Cincinnati Bengals 2024 Offensive Line Preview Part 1: Returning Starters

The Bengals are returning four of their five starters from last season. Have they solidified their offensive line room?

Parker Blake | May 20, 2024

Cincinnati Bengals offensive line coach Frank Pollack, left, talks with Cincinnati Bengals guard Alex Cappa / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

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Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are returning four of their five starters from last season. This is exciting because they get to continue developing the chemistry that is so important for offensive linemen and because there have been many questions with this group over the last few seasons. After what has felt like an eternity, have the Bengals solidified their offensive line room?

Orlando Brown Jr. was the most exciting addition to this revamped room over the last few seasons and the first of the three oversized tackles added to the team as a young player who had protected two MVPs in Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes and also brought with him experience on the biggest stage. Though his first season in stripes was a bit inconsistent, I am excited to see how the Bengals maximize his abilities in an offense led by new offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher. His massive frame and extensive experience have been crucial to the group's overall performance and helping players like Amarius Mims and Cordell Volson settle into the league and their respective roles.

Cordell Volson is the most exciting player on this line this season for me. A fourth-round pick out of FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, he moved to guard and has started every game since joining the squad. If the jump from college football to the NFL wasn’t hard enough, coming from a non-FBS program to the grittiest conference in the league must have been a rude welcome to the league.

He has made great strides in improving his game year over year through his first couple of seasons. Ever since he made his first start, I have said that his third season in the league would be the most crucial. He has had two years to improve technically and allow the game to slow down, plus he has been able to do it as a starter. This year, coaches and fans will see who Volson is as a player in the NFL and what his ceiling is, for better or worse.

Ted Karras showed up in Cincinnati and instantly won over the fans and the locker room. He is not just a returning starter (who has been next to Volson as the most available player for this group), but also a team captain. His energy keeps this group on schedule, and though his level of play can be inconsistent, Karras has been one of the more exciting offensive linemen to watch on this team.

It speaks to his character that he was almost instantly in contact with seventh-round draft pick Matt Lee, who will likely be pushing for the starting center role sooner rather than later. Karras should be due to have another fun (contract) year leading this group, and I look forward to seeing how he improves his game this offseason.

Alex Cappa was my favorite veteran addition to this new offensive line room. He had experience playing between elite center Ryan Jensen and top-level tackle Tristan Wirfs. In his first year with the Bengals, Cappa may have been the group's top performer and the most consistent offensive lineman. He knows who he is as a player and has learned how to maximize those traits. I like how the Bengals have surrounded him with complimentary pieces in Karras and Trent Brown that can further help mask the deficiencies in Cappa’s game. After a slight dip in performance last season, I expect him to put together a strong season in 2024.

Overall, there is a lot to be excited about with this offensive line group as we get ready for the 2024 season. With all of the offseason activity between free agency and the draft, we can forget the excitement that we have returning. This season’s group will be the best line that Joe Burrow has ever been behind, which is the most significant factor in keeping No. 9 healthy for an entire season. This year’s offensive line will not only be a strength for this Bengals offense, but the chemistry they are returning will allow younger players in the room to set a solid foundation and, hopefully, grow into quality starters and leaders on this team.

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