NFL edge rusher rankings make Bengals look even smarter drafting offensive tackle Amarius Mims
Everything aligned for the Cincinnati Bengals to secure their right tackle of the future in Amarius Mims.The 2024 NFL Draft was top-heavy with offensive tackle prospects, and Mims fell right into the Bengals' lap with the 18th pick in the first round. Cincinnati will need Mims to start within the next two years, but bringing […]
Everything aligned for the Cincinnati Bengals to secure their right tackle of the future in Amarius Mims.
The 2024 NFL Draft was top-heavy with offensive tackle prospects, and Mims fell right into the Bengals' lap with the 18th pick in the first round.
Cincinnati will need Mims to start within the next two years, but bringing him in the building now looks very wise considering how dangerous the AFC North on the edge.
The NFL believes the two best edge rushers play in the Bengals' division
ESPN recently polled NFL executives, coaches, and scouts for their collective top 10 edge rushers in the league, and the top two vote-getters both play for division rivals of Cincinnati (Trey Hendrickson came in at #9).
Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns earned the #1 spot with 70% of the first-place votes. T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers was right behind him at #2.
One coordinator kept it completely real when describing Garrett.
"If you don't double team him, he's going to f—ing kill you."
Joe Burrow can attest. Garrett has sacked Burrow 8.5 times in their six games against one another, the most any player has taken him down. The Bengals haven't been able to contain Garrett for his entire career, no matter who's under center.
As for Watt, he's gotten to Burrow 3.5 times, which ranks t-4th on the Burrow sack leaderboard. He could've been anywhere on ESPN's list and it wouldn't have changed how Burrow feels about the Steelers' top pass rusher.
"There’s no other defensive lineman that I have to treat like a DB," Burrow said of Watt on Pardon My Take. "Like I have to be conscious about where he’s at, because he’s just gonna jump up and catch it. And there’s nobody else that can do that.”
Mims is a timely answer to this very real problem
Burrow has to face these guys at least four times a season, and his tackle play up to this point in his career has consistently been subpar. Couple that with projected starter Trent Brown only under contract for one season, and the Bengals' need for an elite right tackle has never been higher.
This is why Mims was drafted. If he hits his ceiling, he'll become one of the Bengals' best offensive lineman in quite some time, and a counter to the absolute weapons who terrorize Burrow in the pocket for 25% of the yearly schedule.
Garrett and Watt also aren't going anywhere. Garrett is still 28 years old and under contract for the next three seasons. Watt is a bit older and will be 30 when the Bengals face him for the first time this season, but he's still with Pittsburgh for the next two years. So long as those two greats are on the docket, the Bengals will need to have the right personnel to limit them.
Mims may not be a flashy player at a position that needs a starter right now, but to fend off the biggest strength of the division, he's a mighty solution to the problem.
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