Cincinnati Bengals: Players to watch in Preseason Week 4

G Alex Redmond

If Cincinnati is really going to return to the playoffs this season, the No. 1 area which must improve upon last year is the offensive line. For the second-straight year, the team gave up 40+ sacks, and the unit ended up proving to be one of the most inept in the NFL throughout 2017. Things got so bad that the team ended up as the worst offense in terms of yardage last season, and few teams averaged a lower number of plays per drive.

Luckily, there have been some positive changes. After having just one passably average lineman last season (Clint Boling), the team made moves to promote that number to at least three: joining Boling are left tackle Cordy Glenn and 2018 first-round draft selection Billy Price. Assuming they both stay healthy and are at least average contributors, the left side of the line should be solid.

The right side still has no definitive answers, however. There are plenty of possibilities to choose from, but none are necessarily appetizing. While former first round selections Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher compete with offseason acquisition Bobby Hart for the right tackle spot, the right guard spot is facing its own three-way battle.

We’ve discussed Christian Westerman here before, and based on the talent level what we’ve seen from the preseason so far at guard it would seem he should be the choice as starter. That is not guaranteed, however.

His position coach has been clear about him not securing the role right after an excellent game by him against Chicago to start the preseason, his practice work has been inconsistent, and he hasn’t even seen any time at the actual position he’s battling for (all his preseason snaps have been at left guard). It appears Westerman isn’t wanted as the right guard starter.

If not him, that leaves Redmond facing off with Trey Hopkins, and neither is exactly impressing. Hopkins was the first choice there last year, and he ended up with the third-most snaps of any Cincinnati lineman (707) for what was an atrocious blocking unit. Redmond got much less time playing with the team last year (104 snaps), but the team ended up winning all three games where he played 15+ snaps (at CLE, vs. DET, at BAL).

That doesn’t tell the whole story though, and while he was there for those wins, he wasn’t a stellar contributor. His performance just this past week spotlights those issues: he started the game against Buffalo, but found himself quickly benched after a couple early penalties (he would come back in and end with 51 snaps).

This game is the final chance to help the team decide which of their flawed guard prospects will earn the starting nod as we open the regular season. Redmond is in as good a position as any of the men fighting for this spot, but his position is just as tenuous as everyone else’s as well. A good showing — particularly if he is selected to start this contest as well — is all he needs to secure that role.