Bengals: One rookie can lock up a starting job against the Giants
The Cincinnati Bengals returned a good chunk of their starters from last year's Super Bowl team, but like any other NFL team, they added a lot of pieces through the draft. Initially, many assumed the first four picks, safety Dax Hill, cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, defensive lineman Zach Carter, and offensive lineman Cordell Volson, would have […]
The Cincinnati Bengals returned a good chunk of their starters from last year's Super Bowl team, but like any other NFL team, they added a lot of pieces through the draft.
Initially, many assumed the first four picks, safety Dax Hill, cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, defensive lineman Zach Carter, and offensive lineman Cordell Volson, would have a shot to at least compete for starting gigs based off the state of the Bengals roster and the current politics surrounding the team.
Hill has a shot to start because of Jessie Bates III's holdout. CTB has a shot due to the inconsistency of Eli Apple. Zach Carter because of the departure of Larry Ogunjobi.
And last but not least: Volson has a shot to start because of Jackson Carman's slow development.
Volson received a promotion after Carman's horrid performance against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 of the preseason. He'll start Sunday against the New York Giants because he was clearly the better player that night, regardless of context.
Carman dealt with a demotion last year, so this situation is nothing new to him. He knows he needs to make up for it on the field.
Well, now Carman won't even get a chance to at least get some reps on tape. Because he tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Sunday's matchup.
It's the latest setback for Carman, who also tweaked his elbow and missed a practice earlier in the week. The second-year offensive lineman is looking to bounce back from a dismal rookie campaign that not only featured on-field struggles, but off-field issues, as well.
It's also a bad spot for Carman. If Volson comes out and plays well against the Giants starters, it's pretty much all but guaranteed he will lock up the starting left guard position. Carman simply hasn't shown that he was worthy of his second-round selection, much less a starting job. At this point, if Volson shows he's capable and that he can communicate with the other offensive linemen, then why not take a shot on him?
Time is running out for Jackson. He has to step it up this year or else he will find himself on very rocky ground moving forward.
Featured image via Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
