Bengals film breakdown reveals biggest area rookie must improve
The Cincinnati Bengals are counting on a big season from their fourth-round draft pick. Originally seen as a developmental player, Cordell Volson will be a Week 1 starter on the unit that was prioritized by the Bengals throughout the offseason. Volson put together a preseason that should have Bengals fans excited, though. Not only did […]
The Cincinnati Bengals are counting on a big season from their fourth-round draft pick. Originally seen as a developmental player, Cordell Volson will be a Week 1 starter on the unit that was prioritized by the Bengals throughout the offseason.
Volson put together a preseason that should have Bengals fans excited, though. Not only did he hold his own but he also displayed improvement in key areas that were question marks for him as a draft prospect.
A to Z Sports Film Room analyst James Foster dove into the rookie's preseason film. His preseason tape with the Bengals is even more impressive than his college film, per Foster.
"As a run blocker, he showed the dominance you saw on his North Dakota State film. The biggest thing that he needs to improve on is learning how to take better angles when he's climbing to the second level," points out Foster. "That was the main area that I saw him struggle in run blocking."
In pass protection, Foster believes footwork to be the biggest improvement from the Bengals rookie. However, there's one area he must improve on drastically.
Hand placement.
"This was one of Cordell Volson's biggest issues in college," says Foster about the guard's hands, which should almost always go inside on the defender's armpits. Both in pass protection and run blocking.
"I noticed it causing a lot of problems for him in the preseason," explains Foster going over example plays in the film breakdown above. In multiple plays, the Bengals left guard shows inaccuracy with his initial punch.
The tape also reveals some reps in which Volson is wrapping his outside arm around the defender's shoulder.
"That's just going to get you holding calls because you have no legal way to resist the pass rusher from going right through you," says Foster.
However, Bengals fans should be relieved to learn there's reason to believe Volson's hand placement will improve.
"His inside hand placement is actually pretty solid… That's why I'm optimistic the hand placement will improve because you see it happening with one hand."
You can check out the full breakdown here.
Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
