Bengals Position Groups to Watch Over the Final Five Games
It was easy to write off 2020 as a lost year once the cart rolled Joe Burrow off the field in Week 11.
The Bengals are going nowhere at 2-8-1. The last five games are no longer about building good habits under Burrow.
Now it's about finding pieces that this team can use in 2021 and beyond.
Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin and the rest of the front office have five more chances to see who can help their franchise signal-caller gain respect around the league.
Here are some position groups fans can watch grow over the last month of the season.
Offensive Line
The Bengals' starting offensive line has been an open mic night with different characters getting the call on a weekly basis. They haven't started the same five linemen in back-to-back games since their loss to the Browns in week seven.
They've struggled to protect their quarterback, yet they're throwing the ball as much as anyone. The Bengals rank 29th in run rate, passing the ball almost 66% of the time. The problem is Cincinnati ranks 28th in ESPN's Pass Block Win Rate, yet they are seventh in Run Block Win Rate.
The personnel doesn't match the philosophy right now, but the return of Xavier Su'a-Filo might help fix their issues.
The veteran guard was injured in Week 1 against the Chargers. The Bengals activated Su'a-Filo on Wednesday. He could start against Miami if Alex Redmond is unable to play after suffering a concussion last week.
The starting group of Jonah Williams, Quinton Spain, Trey Hopkins, Su'a-Filo, and Bobby Hart could finish the season together. Hopkins and Williams have a firm hold on their spots, but the majority of this group has their feet to the fire.
Spain has shown the consistency to be a starter at the NFL level and is playing for a new contract. Su'a-Filo signed a multi-year deal, but he has less than $1 million in dead cap left on his agreement. Then there is Hart, who has been a pleasant surprise in 2020, earning just two penalties and allowing only three sacks. A strong finish could cement his status on the Bengals' roster next season.
Defensive Line
A triage unit similar to its' offensive counterpart, the defensive line is a shell of what it looked like in August. Geno Atkins has one tackle on the season, they lost DJ Reader to a season-ending injury in Week 5 and Carlos Dunlap was traded to Seattle.
It has prompted the return of guys like Margus Hunt to fill in the margins. Carl Lawson has been the lone bright spot, ranking eighth in the NFL with 29 pressures, yet those have added up to just 4.5 sacks.
The Bengals should plan for a fight over Lawson's services in free agency. He's a player they cannot afford to lose. As a team, they rank 30th in ESPN's Pass Rush Win Rate. Sam Hubbard has played a role in that disappointment, recording one sack and just nine pressures this season. Watch for Hubbard to translate some of his run-stuffing prowess into pass-rush activity in December.
The Bengals need some more life on the edge and a push from the inside. The majority of snaps at defensive tackle this season have gone to bargain-bin players living snap-to-snap.
Great teams build championship defenses with premier talent up the middle. Guys like Xavier Williams and Christian Covington could flash in spurts, but don't hold your breath looking for more over these last few games.
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Linebacker
Linebacker was a glaring weakness coming into the season. The group needs to show some signs of growth over the next five weeks. The football quartet Josh Bynes, Germaine Pratt, Logan Wilson, and Akeem Davis-Gaither has one of the lowest floors in the league.
None sport a Pro Football Focus grade above 57 overall, and Pratt is the biggest one to watch over the closing weeks. At some point, it has to click for the NC State product.
He has just eight tackles for loss while allowing an 80% completion rate in 27 career games. The 2019 third-round pick is not taking the necessary steps to be a featured player on this unit, while their 2020 fourth-round selection is struggling all the same.
Davis-Gaither is going through the rookie ringer in 2020. Among linebackers to play in 11 games, he ranks last in total points saved according to Sports Info Solutions. With just 18 tackles on 218 snaps, Davis-Gaither has been a ghost.
Time is running out for Pratt to turn his career arc around, but Davis-Gaither needs the same breathing room to right his ship. He should get ample opportunity over this final month.
Wilson has quietly had a nice rookie season. He's currently tied with Kenneth Murray for the most points saved among rookie linebackers (10). He is the only Bengals linebacker to force multiple turnovers this season, and he is tied for the position lead with five pressures on the year. Watch for the rookie out of Wyoming to supplant Pratt down the stretch.
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