Bengals' supposed biggest concern entering training camp is not much of a concern at all
It's a whole new world for the Cincinnati Bengals' run game this season. A completely different dynamic and rotation will take place next to quarterback Joe Burrow as Zack Moss and Chase share the load with Joe Mixon now the lead back for the Houston Texans. And with Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans still on the […]
It's a whole new world for the Cincinnati Bengals' run game this season.
A completely different dynamic and rotation will take place next to quarterback Joe Burrow as Zack Moss and Chase share the load with Joe Mixon now the lead back for the Houston Texans.
And with Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans still on the roster, Cincinnati appears set at the position. At least they should feel that way.
Concerns about the running back room appear to still exist for the Bengals. The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. noted that adding a veteran back to the group is a current worry for the club, and former Bengal Samaje Perine could be an option if he's cut by the Denver Broncos.
"The shift from Joe Mixon to a combination of Zack Moss and Chase Brown came by design to create more explosiveness and versatility. Yet, the Bengals feel one man short as they search for a third-down back. Moss can fill the role, but backups Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans need competition. Samaje Perine filled this masterfully in 2022 (and might end up being the answer here if Denver cuts him), but the Bengals never replaced him." – The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr.
It's true that the Bengals didn't find a traditional answer for a third-down back last season after letting Perine leave in free agency. Mixon and Brown ended up as the top two backs in the rotation by the end of the year, but neither one were particularly trustworthy in pass protection. That responsibility mostly fell on tight end Drew Sample, surprisingly enough.
Regardless, there were bigger issues within the Bengals' offense other than which running back was on the field on third down. And that remains the case now.
Brown is going to get the ball more often this season as a true complement to Moss. Neither one should receive the vast majority of touches throughout the season, but at least Moss has experience and ability to pass protect. Those snaps should be handed to him from the get-go.
Moss is a natural runner out of shotgun as well, so having him in the gun next to Burrow would not give defenses a clear tell as to what the play will be. He's a natural fit for the role, and can still carry the ball on first and second down.
The beauty of having Brown is so Moss won't have to do it all. Brown can get the ball on early downs throughout the game as well, saving Moss some energy to play on passing downs. Both players should also be featured in the passing game as receiving options as well.
Cincinnati actually managed to formulate a quality 1-2 punch with versatile skillsets. The only downside is Brown is largely unproven in pass protection, but since the Bengals have Moss for that, is there really an issue here?
Depth is the one shortcoming in this equation as Williams and Evans either lack dynamism or reliability, but if the biggest issue on the team is the quality of the third- and fourth-string running backs, that's a good problem to have. They won't see the field very often unless injury occurs.
Undrafted free agents Noah Cain and Elijah Collins are also in the building and can make some noise in training camp. One of them are likely to make the practice squad as well, giving the team added depth beyond the 53-man roster during the season.
Offensive line play and solidifying the third wide receiver are more pressing issues in the Bengals' offense compared to running back depth, especially when factoring in what matters more in terms of winning games.
The Bengals handled the running back position wisely this offseason. There's no need to overthink it now.
One play made Bengals rookie Chase Brown the second-fastest player in the NFL
Brown clocked in an incredible speed on his first-career touchdown.
