CINCINNATI – Typically, every NFL team has a glaring need heading into the offseason. Teams that don't have much to improve are normally the exception to the rule.

For the Bengals, it was the offensive line that needed a drastic makeover. As we all know, it was the Bengals' Achilles' heel in 2021 and it can certainly be argued the unit cost Cincy its chance at the first Super Bowl title in franchise history.

So, the Bengals, armed with plenty of cap space and motivation, set out to do exactly what they needed to do: improve the offensive line.

And they did just that. The Bengals signed Alex Cappa, Ted Karras, and La'el Collins to come in and help incumbent starter Jonah Williams turn the Bengals' front five into a reliable unit. Those four players will form the foundation for 2022 and the foreseeable future.

But there's one guy that remains a wild card in all this and that's second-year guard Jackson Carman.

The Bengals drafted Carman in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but the then-rookie didn't pan out as expected. He eventually lost his battle for a starting spot and then bounced back and forth between starter and depth player throughout the rest of the season.

In all, it was a very up-and-down year for Carmen because of multiple reasons. It's safe to say he has a lot to prove in 2022.

Fortunately, the Bengals' newest additions have seen plenty of adversity throughout their careers, themselves. And Carman has noticed how they can help him get through what has been quite a bit of adversity during his first year in the NFL.

"Alex, Ted, and La'el are all guys that have been through a lot of adversity and have had a lot of challenges through their career," Carman told reporters Tuesday via Sports Illustrated's All Bengals' Cincinnati Bengals Talk. "And they've all overcame those things and they've all done great things. Super Bowls, [being at] the top of the league, you know what I'm saying?

"Even the things they don't necessarily tell you: how they take care of their bodies, how they study, how they do all the things – it'll be really good to be able to learn [from them]."

Cappa was drafted in 2018 as a project-type player out of Division II's Humboldt State and essentially redshirted his rookie year. He worked his butt off that year and the following offseason en route to becoming a starter in 2019. So, he knows what it takes to work toward obtaining a starting position in the NFL.

He even fractured his ankle in the 2020-2021 playoffs, but rebounded to the point where he not only played every offensive snap in 2021, but he was also part of a top-3 offensive line.

Collins was considered to be a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, however, concerns lingered about his potential involvement in the death of his ex-girlfriend. The former LSU standout was never even named a person of interest in the case, yet was deemed radioactive in terms of a draft prospect. Those essentially caused him to go undrafted, but the Cowboys eventually gave him an opportunity by signing him as an undrafted free agent.

Collins eventually won the starting left guard position and started 12 games during his rookie year. A torn ligament in one of his toes ended his 2016 campaign just three weeks into the season, but he rebounded and moved to right tackle, where he became one of the better players to play the position over the course of the next three seasons.

Karras was a sixth-round pick who bounced between a backup guard and center during his first three seasons in the league. He finally settled in at center during Year 4 and was good enough to where the Patriots wanted to offer him a multi-year deal, but he opted for Miami, instead.

Karras was good in Miami, but decided to come back to New England in 2021, who welcomed him with open arms. He didn't return to a starting role, however, and didn't get his first start until Week 5 due to injuries suffered by starters Shaq Mason and Trent Brown.

The former Patriot rarely missed a snap for the rest of the season and allowed 11 pressures, two quarterback hits, and 3.0 sacks. Those numbers ranked first, fifth, 23rd, respectively, out of 49 guards with at least 828 blocking snaps on the season, per Pro Football Focus.

All three players found ways to fight through their circumstances and came out on the other side in a better situation, i.e., a quality starter in the NFL.

And according to Carman, they're already in his ear in the form of giving advice, too.

"Just pushing through and having a really good sense of self and self-awareness," Jackson said when asked what they've told him about fighting through adversity. "And also, being able to rely and lean on and your brothers."

Carman's storyline will certainly be something to watch over the coming months. One thing's for sure, though, and that is the fact he has plenty of support around him in the form of his new teammates.

Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar via Imagn Content Services, LLC