Bengals: Cordell Volson is locked in as starting left guard
The more continuity the Cincinnati Bengals will have on the offensive line, the more likely the group improves in 2023. Such improvement can take them from last year's AFC runner-up to this year's Super Bowl champion. Cordell Volson has gone from late fourth-round pick to incumbent starter and one of five players who's job description […]
The more continuity the Cincinnati Bengals will have on the offensive line, the more likely the group improves in 2023. Such improvement can take them from last year's AFC runner-up to this year's Super Bowl champion.
Cordell Volson has gone from late fourth-round pick to incumbent starter and one of five players who's job description starts and ends with protecting franchise quarterback Joe Burrow.
Life has come at Volson fast, and he's handled it as well as anyone could've expected him to do so.
Cincinnati's starting left guard from last season is entering his second year in tremendous shape, and with terrific job security. Per The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr., the Bengals are interested in letting Volson ascend as the starter there and not bringing in competition, ala moving La'el Collins inside to challenge him.
"Simply put, that’s Volson’s job. The Bengals believe the arrow points up on Volson with a solid foundation of a promising rookie year buoying a standard projected improvement in year two. Collins becoming an answer at guard would only come along if injuries do. A move to the interior for him isn’t something they are particularly interested in right now. Collins started there early in his career, but last played guard in 2016." – The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr.
The idea of moving Collins inside to the position he used to play during his early days with the Dallas Cowboys is a product of the upcoming battle at right tackle. Collins is still recovering from his torn ACL that ended his 2022 season, and said recovery could delay his return until late Summer.
Should Collins end up becoming the odd man out at right tackle, there is a reality where he could slide inside and provide healthy competition for Volson. But we do not exist in that reality it seems.
To reiterate, the less pieces that are shuffled up front for the Bengals, the better the unit will end up being. Their lone new pieces are Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., and undrafted free agent Jaxson Kirkland, who's mission will be to just make the Week 1 roster.
Having the interior trio of Volson at left guard, Ted Karras at center, and Alex Cappa at right guard gives the unit a stable foundation to build off of from last year as they integrate potentially two new players at both tackle spots. Collins is set to battle Jonah Williams and Jackson Carman, two natural left tackles, for the right tackle job.
Volson already won one competition in his young Bengals career. He won't have to win another one until at least another year.
Featured image via © Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
