Only eight minutes into the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason opener on Friday night, quarterback Brandon Allen was waiting for the snap on second and 30 for the Bengals.
There had already been a crushing sack where left guard Jackson Carman was pushed right up the middle and left tackle Isaiah Prince was beaten on the left side. A holding call had already negated a 60-yard run. Another holding call on a drop-back pass had already wiped away a passing play.
And it was still only the beginning for the Bengals’ second-string offensive line plus Carman, a group that showed none of the development the coaches were looking for in the preseason.
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On Friday at Paycor Stadium, as the Arizona Cardinals beat the Bengals, 36-23, in the preseason opener, the Bengals’ first and second year offensive linemen didn’t show the coaching staff the development that the Bengals were looking for. And the Cardinals’ third-string offense used the play-action passing game and quarterback runs to keep the Bengals’ defense on its back foot.
"We want those guys to get as many reps as possible because they're competing for jobs," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. "The best way to compete is in the game. (Carman) is still a young lineman in his second year. We just wanted to see him get a chance against an (opposing) defense."
The Bengals rested all of their starters but one. Carman was at left guard playing next to center Trey Hill, left tackle Isaiah Prince and right tackle Hakeem Adeniji. The Bengals fixed most of their starting offensive line through free agency, but they’re expecting a young player or two to emerge as a bigger part of the future.
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All four of them struggled versus the Cardinals. While Carman made two standout blocks, he also whiffed twice as the Bengals tried a screen pass, missed a defensive line rotation on a third down pressure, committed a holding penalty and didn’t create enough space in the pocket on two sacks.
"I have to keep on doing the best I can do and being the best player I can be," said Carman, who added that Frank Pollack was coaching him on "technical things" the entire game. "I'm not worried about the outside noise, I'm just getting better one day at a time."
With the way Carman played on Friday, rookie Cordell Volson looked on track to earn consideration for first-team reps. Volson played the second half and showed an all-around solid game without making any noticeable mistakes. He consistently had a strong first move on the line, and his power looked like his best strength.
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Early in the game, Bengals backup quarterback Brandon Allen had to leave due to a concussion. Two potential big runs by Chris Evans, who looked like he has taken his game to another level this season, were called back due to penalties. There was almost no push in the run game, and there were too many penalties.
"We'll get a chance to really evaluate the full scope of the tape and see what got us in the whole," Taylor said. "I've got a pretty good idea with some of the penalties and the turnover."
Hill dropped a snap, and Prince consistently missed his block on one-on-one matchups on the edge. Prince and Adeniji both allowed strip sack fumbles while playing against third and fourth string defensive linemen.
The Bengals' only scores in the first half were three field goals, including two 50-plus yarders from Evan McPherson. Since Allen and third-string quarterback Jake Browning were under constant pressure during the first half, the Bengals didn’t get much of a chance to evaluate the backup receivers competing to make the team, like Kwamie Lassiter II and Kendric Pryor.
The Bengals have only worked on the running game going at full speed for about 10 total minutes of practice. The offensive line hasn’t had as many full-speed reps as some other units around the NFL.
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The Bengals young offensive linemen had a poor introduction to the 2022 preseason. And the backups on the Bengals defense struggled keeping up with a mobile quarterback.
In the first half, Cardinals' third-string quarterback Trace McSorley took advantage of a depleted Bengals secondary, missing rookie cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt due to an injury. Even though the Cardinals dropped 23 points on a group of mostly Bengals’ third-stringers in the first half, the Bengals saw what they were looking for from their rookies.
Rookie safety Dax Hill showed his high-end athleticism by flying up the middle of the field for two pass breakups. He played physical coverage against tight ends, showed his strength making tackles in the middle of the field and looked like someone ready for a Week 1 role.
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"I understood the game and how certain offenses were trying to attack me defensively," Hill said. "I feel like those were very important reps I had to learn from."
On the first drive of the game, the Bengals debuted a three-safety package that had Hill playing in the middle of the field. When starting safety Jessie Bates returns, that’s the most likely way the Bengals can use Hill during the season.
Rookie defensive linemen Zach Carter and Jeff Gunter showcased power on the defensive line that the Bengals lacked on their bench last season.
Carter, a third-round pick from Florida, used his agility to cut toward the middle of the field and stopped a quarterback run. He knocked down a pass, used his speed to make a tackle on a screen near the sideline and regularly won his matchup up front.
Gunter, a seventh-round pick from Coastal Carolina, broke up a pass, made McSorley scramble multiple times and also stopped one of McSorley’s runs outside the pocket.
The Bengals finally sustained a good drive in the fourth quarter. On a 31-yard pass to fifth-string running back Jacques Patrick, a first-down scramble by Browning and a 1-yard touchdown run by Patrick, the Bengals made it a 36-16 game. He ran behind Volson for the touchdown.
On their last drive of the game, Bengals fourth-string quarterback Drew Plitt, a Cincinnati native, found Pryor for a 25-yard touchdown on a deep ball down the right sideline.
"We set out to win the game, and that didn't happen today," Taylor said. "That part wasn't what we wanted. I thought the guys at the end of the game played with really good energy in the fourth quarter and responded to some adversity."
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