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Bengals Offensive Line Finally Getting National Recognition Ahead of 2026 Season
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- Bengals Offensive Line Finally Getting National Recognition Ahead of 2026 Season
(© Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)
The Cincinnati Bengals ' offensive line has flown under the radar for much of the offseason, but the national media is starting to recognize how it might be the lynchpin to the Bengals becoming a true Super Bowl contender.
The defensive additions are obvious. Defensive coordinator Al Golden's unit was bad, so the Bengals added talent to improve it. However, the combination they used on the offensive line — with Amarius Mims and Orlando Brown Jr. at tackle, Dylan Fairchild and Dalton Risner at guard, and Ted Karras at center — was sneakily good last season. The group of five offensive linemen was among the best units in the NFL at limiting pressure.
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In 2026, the Bengals will trot out the same group to protect Joe Burrow for the second consecutive season. It marks the first time they have been able to do so since the franchise quarterback joined the roster in 2020.
Despite having an abysmal unit in 2021, Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase were able to lead the Bengals to the Super Bowl. However, the Los Angeles Rams ' defensive line made enough plays to get the job done.
Cincinnati started Hakeem Adeniji , Isaiah Prince , Trey Hopkins , Quinton Spain and Jonah Williams in that game against the Rams. It's no shock that five years later the group looks completely different, but it now features an All-Pro-caliber tackle in Brown Jr. and the extremely high-ceiling Mims, who, by all accounts, has taken multiple steps forward since his first full season in 2025.
Now, ESPN's Mina Kimes sees the Bengals' offensive line as having turned things around. Not only that, but the unit actually has depth after the team drafted Auburn center Connor Lew to be Karras' eventual successor.
NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe also joined the conversation, saying the Bengals' offensive line is no longer a problem, citing its excellent pressure rate in 2025 and the fact that all of 2025's starters are returning.
This all comes after Boston Connor, a contributor on "The Pat McAfee Show," downplayed the idea that this year would be a breakout season for the Bengals, seemingly defaulting to the take that the Bengals have a bad offensive line. It was seemingly taboo to give credit where it's due regarding Cincinnati's offensive line, but now that many have looked beyond the defensive additions throughout the roster, it's undeniable that mentioning the offensive line is almost a prerequisite when discussing how good this Cincinnati team could be.
