Life comes at you fast sometimes in the NFL, and it certainly has for left tackle Jonah Williams of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Williams was a first-round pick in 2019. After not playing during his rookie season due to injury, Williams has been a starter for the last three seasons as the protector of the blind side for quarterback Joe Burrow. 

The Bengals made a surprising move about two weeks when they signed four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr, essentially demoting Williams which led to a trade request. 

Cincinnati's executive vice president Katie Blackburn spoke on the situation recently after the conclusion of the NFL's owners' meetings that took place in Phoenix, Arizona. 

"These things happen. We hear his concerns, but at the end of the day we'll just have to see where it all plays out," Blackburn said, via Bengals beat writer Jay Morrison. "Maybe there are trades you actually make. It’s all dependent on the circumstances, and you have to weigh the options."

Well, that's an interesting comment.

The frustration of Williams is understandable. He's in the final year of his rookie deal and is looking for a significant pay raise, and that will be impossible to accomplish on the bench.

According to Kelsey Conway of Cincinnati.com, Williams wasn't informed about the Bengals bringing Brown on board which can always ruffle a player's feathers, although teams don't have to make that known. Then there's the possible position switch, which Williams also didn’t know about. 

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor mentioned that he expects Williams to compete with Jackson Carman at right tackle due to La'el Collins coming back from a torn ACL and MCL which puts his availability to start the 2023 season in jeopardy.

Although all this is viable, the Bengals had every right to do what they did. 

In the NFL, it's always about making your roster better, and the Bengals did that by signing Brown. Also, not granting the trade request of Williams quickly is smart on their part because keeping him on the roster gives them depth which is one of the most important things a team can have. 

Cincinnati's offensive line will look different next season regardless of how this situation turns out. What's unknown is if Williams will be on the roster, and if he is, the amount of time he'll spend on the field competing instead of watching is also a mystery.