The Bengals have a guard issue that’s crippling this offensive line.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is doing everything he possibly can do, and then some, to win football games, but his work is constantly being undermined by his defense, special teams, and his offensive line.
According to PFF, Bengals guards Cordell Volson and Alex Cappa have the lowest pass-blocking grades of any guards who have taken 80 percent or more snaps, with 50.1 and 53.1, respectively. PFF also credits the pair for nine of Burrow’s 26 sacks, which is a disproportionate amount when the running backs and tight ends (if they’re pass-blocking) are added into the equation.
According to Gridiron Grading, of the 77 qualified guards in the NFL through Week 11, Volson ranks dead last in pressures allowed with 33, and Cappa is ranked No. 75 of 77 with 27.
With Orlando Brown Jr. dealing with a knee injury and a talented rookie, but rookie nonetheless, on the other side, Burrow needs the interior of the offensive line to produce enough room for him to step into a pocket. With both of his guards getting beaten like drums, that pocket doesn’t exist.
Fortunately for Bengals fans, Joe Burrow is a magician at times, capable of what surely seems to be teleportation to some of the defensive linemen who think they have him in their grasp. If it wasn’t for that, the Bengals may not even be 4-7.
ESPN’s Ben Baby believe Cappa, who signed with the Bengals as a free agent before the 2022 season, is on the hot seat when it comes to his job.
“Going off the numbers, Cappa did not have a very good campaign in 2023,” he wrote. “And those same metrics suggest this season hasn’t gone much better. Cincinnati’s right guard ranks 60th out of 62 qualifying players in pass block win rate at that position (87%). Sure, the Bengals’ offensive linemen are under more duress than their peers because of how much Cincinnati drops back to pass. But after being a priority signing following the team’s Super Bowl LVI loss, Cappa is part of an interior group that has struggled at times.”
The Bengals are heading into their Week 12 bye, and have to play the 8-2 Steelers at Paycor Stadium, where they have only won a single game this season. Realistically, the team likely needs to win out, finishing with a 10-7 record to have a chance at the playoffs. If they lose one game, and finish 9-8, they’d have to rely on someone else losing to get in, if it was possible at all.
To win out, the Bengals will need to solve their interior offensive line issue. They could turn to Matt Lee, kicking center Ted Karras to the right, but that still leaves the issue of Volson.
Hopefully as the Pittsburgh game nears, Brown is able to retake his spot at left tackle so Volson has a little more veteran support than what Cody Ford can give him.
Also, considering Cappa’s struggles are known and have followed him from one season to the next, it would be wise for the Bengals to make a change. If they don’t, it seems an awful risk to a quarterback who is having an MVP-caliber season despite the team’s losing record.
