Every game is a playoff game for the Bengals, so this isn’t great news.
The Cincinnati Bengals are gearing up for their Week 16 game against the Browns at home, but head coach Zac Taylor released some disappointing injury news.
When asked on Wednesday about the status of left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., right guard Alex Cappa, and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, he said none of them would practice on Wednesday.
Rankins has missed the last three weeks with what has been mysteriously labeled as an illness, and it’s now confirmed that will linger going further. His absence will continue to allow rookies Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson. Brown and Cappa’s absence creates a different problem, though.
Cody Ford stepped in at left tackle for Brown when he originally injured his knee in Week 8. However, when Brown attempted to return in Week 13, it allowed the Bengals to put Ford at left guard in the place of Cordell Volson, who has struggled with pass protection.
If neither Cappa nor Brown are able to play on Sunday, Joe Burrow’s protection will be in the hands of Devin Cochran, who started at left tackle for Brown against the Titans, Volson and Ford at right tackle. This is against a Browns defense featuring Myles Garrett.
