'We're so far ahead': Ted Karras sees Bengals' o-line progressing nicely
It's been a long and winding road for the Cincinnati Bengals to achieve progress at offensive line. But after years of failed draft picks and tapped out veterans, 2023 might be the year it all comes together. And at the center of it all is 30-year old Ted Karras, who knows he's the veteran of […]
It's been a long and winding road for the Cincinnati Bengals to achieve progress at offensive line. But after years of failed draft picks and tapped out veterans, 2023 might be the year it all comes together.
And at the center of it all is 30-year old Ted Karras, who knows he's the veteran of the group, but doesn't feel as old as he is compared to the rest of Cincinnati's roster.
Signed last year along with right guard Alex Cappa and right tackle La'el Collins, Karras quickly rose up the ranks in the locker room and earned team captain status. His words carry more weight than 99% of the players on one of the best teams in football.
And in year two playing in lockstep with the likes of Cappa and Cordell Volson, Cincy's second-year left guard, Karras has noticed just how far the line has come throughout offseason work.
"We're so far ahead [from] where we were last year, especially from an o-line perspective," Karras told James Rapien of Cincinnati Bengals Talk. "You know, we've only added one more, we added four last year, and just procedurally everyone knowing their assignment. I mean, Orlando [Brown Jr.] is an easy install for a football coach, and he's got a great football mind.
"I was watching the film last night, and I just thought, man, we look we look really serious, we look really organized, and I really liked the week of practice that we had."
It certainly didn't get this way overnight. Offensive line issues plagued the Bengals during their troublesome 4-4 start to last season. Only when the group played more cohesively did everything else begin stabilizing.
Pretty soon, the team had won 10-straight games and was a drive away from going to second Super Bowl in as many years. Carrying that momentum into this spring will go a long way into ensuring the beginning of this season will result in more consistent play.
A jump from Volson will also solidify a position that has been in flux for the better part of five years. Karras has seen more than enough literal and figurative growth from the 24-year old North Dakota native.
"Wait until you guys take a look at this guy this year. He's put on about 15 pounds of muscle," Karras said of his beefed up left flank. "He's a tank man. He's 6-6 330. You know, does all the right things, has all the tools you want in an NFL guard. I mean honestly, he could probably be a five-position player, but left guard is just a perfect role for him, and we expect a big jump out of him."
Volson progressing as planned and sandwiched between two Super Bowl winners, Brown Jr. and Karras, will officially solve the left side of the line, and Cappa is as solid as they come at right guard.
Once the right tackle position is decided between the trio of Collins, Jonah Williams, and Jackson Carman, a unit that has been a liability for so long will officially transition to being an asset.
That transition is happening right in front of Karras' proud eyes.
Featured image via © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
