Youth Make Bengals Stronger in the Trenches
The Cincinnati Bengals rookies are making a bigger and bigger impact, particularly in the trenches.
Amarius Mims had a very solid performance against an extremely talented Browns defensive line. He even held up well against Myles Garrett for the most part. Mims misses a block here and there, but he is very impressive for a rookie and truly looks like the future of the Bengals offensive line.
Speaking of the future of the Bengals offensive line, rookie Matt Lee managed to get in on the action this week. He looked good in his role as a sixth offensive lineman in their heavy package.
After early-season injuries, the Bengals’ pair of rookie defensive tackles have started to become major contributors. Kris Jenkins played 32 snaps, and McKinnley Jackson played 22 snaps. While neither had a tackle on the day, both were heavy rotational players who helped to limit Nick Chubb and the Browns’ rushing game.
None of the Bengals rookie pass catchers actually caught a pass in this one, but Erick All has established himself as a big part of this offense. All’s 28 snaps put him even with Drew Sample in reps at the position. Both play a large role in the run game as aggressive blockers. Wide receiver Jermaine Burton only saw three snaps and no targets.
Punter Ryan Rehkow continued his impressive rookie season with 4/8 kicks inside the 20 and an average of 44.3 yards. This team has finally found solid play at that position. Safety Daijahn Anthony and linebacker Maema Njongmeta primarily contributed on special teams. Anthony played one defensive snap and 12 special teams snaps. Njongmeta only played on special teams, but he played 22 snaps worth. Neither recorded a tackle.
Tight end Tanner McLachlan was once again inactive, buried on an impressive depth chart. Defensive end Cedric Johnson did not play either, as the return of Myles Murphy has greatly improved that position.
