Dave Lapham Mentions Potential Offensive Line Coaching Candidates For Bengals
CINCINNATI — The Bengals are parting ways with offensive line coach Jim Turner.
He spent two years with the club, but the team opted to go in another direction.
The move isn't official yet, but it will be in the coming days. Bengals radio analyst Dave Lapham said Turner came up short in one key area.
"He (Turner) basically treats his entire offensive line room like a bunch of marine bootcamp guys," Lapham said on Bengals Line on 700 WLW. "Today's players, you have to pat them on the back and praise them, then treat them like dogs when they should be treated like dogs. You can't treat them like dogs all the time. And I think that was the fly in the ointment for Jim Turner and the relationship he had with some of his offensive linemen. Some guys respond to it—being treated like a dog all the time—not everybody does. And I think that was maybe the biggest issue so I think they parted ways as a result of that."
Turner's departure isn't official, but that doesn't mean the Bengals can't start looking for his replacement.
The team retained assistant offensive line coach Ben Martin, but he isn't expected to takeover for Turner according to Lapham. The longtime analyst thinks the Bengals should have their eye on a member of the Cleveland Browns' coaching staff.
"A guy that I would look at if I were the Cincinnati Bengals, Brian's (Callahan) dad Bill (Callahan) is the best offensive line coach in the National Football League. And he was unable to coach—he had to coach from home [on Sunday] for the Cleveland Browns because of COVID-19. His assistant Scott Peters did as well," Lapham said. "Scott Peters is the expert in martial arts, hand fighting, those kind of things. Scott Peters is a young rising star I think. I might investigate because obviously, Brian and Bill (Callahan), they will be able to basically tell each other everything there is to know about Scott Peters and more. Brian can get all the intel you need and want and I think Scott Peters should be a guy they contemplate."
Peters played in the NFL for seven seasons from 2002-09 after being drafted by the Eagles in the fourth-round (124th overall) in the 2002 NFL Draft. He played both guard and center and helped the Cardinals win an NFC Championship in 2009.
Peters joined the Browns' staff on Feb. 13, 2020. He may not have a lot of coaching experience, but his time in the NFL combined with his efforts to develop a young Browns offensive line that struggled for years until this season makes him an interesting candidate, especially since he could learn from (Bill) Callahan.
Lapham also mentioned Frank Pollack, who was the Bengals' offensive line coach in 2018. He's spent the last two seasons on the Jets' staff, but could be on the move with New York parting ways with head coach Adam Gase.
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