with Brown and Williams at tackle and Alex Cappa, Ted Karras and Cordell Volson on the interior.

"It’s good to have him back. Whenever guys have business going on it’s always nice to get them back around the guys and see their face," Burrow said. "We all know how hard Jonah works, the work he puts in to put his best foot forward on Sundays. I don’t think that will affect his play at all."

The 25-year-old isn't fully cleared, but is moving in the right direction and appears to be the favorite to start at right tackle.

Positive, always positive," Taylor said when describing his offseason conversations with Williams.

The Bengals are hoping Williams can have a career year and that their offensive front can protect Burrow and help take their offense to new heights this season.

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