Duke Tobin Shuts Down Concerns About Bengals' Offensive Line Depth

Duke Tobin doesn't share the concerns some have raised about the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive line depth heading into training camp.

During his Monday meeting with the media, the Bengals' director of player personnel and de facto general manager was asked how comfortable he was with the group and whether Cincinnati would make an addition at some point.

Tobin pushed back against the premise of the question.

Bengals Believe Their Young Linemen Are Ready for Larger Roles

Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Brian Parker II (62) lines up for a drill during a rookie mini camp workout at the Bengals practice facility in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, May 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“I feel good about the depth of our offensive line,” Tobin said. “We have a lot of young guys that are about to take a real jump. You can only keep nine of them on your roster. That’s already a problem in my mind. Maybe you keep 10 and go light somewhere else. We've got guys that I believe in that, given a bigger role, can come on. I probably don’t agree with your question, I guess.”

Cincinnati returns all five starting offensive linemen from last season: Orlando Brown Jr., Dalton Risner, Ted Karras, Dylan Fairchild, and Amarius Mims.

The team also retained veteran Cody Ford and second-year lineman Jalen Rivers, while drafting Connor Lew in the fourth round and Brian Parker II in the sixth. The Bengals officially listed 15 offensive linemen entering camp.

Lew has been cleared after suffering a season-ending ACL injury in his final college season, though the Bengals are expected to ease him back into heavier work. He's expected to compete for the backup center job behind Karras.

The biggest questions center on which reserve linemen can be trusted if the injury bug strikes. Ford offers experience at multiple positions, while Cincinnati will be looking for Rivers, Lew, Parker, and others to prove they're capable of handling larger roles.

Tobin's confident response shows the Bengals view their crowded offensive line as a strength entering camp. A bigger challenge for the front office could be deciding which players to cut rather than finding enough linemen worthy of roster spots.

It's worth noting that Javon Foster, Andrew Coker and Christian Jones could push for a roster spot if they shine during training camp. Ford is penciled into that swing tackle spot, but if one of the youngsters emerges, they could force their way onto the roster.

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