Zac Taylor says Bengals open to making changes to the offensive line
CINCINNATI — The Bengals may consider making changes to their starting offensive line.
Rookie quarterback Joe Burrow has been sacked six times in two games. He's been pressured on 42 of 112 drop backs according to Pro Football Focus.
They've struggled to open up running lanes for Joe Mixon. Those issues could force the team to make a change.
"Nothing’s off the table. That’s for certain," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said when asked about making changes. "We don’t want to rush into any decisions and make sure we’re making the right decisions for the group. In some ways, we had a different right guard in there. We need some reps, some live reps. But again, we’ll make the best decisions for that group. We have a couple of extra days here."
Fred Johnson started at right guard in Week 2 in place of the injured Xavier Su'a-Filo. His 2020 debut didn't go well.
Johnson received a 54.2 overall grade from PFF, but it didn't take an analytics website to tell you he struggled. He allowed seven pressures and was part of the sack-fumble play that set up a Browns touchdown.
The Bengals could put Billy Price at right guard and see if he fares any better.
They could also consider benching right tackle Bobby Hart, who's allowed nine pressures in two games according to PFF.
Would sixth-round rookie Hakeem Adeniji be a better option at right tackle?
The team has said time and time again that they view him as a tackle, even though he's versatile enough to play guard. He did have an impressive training camp, but offensive line coach Jim Turner has been loyal to Hart.
Second-year guard Shaq Calhoun is another option they could go to in the coming days. The Bengals claimed him earlier this month after he was released by Miami.
He appeared in 10 games and made seven starts for the Dolphins last season.
The Bengals knew their offensive line could be a problem this season. They need to find a way to hide that flaw. If they don't, it's going to be a long year for Burrow, Taylor and the rest of the offense.
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