How much did the Cincinnati Bengals' defensive line leave on the table in 2022?
Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances while his sidekick, Sam Hubbard, played one of the better seasons of his career all while both playing with missed time due to injuries, respectively.
Defensive tackle D.J. Reader missed seven games to a knee injury but returned and played as one of the better run stoppers and pass defenders at his position across the league. B.J. Hill picked up the workload alongside Reader during his absence.
However, Hendrickson and Reader hardly combined for over 14 sacks and the Bengals' pass defense was statistically one of the worst in the NFL last year in terms of getting to the quarterback, finishing in the bottom five in the league in quarterback sack percentage.
There are also more concerns given Reader is entering a contract year in 2023 while Hendrickson and Hill each both have just two years remaining on their current deals. Given that Hendrickson and Hill could both be cap casualties at the end of next season, their time in Cincinnati could even be more limited.
Assuming a scenario where neither Reader, Hill nor Hendrickson, or a combination of the three, returns to Cincinnati in 2023, the Bengals may have to start planning now for the future depending on what happens with their veterans up front.
The Strictly Stripes Podcast breaks down the missed opportunities of the Bengals' defensive front last year, why that needs to change and where they can instantly improve their luck. Looking ahead to his year's draft and the offseason, they also talk about how the Bengals should use their draft capital to build depth up front.
This podcast features Mohammad Ahmad, Andrew Gillis and Michael Niziolek.
Music: Starfields by Hallman
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