Cincinnati Bengals: Taking stock of team’s young talent

Alex Redmond

2017 Pro Football Focus Edge Grades (72 snaps): 73.4 overall, 71.7 pass blocking, 75.1 run blocking

The offensive line in Cincinnati has been absolutely atrocious this season. There were dark horse considerations for this team as a playoff competitor due to skill position and defensive talent, but even if those groups had been able to reach their peaks consistently across the year the unyielding awfulness of the blocking would have undone the positive work that could be done elsewhere on the roster.

There hasn’t been a single area of the line which can escape criticism here. The trio of Cedric Ogbuehi, Jake Fisher, and Andre Smith were possibly the worst tackle rotation of the decade — and unlike their competition for that ignominious title, this was one build entirely by design, rather than through injury.

The right guard spot was left to unheralded players in the wake of Kevin Zeitler’s departure, but ended up nearly as awful as the tackle spot. Russell Bodine proved that his barely average 2016 was a blip; this year, he showed his prior unsightly play was actually his normal level. Only Clint Boling showed any competence much of the year, and he slumped through much of the season himself too.

With all the terrible play, it may be a good idea to essentially purge the position group. Assuming they don’t, Redmond may actually be part of their solution.

It was essentially a single game, but his performance against the Lions was key to their victory. In the game, Boling had to play tackle, so Redmond took over his usual spot at left guard. His play was a big part of why a struggling Cincinnati offense managed to sustain drives for one of the few times in 2017.

Now, one good game should not make this man’s career. There must be a reason he sat on the roster for two seasons without a single snap and was the definition of a last resort this year despite all the noted line problems.

This group appears to have little in the way of building blocks however, and Redmond has shown he may be worth deeper consideration for one of the guard spots. Boling’s contract has a potential out this year (would leave just a $1 million dead cap hit if he’s cut this offseason), and nobody has given any signs of taking the right guard slot.