These guys need to get it done.
They say that hope is not a plan, but that misses the point.
Teams don’t just hope that players develop. They hire coaches and strength staff to develop them. That’s why there are a few new faces on the coaching staff this year, to develop high picks who have yet to blossom.
New Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden has a big job ahead of him as he looks to turn around a program. Let’s take a look at five position coaches who need to develop their groups in a hurry.
Scott Peters – Offensive Line
It always comes down to the offensive line, doesn’t it?
Peters comes with a different approach and a lot of hype, but he will need to deliver in a hurry.
The Bengals spent their top pick on offensive tackle Amarius Mims a year ago, and Peters will be tasked with developing him into the All-Pro that he can be.
Then there is the guard spot, where the Bengals failed to make the big offseason splash that many fans were hoping for.
Third-round pick Dylan Fairchild is a great fit for Peters and the Bengals, but the rookie will have to grow into his role quickly.
Opposite him, it is a big question mark.
Maybe it will be veteran Lucas Partick or Cody Ford,
Maybe it will be Cordell Volson’s redemption tour.
Maybe fan favorite Matt Lee will bump out to guard after beefing up to 310lbs this offseason.
Or maybe it will be another rookie like Jalen Rivers or Seth McLaughlin who will step up.
Peters will need to identify the right player and get him on board fast.
Jerry Montgomery – Defensive Line
Let’s keep it in the trenches, where the defensive line has no shortage of talent or question marks.
Starting on the edge, you have two contract disputes with Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart. Stewart, like the last defensive end the Bengals drafted in Round 1, Myles Murphy, is a freakish athlete who needs to develop as a pass-rusher. Then there is Joseph Ossai, who has had his ups and downs, and Cam Sample returning from injury.
Even when Hendrickson returns, Montgomery will have to develop the talent around him if the defense is to be successful in 2025.
Moving to the interior, you have the solid vet, BJ Hill, and the underrated addition, TJ Slaton, but where is the juice?
Could it come from Kris Jenkins as the Round 2 pick heads into Year 2? Maybe it is the restoration project Taven Bryan.
Montgomery will have his work cut out for him as he looks to put together the pieces of a puzzling defensive front.
Mike Hodges – Linebackers
The Bengals really need Demetrius Knight to be an immediate starter at linebacker, so Mike Hodges will be challenged with getting him ready to go. Linebacker is a position where you have to do a little of everything. They play the run inside and out, the cover, the blitz. Al Golden also specifically talked about Knight having the length to play on the edge.
Hodges has a lot of work to do to make sure that Knight is ready to start at this complex position.
Charles Burks and Jordan Kovacs – Secondary
While the Bengals moved on from most of their defensive coaching staff, they kept cornerbacks coach Charles Burks and safeties coach Jordan Kovacs. Not only that, they made no notable changes to either position.
The implication is clear. They believe in these two coaches and the talent in their rooms.
While Cam Taylor-Britt had his struggles last year, both Dax Hill and DJ Turner showed some serious promise at outside cornerback. Injuries thrust guys like Josh Newton and Marco Wilson into key roles down the stretch.
Now it is time for them to take the next step. Taylor-Britt, Hill, and Turner could be an impressively deep group on the outside if they play to their potential, while second-year player Josh Newton looks to contend for a starting role in the slot.
The pressure is on Burks and company to be consistent in 2025.
Similarly, free agent safety Geno Stone was lackluster while second-year player Jordan Battle inexplicably took a backseat to the ghost of Vonn Bell in 2025.
Kovacs must unleash the playmaker in Stone and get Battle’s development back on track.
