Trench Talk: Which Five Bengals' Offensive Linemen Will Start Against Washington?
CINCINNATI — The Bengals' offensive line has been banged up for weeks. They beat the Titans in Week 8, despite being without four of their five starters in the trenches.
Quinton Spain and Hakeem Adeniji have emerged as legitimate starting candidates for the Bengals. With Jonah Williams, Bobby Hart and Fred Johnson healthy again, who is going to start on Sunday against Washington?
We do know Williams will lineup at left tackle like he always does. The Bengals aren't moving the former first-round pick. He has been their best offensive lineman so far this season.
It's safe to say Michael Jordan will start at left guard, although that may not be the best idea.
Trey 'Mr. Reliable' Hopkins is going to start at center.
Right guard is a major question mark. Do the Bengals stick with Alex Redmond, who, was playing better up until last week against Pittsburgh? He's dealing with a biceps issue, but is expected to play on Sunday.
Do they keep Spain in the lineup? He started at right tackle last week and played 85% of the Bengals' offensive snaps at left guard against the Titans.
Spain deserves another look, even if Redmond is healthy.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said the team won't rotate offensive linemen, even though they have more than five capable players.
This coaching staff is committed to Jordan, but he's struggled for most of the season. The second-year guard never got the time to learn, grow and develop. Instead, he's been on the field learning on the fly.
Expect Spain to start in Redmond's place on Sunday. They aren't going to bench Jordan and Redmond is dinged up. He'll be active, but it's easy to put Spain at right guard after what he's done over the past few weeks.
"Quinton is a vet. Since he got here he’s been so helpful," Adeniji said earlier this week. "He knows so much he’s played a lot of football. Playing with him was very easy to slide in. I’m very good friends with Mike Jordan and we talk a lot, he was setting up to play the previous week even sliding in next to him was no big deal there. They are both really good and physical, I feel like our play styles matched up to kind of mesh."
Hart is going to start at right tackle. Taylor wouldn't confirm it on Friday, but the team remains committed to him and he wasn't on their final injury report.
I expect the Bengals' starting line to look exactly like this on Sunday (from left to right): Williams, Jordan, Hopkins, Spain and Hart.
The Bengals suddenly have a plethora of interior offensive linemen. They will add another capable veteran to the mix following the Washington game, assuming Xavier Su'a-Filo (ankle) is activated from injured reserve. He was cleared to practice two weeks ago.
Cincinnati's offensive line is still its' biggest weakness, but they're trending in the right direction.
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