As Browns Seek Help At Guard, Bengals May Be Bolstering Already Strong Defensive Line
Free agent defensive tackle defensive tackle Mike Daniels visited the Cincinnati Bengals. Reportedly, he intends to sign, which would fill a hole on the Bengals defensive line, upgrading the strongest position group on the team.
Daniels has been pretty disappointing the last two seasons, so the move isn't without some risk. He's 31 years old as well, but if he can play closer to the form he showed in 2017, it could represent a huge addition.
The Browns week two opponent added D.J. Reader to a front with Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins and Sam Hubbard, giving them a strong front four. They need Carl Lawson to stay healthy to provide an effective rotational rusher, but if they sign Daniels, that would give them three strong edge players and three effective defensive tackles.
Although the Bengals are relying on a lot of free agents to come in and succeed on the defensive side of the ball in a unique year, they have cobbled together what could be a strong unit.
Not unlike the Browns, their linebackers are short on experience, but they have a player in Josh Bynes, who has played at a high level the past few seasons. That could go a long way, ensuring they have a reliable player at every level of the defense with their talent invested up front in the defensive line and the secondary.
Every team in the AFC North has a strong defensive line, so it's a scramble to fortify the offensive front. The Browns lost three guards, including Drew Forbes over COVID-19 concerns. They announced the signing of Michael Dunn yesterday to try to provide depth behind Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller.
The Bengals, meanwhile, have the worst offensive line in the division and there may simply not be the means to improve it enough this year to make it able to effectively deal with the Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens in Joe Burrow's rookie season.
