Bengals shake up key competition yet again as Zac Taylor proves anything is on the table
The Cincinnati Bengals made another move in their backup swing tackle search Monday, having Javon Foster and Jalen Rivers switch spots with the second-team offensive line.
The Cincinnati Bengals made another move in their backup swing tackle search Monday, having Javon Foster and Jalen Rivers switch spots with the second-team offensive line.
Foster, who spent all of last week at right tackle, took all the second-team reps at left tackle. Rivers, who manned left tackle throughout last week’s practices and for most of Saturday’s preseason game against the Chicago Bears, shifted to right tackle with the 2s.
If the Bengals have their swing tackle on the roster right now, it’s likely one of these two who will win the job.
The most important competition left in camp
Cincinnati is officially setting the table for this swing tackle battle to reach its conclusion this week. The Bengals released Cody Ford on Monday, giving the veteran a head start to find another opportunity. Ford started training camp and the preseason as the swing tackle before losing ground. His departure narrows the competition to Foster and Rivers, and it appears both are getting an equal chance to grab the job and run with it.
The backup offensive tackle role is one of the most important reserve spots on the entire roster. Giving each of them a full week at a different tackle spot is exactly what Cincinnati should be doing. Exploring every option before the preseason ends and final cuts arrive Sunday evening is the smart play.
If even one of them turns in a strong performance against the Philadelphia Eagles during Friday night’s preseason finale, there is at least some confidence that one can hold the job to start the regular season. That confidence has to be earned, however, and it does not exist yet.
“I think we’re always open to everything,” Coach Zac Taylor said Monday. “These guys are really competing. I feel like I’d like to see someone grab it and us be able to say that. But certainly, with time still in the practice, we got some stuff to sort out.”
External options should be in play
As of right now, this looks like a position where the Bengals will feverishly pursue a waived or release player next week when final cuts arrive. It would also make a ton of sense for Cincinnati to consider trading for a backup offensive tackle. A player like wide receiver Mitch Tinsley or defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. makes a lot of sense as a trade asset to fill one of the most important backup roles on the team.
If something were to happen to either Orlando Brown Jr. or right tackle Amarius Mims, the Bengals would have a significant problem on the offensive line as it stands right now. This would not be an issue if Ford, Rivers, or Foster had already played well enough to lay claim to the job. None of them have.
This is what Cincinnati is dealing with five days before the roster needs trimming to 53 players. The Foster-Rivers competition is the most important thing going on with the club right now, and the next four days will determine whether the Bengals trust their in-house options or go hunting for help elsewhere.
