NFL Voices Give Amarius Mims Clear Goal to Strive for Entering 2026 Season

Cincinnati has a rising young tackle, but there are still levels to reach.

Jun 10, 2025; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Amarius Mims (71) walks to the next drill during practice at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Voices from around the NFL aren't very high on Amarius Mims entering the 2026 NFL season.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler released his latest positional top 10 ranking on Saturday, focused on offensive tackles, and Mims wasn't mentioned among that 10-man group or the 22 names listed in general.

It's not a shock after an up-and-down rookie season and a slight boost in play last season, but it gives him plenty to strive for entering Year 3 with full continuity along the rest of the offensive front.

Work To Do

Bengals rookie offensive tackle Amarius Mims signs autographs after the first day of OTAs Tuesday, May 28, 2024 outside of Paycor Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Fowler broke down how he arrived at this list of names at the start of the exercise, which involves voting by NFL scouts, coaches, and executives.

"Offensive tackle is seen as a premium position, but you wouldn't know it by the pay scale," Fowler wrote. "Five positions -- quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher, cornerback, and defensive tackle -- have at least one player making $31 million per year or more. Offensive tackle is just short of that, with Washington's Laremy Tunsil leading the group at $30.1 million and several others in the $28 million area.

"Part of the issue is age. Many top-shelf players, some well above 30, are years out from their last contract. It will take young stars to change that. Two of our top 10 offensive tackles here are still on rookie deals. In all, three players debuted on the list this cycle. The battle for supremacy once again featured two NFC stars in their primes, though a 37-year-old is also keeping himself in the conversation."

Mims ranked 42nd among offensive tackles in Pro Football Focus final grading this past season (67.6 overall). He did get a ton of reps along the way (1,050, 14th most among tackles) and flashed some great games, including a run down the stretch of the season where he had one outing graded lower than 70.6 overall (season-high 79.5 grade in the finale against Cleveland).

His overall blocking efficiency also increased year-to-year.

Mims, 23, has shown signs of being a future top tackle, and all that carries over from his teammates, to coaching, to consistent play last season should make him a nice dark-horse candidate to be a top-10 tackle next season.

Check out the full ranking here.

Sign Up For Our DAILY Newsletter for More Free Coverage of the Cincinnati Bengals Delivered to You Directly

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Amazon. Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more! We're a one-stop shop for all things Cincinnati Bengals! Join the 65,000+ Bengals fans who subscribe to us on YouTube.